PROGRAM
OF STUDY
2009-2010
At the time of admission, students are assigned a faculty advisor. Students work with their faculty advisor and within their selected area of focused study to design a program tailored to meet their educational objectives. Students, in consultation with their faculty advisor, complete a program of study worksheet outlining their courses and selected area of focused study.
Students who have not selected an area of focused study at the time of their application and admission should declare one no later than the completion of 24 credits. At that point, students will be reassigned, if necessary, to a faculty advisor in the area of focused study.
Program study worksheets must be submitted to the Dean no later than the completion of 24 credits.
The Master of Arts degree requires successful completion of the 48 credit components detailed below.
Core Course Dialogue in a World of Difference 3 credits
The core course, offered each fall semester, is foundational to the Master of Arts teaching goals and curriculum at Hartford Seminary. The course, which is team taught by two or more core faculty, provides an introduction to the lenses and disciplines of contextual, dialogical and interfaith engagement and discourse. The core course is required of all students enrolled in the Master of Arts degree program. Students are strongly urged to take the course during the first fall semester after admission to the program.
Core Areas
Students are required to take the designated number of credits in each of the core areas listed below; courses that fulfill the core areas are identified with an asterisk (*) on the course schedule for each semester and in the course description section of the Catalogue.
Sacred Scripture
(Required: one course in each of two scriptures) |
6 |
Theology
Ethics
Spirituality, Liturgy, Worship*
Religion and Society
History |
3
3
3
3
3 |
Total Core Credits |
21 credits |
*For the required course in Spirituality, students should take the course that has the most meaning for them (in practice this should be in a tradition with which the student most closely identifies.)
Note: Students completing a degree concentration in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations select from appropriate courses in each of the core areas.
Area of Focused Study 9 credits
For the focused area of study, students work with their faculty advisor to select courses tailored to meet their educational goals within one of the following areas:
**The “Ministry in Daily Life” and “Religious Studies” areas of focused study allow for the broadest possible selection of courses to meet individual student educational objectives.
Whenever possible, the faculty advisor for a student selecting one of the five remaining areas of focused study will be a faculty person within that academic area. That faculty person is the one who gives final approval to the course of study their student advisee has proposed and completed, in consultation with the Dean.
Biblical Studies
This focused area of study provides familiarity with the content of the books of the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures and critical exploration of specific books, genres, themes and historical and cultural contexts.
Students choosing a focused area of study in Biblical Studies are encouraged to take Biblical languages. Up to 12 credits of language courses taken at Hartford Seminary may count toward the 48 credits required for the Master of Arts degree.
Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations
Students completing this area of focused study will have knowledge of the history, beliefs and practices of Islam including the life of the Prophet, the Qur’an as sacred scripture, law and tradition, theology, philosophy, and the schools of mystical thought. They will also be acquainted with the major social, political and intellectual trends in contemporary Islam, and theological and social interaction between Islam and Christianity.
Students in this area of focused study are encouraged to widen the core curriculum through independent study, including the study of Islam in the Middle East, Africa, South and East Asia, Europe and North America, using the extensive resources available in the special collections of the Hartford Seminary library.
Students choosing Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations are strongly encouraged to take Arabic. Up to 12 credits of language courses taken at Hartford Seminary may count toward the 48 credits required for the Master of Arts degree.
The Macdonald Center
The Master of Arts program focusing on Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations utilizes the resources of Hartford Seminary’s Duncan Black Macdonald Center for the Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations. This center embodies Hartford Seminary’s 100-year commitment to the study of Islam and Christianity in their complex relationships throughout history and in the modern world.
Islamic Chaplaincy Program
The Islamic Chaplaincy Program at Hartford Seminary is a 72-credit program that combines academic study and practical training. See Islamic Chaplaincy Program..
Ministry in Daily Life
One of the defining features of Hartford Seminary is its emphasis on “ministry in daily life.” Rooted in the conviction that one’s entire life reflects a sense of vocation and the desire to serve God, students choosing this focused study area are encouraged to take courses that invite reflection on the application of faith to life and that equip the student to serve both the faith community and the world more effectively. This area of focused study is intended to provide the greatest flexibility in course selection for persons seeking to explore how faith informs life in the home, the workplace, the public sector, and the congregation or faith community. This area of focused study may be the appropriate selection for those seeking to develop or enhance their ministry in a non-ordained form.
Religious Studies
This area of focused study is intended for students who desire the greatest flexibility in their program of study in order to accomplish particular educational goals. Students completing this area of focused study will have constructed their program to deliver a coherent set of educational objectives in collaboration with the faculty advisor.
Spirituality
Students completing this area of focused study will have grown in an understanding of spirituality as a way of life that intentionally integrates behavior and belief while honoring one’s personal search for meaning. Core to the program is exposure to a rapidly changing world and its multifaceted implications, diversity in understanding and relating to the Divine, a deepening of one’s awareness of God’s presence in everyday life, and an application of theoretical learning to reflective prayer and practice. Students will work with a faculty advisor in the field of spirituality to design a program tailored to meet their personal and educational goals.
Women’s Leadership Institute
Up to 6 credits of the Women’s Leadership Institute may be applied toward the Master of Arts degree program with a focus in spirituality.
Drumming Circles
The drumming circle, offered through Hartford Seminary’s educational outreach program typically in the fall and winter/spring semesters, is an accompaniment to the course offerings in the area of spirituality, liturgy and worship. For further details, please view Hartford Seminary’s Special Events and Programs on the Seminary’s website: www.hartsem.edu or call 860-509-9519.
Spiritual Life Center
The Spiritual Life Center, a resource for spiritual programs in the Hartford region and throughout Connecticut since 1982, periodically offers a course at Hartford Seminary titled “The Art of Spiritual Direction” which may be beneficial for students in a Spirituality focused area of study..
Theology and Ethics
Students completing this area of focused study will deepen and extend their theological understanding and analysis of biblical sources, historical traditions, and contemporary construction in theology and ethics. Students will be able to develop their own theological interpretations and discern their own ethical positions surrounding current issues.
Electives 9 or 12 credits
Students work with their faculty advisor to select the remaining courses from the curriculum to complete their educational objectives for the Master of Arts degree program.
Final Paper/Project or Thesis (students select one) 3 or 6 credits
Completion of the final requirement for the Master of Arts degree provides an opportunity for the student to demonstrate her/his capacity to apply and reflect on the perspectives addressed by the Master of Arts program within her/his area of focused study. Those perspectives may include both scholarly and practical approaches encountered in courses and independent study, the student’s own vocational understanding, and the experience of living in a faith community.
The precise form of the final paper, project or thesis can vary within certain guidelines. Students should discuss with their faculty advisor which type of component would best suit their needs, desires, and future academic and vocational plans. Students completing a final paper, project or thesis will be required to take an oral examination on their work with their faculty advisor and one additional faculty member. Completion of a thesis is strongly recommended for students considering further graduate study, particularly a Ph.D., at any point in their future.
For more information, please contact us at admissions@hartsem.edu
or by phone, 860-509-9512.
