Class & Thesis Information

Tutorials | Independent Research Courses | Field Education Limitations
M.A. & M.Div. Theses

CLASS ATTENDANCE

In the academic process, it is assumed that regular attendance is beneficial. In addition, the discipline of submitting oneself to a daily fixed schedule will be helpful in adjusting to the demands of ministry after graduation. In view of these considerations, the faculty expects responsible class participation.

Different courses call for a variety of approaches to the teaching-learning process. Consequently, there is no uniform requirement concerning class attendance. In order to make possible the greatest flexibility in the teaching-learning process, the professor will establish the attendance expectation which best suits the nature of each course. Failure to meet this attendance requirement may affect a student's grades. The professor will explain the attendance policy at the beginning of each course.

In order to attend a class, all students and auditors must first register for the course.

PREPARATION

Students in masters level courses at the Seminary will normally expect to invest two and one-half (2.5) to three (3.0) hours of work per week outside of class in preparation for every hour of credit to be earned.

Students enrolled in mentored ministry courses, in which usual expectations for outside coursework are less applicable, should expect to devote three to five hours per week outside of class for every hour of credit to be earned.
Students doing independent studies will contract for a minimum of 48 hours of work (including research and consultation with the faculty mentor) for every hour of credit to be earned.
Non-traditionally scheduled courses will have a minimum of 10 hours of contact time plus an expectation of at least 38 hours of preparation beyond these hours for every hour of graduate credit to be earned.

TUTORIALS

All M.Div. and M.A. tutorials are numbered 550, 650, or 750 in the respective departments. Tutorials are designed for students and faculty with specialized interests in selected areas of study not addressed by the current curriculum. Learning tasks are defined and prerequisites are established by the professor with the approval of the Area in which the tutorial is to be offered. Tutorials may be structured for 1-3 semester hours of credit, dependent upon the defined learning tasks. Tutorials are graded on the "A" to "F" scale.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH COURSES

All M.Div. and M.A. courses involving independent research are numbered 599, 699, or 799 in the respective departments. Only students having completed 25 hours with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.75/4.00 may request permission to take these courses. Normally, six hours of such courses are allowed. An independent study contract agreement requesting permission to take an independent research course must be approved before the student registers.

No course in the core curriculum may normally be taken as an independent research course, and no independent research course is allowed which duplicates a regular course offered in the same term. Independent research courses are normally to be taken on campus while school is in session.

All independent research courses must be submitted no later than the end of the drop/add period of their designated term, and they are to be completed, and credit is to be recorded at the end of the term during which the student has registered for the course. The grade of "CR" or "NC" shall be given.

FIELD EDUCATION LIMITATIONS

The maximum limit of mentored ministry internship hours or other field internship courses that a student can take for credit is 12, including those taken in other departments.

M.A. AND M.DIV. THESES

Students in the M.Div. and M.A. programs having a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00/4.00 can elect to write a thesis. Application for M.Div. theses shall be made no later than the end of the fifth semester of study, and for M.A. theses not later than the end of the third semester of study.

Introduction

The thesis serves as the culminating project for one's degree program. As such, the M.Div. Thesis should be marked by its integrative quality, drawing together research and insight across the master of divinity curriculum, while the M.A. Thesis should be more focused, grounded in the discipline in which the M.A. is to be awarded. The proposal of the topic must be approved by the Vice President of Academic Affairs, using the form available in the Office of Academic Affairs. All theses should demonstrate the students' mastery of the field of study as well as contribute to that field. They should demonstrate the competence of students for independent inquiry, critical engagement with primary and secondary sources, and scholarly creativity. Theses should demonstrate the students' capacity to engage in the form(s) of research appropriate to the nature of the research project, and to organize a problem in acceptable academic form.

Steps toward Registering for the Thesis

Although theses are normally completed in the students' final semester, four steps must be completed prior to registering for the thesis.

First, the M.A. student must demonstrate competence in a research language (other than the biblical languages) appropriate to his or her field of study (e.g., French, German, Statistics). The M.Div. student is strongly encouraged, and may be required by his or her Thesis Advisor, to demonstrate competence in a research language (other than the biblical languages) appropriate to his or her area of study. Before an M.Div. student registers for the thesis, the Academic Affairs office should receive from his or her Thesis Advisor a memorandum outlining the language competency expected of the student.
Second, the student must apply for and receive permission to write a thesis. This is accomplished by obtaining a "Request for Approval of Thesis Proposal and Committee" form from the Administrative Assistant to the Vice President of Academic Affairs. The student completes the first section; the Academic Affairs office office completes the second. The Academic Affairs office certifies the student's grade point average and language competence. Prior to this step, the M.A. student must have completed at least 30 units of course work; the M.Div. student must have completed 64 units. Having completed these two steps, the student is now in a formal position to organize a Thesis Committee.
Third, the student should find a Thesis Advisor willing to provide primary supervision in the thesis process; together, they will select and recruit a further member of the Asbury Seminary faculty to serve as a Second Reader for the thesis. Both M.A. and M.Div. theses must be planned and written in consultation with a Thesis Committee consisting of at least two persons-the Thesis Advisor and a Second Reader. For M.A. theses, the Thesis Advisor shall come from one's own School, and the Second Reader from a second school. For M.Div. theses, the Thesis Advisor and Second Reader should represent two different schools.
Finally, working with his or her Committee, the student will prepare a thesis proposal, which must include the following:

Tentative title
A clearly articulated statement of thesis
A provisional bibliography

Statements of Thesis should (1) include a statement of what one hopes to substantiate in the thesis-i.e., a claim that is substantive, contestable and explicit; (2) outline the method(s) one proposes to utilize in the thesis; and (3) indicate how the thesis will demonstrate the student's mastery of the field of study as well as the nature of the contribution the student proposes to make to that field.

Once a proposal for a thesis has been deemed acceptable by the Thesis Committee, the student obtains the signatures of each member of his or her committee members on the "Request for Approval of Thesis Proposal and Committee" form. Finally, the student submits the "Request for Approval of Thesis Proposal and Committee" form and thesis proposal to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, who must approve both the Thesis Committee and proposal.

Students are encouraged to discuss their thesis proposals and committees with the Vice President of Academic Affairs early in the process.

Only after completing each of these steps is the student permitted to register for the thesis (6 units). Although work on the thesis may commence earlier, the student should plan to register for the thesis in the semester of its anticipated completion.

Approval of the Thesis

When the thesis has been completed to the satisfaction of the Thesis Advisor, a meeting of the student and his or her Thesis Committee is arranged for the purpose of examining the thesis. Normally, this oral examination is limited to one hour, during which the substance of the thesis is discussed, suggestions for improvement and/or further study are made, the student's further academic career may be discussed, and a decision is made regarding the approval of the thesis. The Committee may take the following actions: approve, reject or approve with required changes. The Thesis Advisor should not grant final approval of the thesis until satisfaction is reached on content, format and presentation. A written report of the Committee's action should be provided to the office of the Registrar. If the Committee is unable to reach a decision, the Vice President of Academic Affairs of the student's School shall join the Committee and cast the deciding vote.

Asbury Theological Seminary

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