I learned that what I do is not defined by the platform I'm in.
Dr. Dwight Peterson
Anchor Christian University · Capital Church
Read the Story →An ACU Faculty Story
Master of Arts
Biblical
Studies.
Pursue advanced biblical study through an online master’s degree. Investigate challenging interpretations, evaluate sources, and explain what your research means for teaching and ministry.
What you'll develop
More than knowledge.
Capability you can show.
Develop practical capabilities for the people and places you serve.
Read Scripture with confidence.
Build the habits and interpretive skills to understand a passage in its context and connect it to the whole biblical story.
Connect belief with everyday life.
Bring biblical and theological understanding to the questions, decisions, and challenges around you.
Communicate what you discover.
Develop your ability to explain Scripture clearly and help others consider its meaning for their lives.
Engage other perspectives thoughtfully.
Examine ideas and worldviews with careful reasoning and a grounded biblical perspective.
How you learn
Your real-world context
becomes part of the course.
Online coursework connects with a relevant role in a church, camp, nonprofit, or other ministry setting. A volunteer or professional role can work. Admissions can help you confirm a context that fits your program.
Plan Your Course Load
Graduate students typically take 3–6 credits per 8-week term. Taking courses in all five terms offers a pace of 15–30 credits per year. Partner schedules may use 8- or 16-week terms. Your completion time depends on your program, approved prior credits, and course plan.
01
Explore
Engage Scripture, research, and ideas relevant to your studies.
02
Reflect
Examine how those ideas relate to the challenges you encounter.
03
Apply
Create work that demonstrates what you are learning.
2026-27 Academic Catalog
Your curriculum.
30 credits, clearly mapped.
Explore the required courses and choices that shape your program. An advisor can help you connect these requirements with your goals and previous learning.
View official degree requirements ↗Requirements from the published 2026-27 catalog.
Bible & Theology Core (18 Credits)
BIB500 · Interpretive Bible Study — 3 credits
BIB510 · Bible Study Exposition Skills — 3 credits
BIB520 · The Story of the Bible — 3 credits
BIB530 · Biblical Exposition: Narrative Scriptures — 3 credits
BIB540 · Biblical Exposition: Epistles — 3 credits
THE500 · Doing Biblical Theology — 3 credits
Bible & Theology Electives (12 Credits)
Select 12 credits from the eligible courses.
Eligible Courses (18 Courses)
- THE512 · Biblical Theology of the Church — 3 credits
- THE548 · An Interpretive Study of Biblical Leadership — 3 credits
- BIB501 · Hermeneutics — 3 credits
- THE525 · The New Testament Church — 3 credits
- MIN520 · Communication of the Word — 3 credits
- THE509 · Biblical Theology of Humanity & Sin — 3 credits
- THE538 · An Interpretive Study of Biblical Discipleship — 3 credits
- LDR509 · Spiritual Disciplines in Leadership — 3 credits
- THE505 · Biblical Theology 1 — 3 credits
- THE630 · Applied Biblical Theology I: Biblical Investigation — 3 credits
- THE501 · Bibliology — 3 credits
- THE507 · Theology of God 1 — 3 credits
- THE511 · Biblical Theology of Salvation & Sanctification — 3 credits
- THE631 · Applied Biblical Theology II: Theological Synthesis — 3 credits
- THE510 · Developing a Biblical Worldview — 3 credits
- THE632 · Applied Biblical Theology III: Ministry Integration — 3 credits
- THE508 · Theology of God 2 — 3 credits
- THE506 · Biblical Theology 2 — 3 credits
The published pool excludes 6 courses. See the official catalog for exclusions and advising details.
Total degree credits30
Understand your investment
Your pace.
Your annual investment.
Explore a tuition estimate based on your expected credits and study pace. A credit review helps turn your estimate into a personal degree plan.
Estimated annual tuition
$7,500
$7,500 estimated remaining degree tuition
30 credits remaining · 1 years at this pace
Your graduate comparison
Selected Christian online ministry/theology master’s programs
$460/credit benchmark · 30 credits this year$13,800
$460/credit benchmark · 30 credits this year$13,800
$6,300projected annual tuition savings
$6,300 lower tuition over your remaining 30 credits.
Comparison Sources & Assumptions
Graduate benchmark: equally weighted mean of seven selected schools’ 2026–27 online ministry/theology master’s tuition rates ($457.24, rounded to $460/credit). Full-time rates where available; Liberty’s $2,850 semester block is normalized to 9 credits. This is a selected-school reference, not a national average or a program-by-program equivalence.
- Liberty — Divinity master’s; $2,850 semester block at 9 credits: $317/credit
- Southeastern — MA Global Ministry Design: $545/credit
- Lancaster Bible College — Seminary master’s, full-time: $478/credit
- Cedarville — Master of Theological Studies: $436/credit
- Moody — Online graduate: $555/credit
- Cairn — MA Executive Ministry Leadership, full-time: $455/credit
- Grand Canyon — MA Theology: $415/credit
For counseling and other specializations, use this as ministry/theology context rather than a discipline-specific comparison. Sources reviewed October 30, 2026.
Savings compare tuition for the same modeled credits at ACU and the online benchmark. Transfer credit and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) acceptance vary by school; equal remaining credits are an assumption, not a promise. Actual part-time and block tuition may differ. Fees, books, financial aid, additional ministry subsidies, and future price changes are excluded.
Most ministry partners subsidize $100/credit or more in addition to the partner rate; not included above.
Tuition estimate only; credit approval required. See the catalog for details.
Make an informed decision
Your questions.
Clear answers.
What will set me apart when I take my next step?
Anchor's integrated approach helps you move forward with financial freedom, demonstrated ability, and relationships that matter.
A path toward a debt-free launch. Accessible tuition, partner discounts, and additional ministry subsidies can help you prepare for ministry or further study without carrying education debt into your next chapter.
A portfolio that shows what you can do. Real projects completed throughout your degree give you concrete evidence of your competencies—work you can put on your résumé, discuss in interviews, and share with future ministry leaders.
People who can champion your next step. Learning and serving alongside organizational leaders builds a network of people who know your name, have seen your work, and can offer references, introductions, and encouragement as you move forward.
Do I need to be serving in ministry already?
The program connects learning to a real organizational context. Talk with admissions about your current role or opportunities to establish an appropriate context.
Can previous study or experience count?
A transfer and prior-learning review can evaluate eligible learning against program requirements. Credit is determined through that review.
How do I take the next step?
Start with an admissions conversation about your goals, background, learning context, and degree plan.
Talk with admissions ↗Your next chapter
in biblical studies.
Let's explore how deeper study of Scripture can equip you for the work you're called to do.