Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling

“This program is about guiding students into comprehensive content and competencies in the practice of biblical counseling. We want students to develop a biblical-theological diagnostic of mankind and use that to lead people into life transformation.” Nicolas Ellen, D.Min., Ph.D.

Admissions

Applicants must hold an accredited four-year bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 2.0. Applicants with a GPA greater than or equal to 2.0 but less than 2.5 will be accepted on probation. Admission of students without bachelor’s degrees is highly selective. Non-baccalaureate applicants must be at least 27 years old, have served at least 3 years in vocational ministry, and have earned at least 20 hours of college credits with a 2.5 GPA or better.

In extremely exceptional cases, an applicant who does not meet all of the above requirements may be admitted by appealing to the Vice President of Academics, who makes a recommendation to the faculty for approval. Such a recommendation would include a probationary period in which the student must maintain a 2.5 GPA for the first 6 credit hours taken.

Curriculum

The M.A.B.C. degree consists of 38 credit hours: 16 credits form the theological component and 22 credits form the counseling component.

Theological Component: 16 credit hours

BI 571    2    Hermeneutics
ST 511   2    Research & Writing
ST 501   3    Systematic Theology 1
ST 502   3    Systematic Theology 2
ST 601   3    Systematic Theology 3
ST 602   3    Systematic Theology 4

Counseling Component: 22 credit hours (2 hours each)

• Required Courses (14 hours)
  
  CO 502  The History and Philosophy of Biblical Counseling
  CO 503  Theology of Biblical Counseling
  CO 504  Comparative Analysis Between Biblical Counseling, Integration Counseling, Psychological Counseling
  CO 501  Foundations of Biblical Counseling
  CO 505  Biblical Counseling Process
  CO 565  Biblical Counseling/Discipleship in a Local Church Ministry
  CO 590  Counseling Internship
• Elective Courses (8 hours)
  
  CO 522  The Theology of Personhood
  CO 550  Marriage and Family
  CO 526  Problems and Procedures in Biblical Counseling
  CO 530  Counseling Victims and Abusers
  CO 510  Current Issues in Biblical Counseling
  CO 540  Biblical Philosophy of Addiction
  CO 541  Biblical Apologetics to Challenge the Secular Philosophy of Addiction
  CO 543  Pharmacology and the Impact of Drugs on the Brain
  CO 542  Biblical Procedures and Processes to Counsel Addiction
  CO 552  Complementarianism and Biblical Counseling
  CO 561  Problems and Procedures in Counseling Women
  CO 563  Discipling Women Through Biblical Counseling
  CO 562  Controversial Issues in Counseling Women
• General Independent Studies (up to 2 hours – these are 1 credit classes)
  
  CO 583  Biblical Counseling Alliance
  CO 584  Association of Certified Biblical Counseling Annual Conference or CDT Weekend Training
  CO 586  Expository Counseling Training Center Online Course
  CO 587  Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, IN Annual Counseling Conference or Regional Conference
  CO 588  Addiction Connection
  CO 589  Real Life

Catalog

“The Masters in Biblical Counseling at CBTS is designed to equip pastors, leaders, and lay individuals to care for one another on both formal and informal levels. The program will emphasize the theological building blocks of any good counselor as well as its application to the challenges we face in today’s culture.” Josh Stephens, D.Min.