Mid America Baptist Theological Seminary

Speedpass Response

Speedpass,

Allow me to take a shot at this question. I have a vested interest in both MABTS and Union U.

The MCS program is meeting at my church (GBC, or it was before our recent problems), where I am a member; the Germantown Baptist Church. It is a type of general master's or a program where one can finish and get a master's in a ministry related field. It is not necessarily for preachers or folk pursuing a pulpit ministry.

Of course you know that the "workhorse degree" for MABTS is the MDiv. This is the standard "preacher's degree" as you also well know. There is a sense in which the two programs are completely unrelated as can be seen. But, on the other hand it could be viewed that both are competing for the same student pool.

Union's MCS is primarily focused on those like educational ministers, music people, children's minister's et al who want a Master's but do not want to relocate or go the "MDiv route."

A definitive plus to the MCS is that it is only 40 something hrs I believe. While MABTS' MDiv is still 96 hrs. The MCS can be done in one session per week where MABTS' programs are 4 days per week one hr per day. That makes a very big difference to those who "want to have a life!"

By-the-by, the director of the UU MCS program is a good friend of mine. I have somewhat of an inside on this particular thing.

I guess Mid America could see it as a threat and drain on the student pool. But they seem to be targeting different audiences. But I am sure that some will finish the MCS at UU and then go to MABTS and get the MDiv eventually.

Stay by the stuff!:thumbsup:

sdg!

rd