Bachelor of Arts in Religion
About This Degree
The Bachelor of Arts in Religion will build on your existing Associate of Arts degree or equivalent (60 semester hours or more) to supplement the broad liberal arts foundation with a degree in religion that will prepare students for work in Christian ministry.
The program includes the ability to specialize in several different fields of study, including Biblical Studies, Pastoral Ministry, Missions, and Counseling.
The Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree can be earned online via semester-length courses, video conferencing, or in person at our campus in Jacksonville, Texas, set in the rolling green hills and piney woods of East Texas.
Several courses are also offered as motion classes, a one week intensive format offered on campus in the summer. Whatever your scheduling needs are for your degree in religion, we’ve probably got it covered!
For whom is the Bachelor of Arts in Religion Major?
BMA’s Bachelor of Arts in Religion program is primarily designed to prepare students for further graduate and other advanced work in theology or ministerial studies.
Many of our students, however, go directly from the BA in religion to work in entry-level ministry positions in their local church. It’s the perfect fit for those planning to serve in roles such as:
- Associate pastor
- Youth/Young Adult Minister
- Music Minister
- Christian education
- Outreach/discipling/evangelism roles
Bachelor of Arts in Religion Course Requirements (66 Hours)
*All courses for the Bachelor’s degree in Religion program must be 300-400 level courses.
All Bachelor of Arts in Religion students must complete a minimum of thirty-six (36) semester hours of classroom work as a student at BMA Seminary.
Up to thirty (30) semester hours of work may be transferred from an accredited institution toward the Bachelor of Arts in Religion degree.
The Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies requires an existing Associate of Arts degree or the equivalent (a minimum of 60 semester hours). Criteria for A.A. equivalency must include: six (6) hours in religion or social science, six (6) hours in government, nine (9) hours in English, six (6) hours in history, six (6) hours in a modern foreign language or science, and three (3) hours in math or natural science.
Biblical Studies (18 Hours)
- OT 421 Old Testament Interpretation**
- Grk 411 Greek Grammar I*
- Grk 412 Greek Grammar II*
- NT 422 New Testament Interpretation OR
NT 421 Studies in the Gospels** - Grk 421 Greek Translation I*
- Grk 422 Greek Translation II*
*With faculty approval non-ministerial students may substitute a modern foreign language for Greek Grammar and Translation.
**Students who did not take OT 113 Old Testament Survey and NT 123 New Testament Survey at the Junior College level must take them as electives (or as part of their concentrated studies) prerequisite to taking OT 421 and NT 421/422. These will count toward the Bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies.
Theological-Historical Studies (9 Hours)
- Th 411 Christian Doctrine I
- Th 412 Christian Doctrine II
- CH 412 History of Christianity
Church Ministries (21 Hours)
- PM 311 The Christian Ministry
- PM 412 Biblical Disciple-Making I
- EV 411 Biblical Disciple-Making and Evangelism II
- PM 421 Leadership and Disciple-Making
- PR 311 The Preparation and Delivery of Sermons
- PR 412 Special Studies in Sermon Delivery
- Missions Elective
Christian Education (6 hours)
- RE 311 Church Administration
- RE 325 Christian Psychology
Electives (12 Hours)
- 4 Electives
What Can You Do With a B.A. in Religion?
Upon satisfactory completion of the Bachelor of Arts in Religion program, a graduate should be able to demonstrate the following:
- Prepared for further studies in graduate work at the Master’s level
- Capable of thriving in various associate and support ministry roles
- Identified and developed leadership skills
- Capable of understanding and articulating Biblical truth in a variety of contexts
- The confidence to be a leader and visionary in the local church and community
What’s The Difference Between A Bachelor in Religion And A Bachelor in Theology?
Religion, Theology, and Divinity are largely interchangeable terms in the Bible college and seminary world. Schools that offer both generally would have much overlap between these degree programs.
AT BMA, the BAR includes more ministry courses than a typical Bachelor of Theology degree. Both require theological courses. BMA’s BAR is a broader degree and allows students to specialize in more areas than theology. The difference typically would be that a Religion degree would have a couple of courses dedicated to evangelism, church history, and studying another world religion.
Get A Religion Degree Online
More and more, studying online has become the preferred method for many people who cannot relocate for seminary studies, especially for people currently working in ministry roles at churches.
Work on your own time, around your schedule, and get a world-class Christian education that just a decade or two ago would have been impossible without relocating.
Why should I major in Religious Studies?
If you feel called to pursue a career in ministry, it is important that you are speaking from a place of careful preparation, not guesswork.
The stakes are too high, and our enemy too clever, to presume that we can walk into the battlefield of life without thoughtful and prayerful preparation for ministry.
Christ calls us to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” BMA is committed to developing a generation of Christian leaders that both love people well and communicate the gospel beautifully, clearly, and winsomely.
Ready To Take The Next Step?
If you’re interested in learning more about the Bachelor of Arts in Religion at BMATS, you can contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you have about pursuing a religion degree.