This 100% online degree program is based on the Openseminary™ model for graduate theological education. The Master of Practical Theology draws on the best practices and theories explored and implemented by the churches and the academy. Participants will interact with and learn from experienced pastors, teachers, and contextual thinkers worldwide; learn from experienced pastors and leaders in the local church context; experience the joy of doing theology as part of a team; apply their learning immediately to everyday life. This highly integrative program equips students to reflect critically and constructively on their desire to join God in his work in the world. Such reflection leads to personal transformation and will modify how students shape their lives. As Christians, we are shaped by the church's practices; they embody our beliefs and are the vehicles of our commitments. For this reason, the M.P.T. focuses on the following six practices, and we study them individually and sequentially over three years: 1. Doing Theology in Context (Theologia), 2. Leading and Building Community (Koinonia), 3. Communicating the Gospel (Kerygma), 4. Leading Desiring God (Leitourgia), 5. Missional Service (Diakonia), and 6. Spiritual Formation (Paideia). Students must complete these six subjects to earn the M.P.T. degree in the Openseminary™ program. Each module consists of a total of 21 weeks of coursework consisting of: online readings to consider most current thinking in Theological and Biblical disciplines, attend lectures, complete assignments, participate in discussions, interact with thought-leaders in person or online during an integrative seminar, and construct a theological answer that the students in their ministry contexts can immediately implement. Two modules are offered each academic year. 

Graduation Requirements

To be recommended for the Master of Practical Theology degree in Openseminary™, a candidate must:

1. Satisfactorily complete 36 credit hours and fulfill financial and library obligations.
2. Maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average in the course of studies when taken for general educational purposes.
3. Give evidence of growth in personal character, moral and spiritual maturity, and emotional stability.

Program Requirements for OpenSeminary M.P.T.