Become a minister or learn to more effectively teach the Bible with the 10 best online master’s in Biblical studies programs.
Many students who pursue biblical or theological educational options in their undergraduate years end up wanting more, particularly if they are pursuing a position in a church or school. Bachelor’s degrees don’t normally have the depth and history necessary to adequately teach secondary educators or ministers.
That’s where master’s degrees in Biblical studies come in. These degrees dive even deeper into theological and Christian understandings, along with providing plenty of education about how to teach others about the Bible and perform research to further understanding of the text for all, often in a historical context.
Yet, finding affordable and flexible program options can be tricky without the right research. Luckily, we’ve already found the 10 best online master’s in Bible studies programs. Let’s discuss this degree in more depth before we head to the reviews.
What is an Online Master’s in Biblical Studies?
A master’s degree in Bible studies extends the education of students in close textual study of the Bible, using historical, theological, and literary tools. It’s usually only offered by universities that follow a variation of the Christian faith and specialize in Bible interpretation, understanding, and theology.
It generally follows a deep dive into the Bible as a historical and religious text, usually through the lens of faith. As a result, such programs usually incorporate classes across a broad series of subjects like history, language, and sociology.
Students normally pursue master’s degrees in Bible studies because they want to become professional biblical writers or historians, become biblical teachers, or enter the clergy. Missionary candidates can also benefit from such an education, as can anyone who is a member of a church or a parachurch organization.
But because of its master’s status, the degree options are often particularly helpful if you want to attain an instructional position in Christian educational institutions. Many of the courses or subject matter specifically deal with teaching the Bible to others through guided or individual interpretation.
Because the Christian faith is one of many across the world, students of this type of program will also learn how to defend and articulate their ethical and theological system, as well as solve interpretive problems presented within the biblical text. As a master’s degree, these programs typically rely on heavy research courses or projects and generally culminate in a thesis. All students will learn how to produce independent scholarly research papers related to the Bible and Christian theology and history.
A master’s in Bible studies can also be used to progress to a Ph.D. program in a theological subject. If you want to specifically focus on theology, here’s OSR’s Master’s in Theology ranking.
How Much Can You Earn With This Degree?
The expected earnings for those with a master’s in Bible studies are difficult to nail down, as it largely depends on profession rather than position within a Church. As an example, many holders of this degree become postsecondary teachers, who earn a median annual salary of about $78,470. These individuals become professors at religious higher education traditions.
However, a separate chart places the median annual wage of philosophy and religion teachers, who combine research and education, at $78,790. Both postsecondary philosophy and religion teachers in general can expect to see employment rises over the next 10 years.
But degree holders can also proceed into a clergy position within their church. Such individuals can expect a mean annual wage of $50,800, although this exact amount can vary dramatically from church to church.
Ultimately, employment and payment prospects for those with master’s in Bible studies degrees are variable and dependent on many factors outside education. But it’s no stretch to say that people with these degrees have lucrative careers, even if they don’t usually earn as much as STEM program graduates.
What is Required for a Master’s in Bible Studies Degree?
Master’s in Bible studies programs usually have an interdisciplinary but focused curriculum. Students can expect to find courses covering:
- Biblical history
- Biblical theory
- General history
- Writing and communication
- Psychology
- Leadership
- Teaching
- Philosophy
Most programs also heavily incorporate a research element, so students will learn how to come up with research paper topics and complete those assignments on their own. Many programs heavily emphasize a schedule with regular worship or church-related activities, which may or may not count as extracurricular.
What Are the Best Online Master’s in Biblical Studies Degrees?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program specific. For school-wide, OSR uses Student Satisfaction, Admission Rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program-specific, OSR checks the Median Debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department. These numbers are self-reported by colleges to the US Department of Education.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.
