Master of Divinity (Missions and Intercultural Studies)
Overview
The Master of Divinity with a concentration in Missions and Intercultural Studies prepares you to advance God’s global mission through pastoral ministry in the local church, the mission field or other intercultural settings, whether local or international.
On top of a biblically and theologically sound educational foundation, this program trains you to become more culturally aware and to understand a variety of theological issues relevant to geography, ethnicity, ideology, intercultural communication and other topics. Additionally, the program gives you the option to select an emphasis most relevant to your calling.
- Develop Your Passion for God’s Worldwide, Culture-Spanning Mission. Grow in your understanding of the Bible as a salvation history story that progressively reveals God as a missionary God. You’ll gain a broad academic and practical foundation for your calling to reach the nations and pursue God’s mission in culturally diverse contexts.
- Be Equipped to Share the Gospel in Cross-Cultural Contexts. How well do you know the cultures you’re called to serve? Increase your impact as you develop your understanding and skills in exegeting your social and cultural environment. As you grow in your knowledge of theology, communication and culture, you will grow to be more effective and able to share the gospel in a culturally sensitive manner.
- Focus in on a Specific Area — or Customize Your Program. Beyond your specialization in missions and intercultural studies, you can narrow your scope by selecting a specific area of focus, such as anthropology, applied linguistics, church planting, cross cultural education, linguistics and biblical languages, missiology, urban/multiethnic, or a customized mix of these areas.
- Prepare to Provide Pastoral Leadership. The Master of Divinity provides a broad-based seminary education that prepares you in every way to teach and preach the Word of God, to offer pastoral counseling, to help believers apply the truth of God’s Word in their daily lives and to evangelize.
- Communicate Biblical Truth with Accuracy and Relevance. Much of your training involves digging into the Word of God and understanding the biblical authors’ intended meaning. You’ll gain the necessary skills and tools to exegete the Bible by learning Scripture’s original languages, Greek and Hebrew. Then, you’ll practice applying the knowledge you’ve gained in exegesis and interpretation in your preaching classes. This is what you need to communicate God’s Word to people today — faithfully, clearly and relevantly.
- Learn by Doing with Guidance from Mentors. You’ll gain theological and missiological insights in ministry by engaging in specific cross-cultural tasks in your course assignments and required field education. As you do, you’ll benefit from the mentorship and wisdom of Talbot professors who have extensive cross-cultural ministry and missions experience.
For more reasons to choose Talbot School of Theology for your education, see the Why Talbot? page.
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Admissions & Deadlines
As a Christian institution, Biola seeks to admit applicants whose backgrounds clearly demonstrate scholarly aptitude, a commitment to the historic Christian faith, personal character and integrity, and a positive service-oriented motivation toward their field of study. Biola does not discriminate on the basis of the applicant's race, color, sex, socio-economic status, disability, or national or ethnic origin.
Education and GPA Requirements
- You must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution by the time you plan to start coursework at Biola, with a minimum grade point average of 2.6 (on a 4.0 scale).
- Note: If you do not meet the degree or GPA requirements above, you may still be considered for admission. Please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions office at graduate.admissions@biola.edu. If you are an international student, contact grad.international@biola.edu.
English Proficiency Requirements
- If English is not your first language, you are required to display your English proficiency before admittance into a Biola University graduate program. See “English Proficiency” in the application steps section below.
Application Deadlines
- Fall Semester
- General: July 1
- International Students
- On Campus: June 1
- Online/Hybrid: July 1
- Spring Semester
- General: November 1
- International Students: October 1
Visit Biola
Explore our sunny Southern California campus in person or virtually. Learn more about your program of interest and the admissions process by scheduling an appointment with an admissions counselor.
Meet Your Admissions Counselor
If you have more questions about the program, admissions process or Biola in general, schedule a phone call or send an email to your admissions counselor.
Graduate Admissions Counselor
International Graduate Admissions Counselor
The Office of International Admissions serves students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States.
Email: grad.international@biola.edu
Book a Phone or Virtual Appointment
