Master of Biblical Studies

The Master of Biblical Studies (MBS) degree is designed to improve and enhance the ministry of the local preacher. This is accomplished with a challenging and comprehensive curriculum that the student can study in his own surroundings without having to move to the campus of the Bear Valley Bible Institute.

In order to earn an MBS degree, the student must complete thirty-two (32) credit hours from the curriculum. For the most part, the student may choose the courses that he will take as part of his studies toward this degree. The exceptions are: (1) all students in the Bear Valley Bible Institute Graduate Studies Program are required to take the Introduction to Graduate Studies course (Course #500) first in their course of study; and (2) students in the MBS degree program are required to earn a minimum of twelve (12) of their credit hours in Blitz Week courses. Each Blitz Week offers two (2) courses, which means the student must travel to Denver a minimum of two (2) times for these courses; more if he chooses to take only one (1) course that is offered. Students do, however, have the option of taking all of the Blitz Week courses that are offered, if they prefer.

The remaining credits necessary to complete the program (up to twenty (20) credits) may be earned in what we call In-Ministry courses. In-Ministry courses are designed with the local preacher in mind. The student may take these courses in his own surroundings while he is “in ministry” to his local congregation. When a student is ready to take a course, he must visit the Course Registration page and click on the desired course, then follow the instructions for registration, and pay the tuition fee for that course. At that point, the student will have ninety (90) days to complete the course. The tuition paid for the course is refundable if the student informs the office he wishes to withdraw from that course at any time within the first thirty (30) days after receiving the syllabus. After thirty (30) days the tuition becomes non-refundable.

Students also have the option of earning an MBS with an Emphasis in Missions, which requires the student to complete thirty-four (34) credit hours. This specific degree track requires the student to successfully complete the Introduction to Graduate Studies course (Course #500) first, then the Introduction to Missions course (Course #600) second. Other required courses for this track are: Field Work (Course #601), Cross-Cultural Missions (Course #602), Indigenous Church Growth (Course #603) in no particular order, although Course #601 typically would be taken last when all other course work has been completed. See Curriculum for a description of all courses. The remaining required twelve (12) credit hours are earned by successfully completing four additional courses of the student's choosing.