The Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree program provides for continuing study through the discipline of academic excellence. It aims to develop in the student an informed, critical approach to a chosen field of study through post-graduate courses, mastery of a research language and a thesis. 

The Th.M. degree is administered by the Advanced Theological Education Office (ATE). See Admissions for prerequisites and admission requirements. Graduation requirements for each student are stated in the catalog published in the year of the student’s enrollment in the degree program.

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Concentrations

  • Bible (Old or New Testament)

  • Congregational and Community Care (Clinical Pastoral Theology)

  • Congregational Mission and Leadership

  • History of Christianity

  • Mission and World Religions

  • Pastoral Theology and Ministry (Composite degree concentration involving courses in congregational and community care, congregational leadership, children and youth ministry, educational leadership, preaching, and worship)

  • Systematic Theology/Ethics

Program Learning Outcomes

Luther Seminary and its faculty aspire through its Th.M. program to assist students in achieving the following learning outcomes:

  1. Advanced Understanding: Graduates will demonstrate an advanced understanding of their chosen area of study.

  2. Scholarship: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to critically engage an area of biblical, historical, or theological scholarship using appropriate research practices and methods of written and oral communication.

General Degree Requirements

Coursework

A total of six courses (or the equivalent number of full and half courses) plus an approved thesis are required for the Th.M. degree. The normal course load is three courses per semester.

Of the six courses, at least four must be taken in the area of concentration; one course may be taken as an elective (in any area, including the area of concentration) in addition to the required classes Christian Public Leader (.5 course) and Intro to Research Methods (.5 course). Students in pastoral theology and ministry should choose at least four courses from the composite areas listed above. 

Th.M. course requirements are normally met through a combination of courses offered at the Th.M. (6000) level, independent studies, course upgrades and, Ph.D. seminars (8000).  Students must complete required paperwork for independent studies, upgrades and, Ph.D. seminars, with approval from instructors and the ATE office. 

Students who received M.A. or M.Div. degrees from Luther Seminary normally may not upgrade courses taken for previous degrees. Students concentrating in Bible may not upgrade LG0110 or LG0220 for Th.M. credit. 

Courses must be passed with a grade of B or better to receive Th.M. degree credit. Unless otherwise noted, the academic policies and procedures also apply to the Th.M. degree.

Transfer Credits

Up to three courses, not applied toward another degree, may be transferred by petition to the Th.M. degree from previous work at Luther Seminary or other accredited institutions. All transfer credits must be approved by the ATE office. 

Luther Seminary M.A. and M.Div. degree seniors wishing for post-graduate credit must inform the registrar and the instructor of the course in writing at the time of registration. Such course work can later be accepted toward the Th.M. degree only with the approval of the ATE Office. Students may not apply post-graduate credits toward two degrees, nor may post-graduate credit status in a course be granted retroactively.

Students from the Luther Seminary Ph.D. degree program who apply and are admitted to the Th.M. program may use up to six courses at the Ph.D. level (with a grade of B or better) to satisfy Th.M. degree course requirements.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in English is assumed of all students. Students whose work demonstrates they are not prepared to write an acceptable English thesis are required to make up this deficiency (normally at their own expense) prior to the acceptance of their thesis proposal.

Language Examinations

Th.M. students are required to pass one written examination in Latin or a modern research language other than the student’s native tongue. Normally this exam is in French, German or Spanish. Students wishing to be examined in a language other than those listed must petition the ATE Office. Primary consideration is given to the relevance of the request to the student’s planned research.

International students whose native language is other than English may satisfy the language requirement passing an exam in English composition. 

Language exams are administered by the ATE Office several times during the fall and spring semesters. One dictionary or grammar may be used, and the criterion for a passing grade is the demonstrated ability to make regular research use of the language. 

Thesis Proposal

After completing course requirements and language examinations, Th.M. students register for continuation. The ATE Office, at the written request of the student and with the written permission of the faculty member nominated, also appoints the thesis advisor at this time.

The student, in consultation with the thesis advisor, prepares a thesis proposal including:

  1. Working title

  2. Nominations for two faculty members who agree to serve as readers of the thesis

  3. Brief discussion of existing scholarship on the topic

  4. Statement of the nature and purpose of the thesis

  5. Detailed outline describing the content of each chapter of the thesis

  6. Working bibliography

  7. Schedule for writing and completing the thesis

Having secured approval of the thesis advisor and readers on the appropriate form available from the ATE Office, the student submits it along with the completed thesis proposal to the chair of the thesis advisor’s division for initial approval. 

After securing the division’s approval, the thesis proposal is reviewed by the ATE Office for final approval. At this time, the student is admitted to candidacy for the Th.M. degree and the candidacy fee is assessed.

Thesis

The Th.M. thesis is intended to demonstrate the student’s ability to pursue research in the area of concentration. The thesis is not necessarily an original contribution to scholarship, but it may not simply duplicate existing scholarship on the topic. Normally, it shall not exceed 100 typewritten pages, excluding front matter, bibliography and appendices.

The thesis must be prepared in accord with: (1) The requirements of Luther Seminary’s Writing and Style Guide, (2) the Chicago Manual of Style; or (3) the publication guidelines of another scholarly manual or journal that is chosen by the student in consultation with his or her advisor. If choosing option three, the student must submit a comprehensive style sheet for approval by the ATE Office.

No later than January 15, students should notify the ATE Office indicating intention of program completion.   

With approval from the advisor and, and in consultation with readers, and no later than March 1, the student must submit the full defense draft of the thesis to the ATE Office (email copy) and to the advisor and readers (print copies). 

At least 30 days after the defense draft is submitted, and no later than April 1, the thesis advisor arranges with the student and the readers for an oral examination of the thesis.

Upon successful completion of the thesis oral examination, and no later than April 15, the student submits a final, typographically perfect copy via email to the ATE Office for final review that the thesis is in conformity of the required style and format.

The ATE Office certifies Th.M. students for graduation by May 1 of each year. The Th.M. graduation fee covers the cost of printing and binding one copy of the thesis that will be placed in the seminary library.  An electronic version will also be kept in the seminary repository. 

Students who do not meet the deadlines in this section cannot be guaranteed graduation during the year in question.

Commencement

An application for graduation must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office at the beginning of the academic year in which the student intends to graduate. Attendance at commencement is expected. Graduating students not attending need to notify the ATE Office in writing by May 1. 

In some situations, students who have successfully completed the thesis oral examination but not the final thesis review may petition to the ATE Office to participate in graduation ceremonies. All final thesis changes must be completed by the end of the summer term following graduation ceremonies. In the commencement bulletin, an asterisk is placed beside those names with the notation: “Requirements to be completed by the end of the summer term (of the year of graduation).” Requirements not completed by this date will postpone graduation to a later date, and new graduation fees will be assessed. The thesis oral examination must be completed by May 1 in order to participate in commencement.

Time Limit

The Th.M. degree is designed to be completed in two years when study is full-time. However, part-time students may have up to five years to complete the degree from the time of initial registration. Written consent of the thesis advisor and permission of the ATE Office is required to continue beyond this limit.

Continuation and Status

Th.M. students, while completing course work and writing the thesis proposal and thesis, will normally be considered full-time students for two years. After the second year, students seeking certification of full- or half-time student status must do so in advance by petition, clearly justifying the request in writing.

Students are charged a continuation fee each semester after two years of full-time study. Students who have not met the six-course requirement will be charged tuition rather than a continuation fee for every semester they are enrolled in classes. Failure to pay the continuation fee, without a request for leave of absence, terminates status as a student at Luther Seminary. See the Leave of Absence and Withdrawal policies for more details.