Author Topic: Looking for schools to begin my Masters  (Read 1659 times)

Offline Sean

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Looking for schools to begin my Masters
« on: December 19, 2011, 01:06:21 PM »
I am beginning to look for schools to complete my masters degree.  I am looking for online programs in Christian Education so it could be a seminary degree and it may not be.  I would prefer a seminary degree but a "normal" masters of education would also work for me as long as that is where the Holy Spirit leads.  Please pray that I will be able to find the program that fits the best.  I currently have 5 schools on my list of possibilities.  If you know of any quality online programs or about the programs below I would welcome your insight and/or suggestions.

Current List
Liberty University
Regent University
Dallas Baptist University
Apex School of Theology
Gordon-Conwell

Thanks!
May you prosper greatly!
Daniel 4:1b

Offline Prof Underwood

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Re: Looking for schools to begin my Masters
« Reply #1 on: December 20, 2011, 09:41:05 AM »
I have a few thoughts on this issue.

1 - What is it that you actually want to do for a career that leads you to want to go for this further degree?
     a - Christian Education director at a church - you don't need a Masters for this
     b - Teach at a Christian School in grades K-12 - you don't need a Masters for this
     c - Teach at a Christian College - you need a Masters (at least) for this

2 - Will it be worth the money and time?
     a & b - I don't think so.  I think you'd be better off, just going directly into the field.  You'll learn more from doing it, than you would in the classroom, and you'll save thousands of dollars.  That will mean that you'll be able to be more flexible to follow whether God calls you to ministry instead of being limited to jobs that pay well enough to pay off your massive education debt.
     c - I would still recommend starting smaller (perhaps teach HS first) and most schools will pay for your Masters for you if you go for it while working for them.  Then when you finish you could apply to work at colleges, and you'll have both the degree and some real teaching experience.

3 - Will it be good for your faith?
     I know it seems obvious that going for further Christian education should be GOOD for your faith.  However, my experience is that too often it is the other way around.  The Bible talks about how "knowledge puffs up", and I have seen it happen too frequently that people go to Seminary and learn a lot of stuff that tickles their own intellectual pride.  They learn the ancient languages of Greek and Latin, and about the cultures of people of the Bible, and about how to "correctly" interpret the Bible.  After all this, it is just too easy for them to set themselves up as the authority of truth.  Instead of the Bible (unchanging divine source) being the supreme authority it becomes their own brain (changing human source), and they are easily misled by whatever expert's book they happen to be reading at the time.

Offline soul seeker

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Re: Looking for schools to begin my Masters
« Reply #2 on: December 20, 2011, 10:57:46 AM »
I currently have 5 schools on my list of possibilities.  If you know of any quality online programs or about the programs below I would welcome your insight and/or suggestions.

Current List
Liberty University
Regent University
Dallas Baptist University
Apex School of Theology
Gordon-Conwell
I am finishing up at Liberty University Online.  I highly recommend that one if the following is true...
  1. You need an affordable university.
  2. You need the program to be completely online.
  3. You want a conservative Christian university --> still conservative/adheres to its roots as far as I can tell.
  4. You don't plan to have a social life (there is a LOT of reading).
  5. You prefer to have classes 8 weeks at a time.
  6. You have a strong/steady internet connection.
  7. You are self-motivated  --> procrastination can get one into trouble because no one checks up on you to meet deadlines.

Those are some of my thoughts.  I have enjoyed my experience though it has been a lot of work and some strain on my life.   :)
noob with a medal

Offline Sean

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Re: Looking for schools to begin my Masters
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2011, 11:31:56 AM »
Thanks for the suggestions and advice.
Quote
a - Christian Education director at a church - you don't need a Masters for this
In principle, yes, but not in practice.  Similar positions which I have looked into or applied for have been looking for someone with a masters.
Quote
b - Teach at a Christian School in grades K-12 - you don't need a Masters for this
True, but then they still want you to be working towards it.  One of the reasons why I am looking to begin work on my masters is so that possible employers will see that I am already in a masters program since that's what they all seem to want.
Quote
c - Teach at a Christian College - you need a Masters (at least) for this
This is something that I would be interested in in the future and is a reason for pursuing a masters degree.

Besides all of that, I am confident that God has wanted me to pursue a masters degree for several years, I just haven't gotten to the point where I have been able to until recently.
May you prosper greatly!
Daniel 4:1b

Offline YourMathTeacher

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Re: Looking for schools to begin my Masters
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2011, 03:16:45 PM »
I recommend Liberty University;D

OK, so I'm biased toward my alma mater..... deal with it.  ;)
My wife is a hottie.

 


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