What are you going to do with your one precious life? Will you be an educator, academic, religious leader, or a new spiritual community builder? Will you knit together an inter-religious neighborhood? Maybe you’ll bring Christian wisdom into conversation with pop culture. Or vice versa. Perhaps there is a new liturgical model brewing in your mind and beating in your heart.
The Interdisciplinary or Comparative Studies track is a flexible path that allows you to focus your vision using academic content and research methods. You will take survey courses in a theological discipline and then distill the learning in a summative exercise designed to unpack and express your ideas in a coherent and actionable master’s thesis, major paper or project. In other words, this degree track is the first step in turning a life dream into live reality.
Available Modalities:
Students in the LA Area modality must take at least one class with weekly on-campus meetings each semester. Students in the Low Residency modality must take at least three in-person intensive courses throughout their program. Students studying under an F-1 visa or with VA benefits should be aware of the in-person requirements of their status and choose courses accordingly. See the Program Delivery and Learning Modalities page for more details.
Curriculum:
This track is designed for students who want to personalize a course of advanced study in multiple areas of interest, one of which must be religious in nature. These fields of study will be listed on the student’s academic transcript. The program develops competence in the comparative or interdisciplinary study of religious beliefs, worldviews, and practices. Religious beliefs and practices are frequently analyzed solely from the perspective of a single religious tradition, or they are reduced to their social, political, or even biological functions. This program presupposes that an adequate comprehension of any given religion requires study from multiple perspectives within and without the tradition.
Core Courses: 12 credits
TCG 3020 Intercultural Studies (3 credits)
TES 3074 Learning with the Marginalized (3 credits)
Ethics Course (3 credits)
Phil/Theo Course (3 credits)
Electives: 12 credits
The student should choose electives that complement or contribute to the concentration or prepare them for a planned thesis topic.
Summative Courses (take 1): 1–3 credits
TIS3063 Masters’ Summative Exercise (Thesis)
TMC 3100 MA Colloquium (Non-Thesis)
The student will choose between the Thesis and Non-Thesis options. Students planning to apply for PhD programs should strongly consider the Thesis option. Further details about the thesis and its requirements and deadlines can be found in the catalog. The Non-Thesis option will include a portfolio of major assignments from the student’s coursework as well as short reflective papers on the student’s learning and experience in their program.
TOTAL: 37–39 credits
*Deacon’s Orders in The United Methodist Church
MTS students seeking Deacon’s Orders in the United Methodist Church must complete the following courses (15 credits) as electives or as part of their area of focus:
TWP3015 Intro to Christian Worship and the Arts 3 credits
TDS3001 United Methodist History 2 credits
TDS3002 United Methodist Polity 2 credits
TDS3000 United Methodist Doctrine 2 credits
TDS3039 Christian Evangelism 3 credits
TDS3045 Christian Mission 3 credits
Some United Methodist conferences require one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education for ordination, which would count for up to 6 academic credits. Students are strongly recommended to check with their conference regarding this ordination requirement. NOTE: Since these United Methodist classes are only required for ordination and not for graduation, CST considers them “Free Electives” for master’s-level students and therefore can be passed with a grade of D-. However, that may not be sufficient according to the requirements of the Board of Ordained Ministry in a particular Annual Conference. United Methodist students should ask their Annual Conference in advance what grade is considered acceptable for meeting these course requirements.
Want to learn more?
Reach out to the Admissions Counselor for this program, Karen Gonzalez, by emailing kgonzalez@cst.edu or by using the below link to submit an inquiry form.
