I went from being skeptical of camp ministry to completely sold out on its impact.
Tommy Sewell
This is My Story
Read the Story →An ACU Student Experience
Master of Arts
Christian
Leadership.
Strengthen your leadership through an online master’s degree in Christian leadership. Examine organizational challenges, listen to the people involved, and use research to plan changes that support your mission.
What you'll develop
More than knowledge.
Capability you can show.
Develop practical capabilities for the people and places you serve.
Lead with a clear purpose.
Learn to connect an organization’s mission with the decisions and priorities that shape its work.
Build teams that grow together.
Develop your approach to recruiting, equipping, and supporting people as they work toward shared goals.
Turn direction into action.
Strengthen your ability to evaluate challenges, develop strategies, and adapt as circumstances change.
Create a healthier organization.
Explore the structures and leadership practices that help people learn, contribute, and accomplish the mission.
How you learn
Your leadership 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
Study Scripture, leadership theory, and relevant organizational practice.
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.
Leadership Core (9 Credits)
LDR502 · Organizations as Learning Communities — 3 credits
LDR503 · Strategic Thinking — 3 credits
LDR504 · Developing Dynamic Teams — 3 credits
Leadership Electives (12 Credits)
Select 12 credits from the eligible courses.
Eligible Courses (14 Courses)
- LDR505 · Governance & Admin of Nonprofit Organizations — 3 credits
- LDR508 · Organizational Communication — 3 credits
- LDR557 · Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations — 3 credits
- LDR509 · Spiritual Disciplines in Leadership — 3 credits
- LDR530 · Mission-Driven Innovation — 3 credits
- LDR511 · Nonprofit Management — 3 credits
- LDR515 · Conflict Resolution in Organizational Environments — 3 credits
- LDR507 · Risk Management of Nonprofit Organizations — 3 credits
- LDR506 · Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations — 3 credits
- LDR510 · Emotional Intelligence — 3 credits
- LDR556 · Fundraising and Development Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations — 3 credits
- LDR501 · Leading in Active Learning Environments — 3 credits
- LDR533 · Mission-Driven Entrepreneurship — 3 credits
- LDR558 · Nonprofit Marketing & Communications — 3 credits
The published pool excludes 3 courses. See the official catalog for exclusions and advising details.
Bible & Theology Electives (9 Credits)
Select 9 credits from the eligible courses.
Eligible Courses (24 Courses)
- THE512 · Biblical Theology of the Church — 3 credits
- THE548 · An Interpretive Study of Biblical Leadership — 3 credits
- BIB501 · Hermeneutics — 3 credits
- BIB500 · Interpretive Bible Study — 3 credits
- THE525 · The New Testament Church — 3 credits
- BIB530 · Biblical Exposition: Narrative Scriptures — 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
- THE500 · Doing Biblical Theology — 3 credits
- BIB510 · Bible Study Exposition Skills — 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
- BIB540 · Biblical Exposition: Epistles — 3 credits
- BIB520 · The Story of the Bible — 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
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 leadership.
Let's explore how this degree fits the work you're called to do.