Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation

The Master of Arts in Spiritual and Social Transformation (MASST) program engages questions and concerns at the intersection of spirituality and society. The energy of spirituality can be intensely personal, but it can also ripple through an entire community or society. Similarly, personal transformation can elevate us and draw us out of the mundane world, but also propel us back into the world with new-found desire to be agents of social change. This program examines conflicts, challenges, and movements that involve persons and societies. It integrates social and spiritual dimensions in order to equip the whole person for work in a variety of settings: congregational, public, and private, with the ability to focus on non-profit leadership, spiritual formation, history as argument and mediation, and public theology and witness.

Bethany’s MASST program consists of 36 credit hours (twelve 3-credit courses) and may be done as a residential student or through our distance education option.

Program Objectives

Students in Bethany’s MASST program critically engage in a robust educational process that prepares them to:

1. Interpret Scripture, tradition, and theology.
2. Communicate faith and values with contextual awareness.
3. Integrate learning that focuses on spiritual and social understandings and practices of transformation.
4. Demonstrate theologically informed reflective practice appropriate to a Path, through coursework and a related practicum that anticipates an embodied ministry.

Course Requirements

Core: Spiritual and Social Transformation (12 hours)
M237, Spiritual Formation through Contemplation and Action
M246, Transformation in the Power of the Spirit
P249 Peace of the City and Public Theology OR WR240 Writing Public Theology
H370 Christianity in Crisis, 1590-1720 OR HS342 History of Christian Spirituality

Path and Practicum (12 hours)
Practicum, related to selected Path
3 courses, selected from the Path lists (see below)

General Electives (12 hours)
4 courses