Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling

The Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (M.A.B.C.) is a professional graduate degree designed to develop within the student a theological soundness that informs a biblical counseling and discipleship orientation.

“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.

 

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