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Master of Arts in Religious Leadership

The Master of Arts in Religious Leadership is a two-year program designed to prepare women and men for service in a range of religious, faith-based, community and advocacy settings.  The degree provides a foundation in theological education, including theological field education, both to those pursuing lay ministry, and to professionals from fields other than religion who wish to develop or strengthen the theological dimensions of their work.

Students in the Master of Arts in Religious Leadership program choose one of four concentrations: Religious Leadership for Interfaith Engagement, Religious Leadership for Social Transformation, Religious Leadership for Spirituality and Pastoral Care, and Religious Leadership for Word and Worship.  Students also complete a unit of supervised Theological Field Education, at a site consistent with their concentration. The Master of Arts in Religious Leadership program culminates in a capstone project paper, which integrates a student’s field education and theological studies.

Learning Goals

• Demonstrate the capacity for competent practice in and critical reflection on religious leadership in specific contexts.
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and the ability to engage for religious leadership, biblical, historical, and religious traditions.
• Demonstrate understanding of the dynamics of personal, social and organizational transformation and their relevance for the practices of religious leadership
• Demonstrate integration of theological and hermeneutical understanding with reflection on the practices of religious leadership.

Degree Concentrations

The Master of Arts in Religious Leadership (M.A.R.L.) at CTS is a single program with four concentrations:

Religious Leadership for Interfaith Engagement will develop the capacity to understand diverse faith traditions for purposes of interfaith collaboration toward personal and social transformation.

Religious Leadership for Social Transformation will develop the capacity to understand and engage the dynamics of community transformation in relation to specific contexts and religious traditions.

Religious Leadership for Spirituality and Pastoral Care will develop the capacity for care, counsel and spiritual guidance in specific contexts.

Religious Leadership for Word and Worship will develop the capacity to bring particular religious texts and traditions to bear on specific contexts through interpretation and liturgy.

Each concentration includes:

• Seven core courses required of all MARL students
• One unit of Theological Field Education
• Capstone project paper
• Five free electives
• Four courses specific to the concentration

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