Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC)
Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC)
The Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling (MABC) is designed to serve the church with biblical, Reformed, and experiential counselors who teach and model the wisdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The degree is designed to achieve this by forming godly and theologically grounded men and women who are able to counsel both the saved and unsaved, the churched and unchurched, with the pure and powerful Word of Jesus Christ, aided by the Holy Spirit. We seek to train not only pastors, but also men and women who will work either vocationally or non-vocationally alongside pastors, under the authority of the church.
The biblical, Reformed, experiential, and practical truths of Scripture will be cultivated in students through the teaching and mentoring of professors.
Distinctives
- Committed to the Scriptures:
The MABC program is committed to the conviction that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, as originally written, are God’s inerrant Word inspired by His Spirit and, therefore, the only infallible authority for faith and practice. - Creedal and Confessionally Reformed:
Counseling students will be trained from the foundation of biblical truth as set out in both the ancient ecumenical creeds and the Reformed confessions of the 16th and 17th centuries. - Grounded in Systematic Theology:
Counseling students will leave our program with an understanding of the primary loci of systematic theology and a practical grasp of how these doctrines apply to counseling. - Informed by Biblical Theology:
The MABC student will be thoroughly acquainted with the Bible’s story, direction, and major emphases. - Drawing on Biblical Examples of Counseling:
Our biblical studies courses draw out and apply the counseling methodologies of Paul, James, and our Lord Jesus Christ. - Experiential Emphasis:
MABC students will be trained to counsel others to know God in a living, experienced, and testable way so that they might grow in the joy of the Lord and assurance of their salvation. - Mentoring Relationships:
Given the importance of example and discipleship in a counselor’s personal formation, students will be mentored by a professor or pastor for growth in both spiritual maturity and counseling abilities. - Hands-on Approach:
Because counseling is best learned through practice, students will be immersed in practicums exemplifying and applying biblical counseling theory throughout their degrees.
Core Tenets
While the MABC is designed to graduate well-rounded students with an extensive understanding of the theology, history, and process of counseling, the four tenets we seek most to instill and form in our students are the following:
- A firm conviction that the Bible is both the counselor’s manual and the Holy Spirit’s chosen means by which sinners are converted, saints are sanctified, the weak are strengthened, and the straying are brought back into the path of righteousness – for their good, the glory of God, and the growth of his Kingdom.
- A sincere desire to not merely apply temporary fixes or “band-aid” solutions to a counselee’s surface problems, whether physiological or circumstantial, but rather to address and seek the healing of heart issues by the means of the Word and Spirit of God.
- A clear competency in counseling those struggling with depression, anxiety, anger, relational conflict, severe suffering, and assurance of salvation.
- A thorough grasp of the practical framework necessary for establishing a counseling center in a local church, together with the conviction that counselors ought to exercise their Spiritual gifts under the authority and supervision of the elders and deacons of a local church.
Admissions Requirements
The requirements for admission and study are subject to the educational and degree program standards set forth by ATS; admission requirements may vary but will generally include the following:
- Restrictions: Both men and women are encouraged to apply for the MABC degree. While we can admit a few applicants to our program without an undergraduate degree, we encourage you to complete a bachelor’s degree before applying. Those with significant life experience will be weighted more when non-degree applicants are considered.
- The deadline: The Admissions Committee meets on a rolling basis—approximately every two months. Applications are considered at the next meeting only when all application components have been received. Entrance into the program will always commence in the fall semester so that there will be a cohort of students going through the program each year.
- Admission of applicant: A prospective student must apply for the MABC program via the seminary website; the application must include personal and academic essays and academic and ecclesiastical references. The Program Director will most likely approach the MABC applicant for an interview. The interview will assess matters related to academics, spiritual life, study requirements (on-campus courses/residency requirements, tuition questions, etc.), passion for counseling, employment, and family circumstances. The Program Director will submit a report to the Admissions Committee, either recommending or not recommending the applicant for admission. The report will include an evaluation of the proposed study’s academic contribution and the applicant’s potential and ability for counseling.
Admission Consideration in Exceptional Cases
In exceptional cases, mature students (typically 30+ years) who feel a call to ministry later in life may be permitted to enter the MABC program without a four-year bachelor’s degree. Such a student could be admitted to the seminary by special approval, provided the applicant can demonstrate an equivalent academic background and/or evidence of current experience that prepares one for the program he/she is applying for.
While the student, if accepted, is received under the “mature-student status,” he/she is still enrolled at a master’s level. Puritan Reformed does not provide such students with a bachelor’s degree in counseling. The seminary has therefore chosen to limit its acceptance of mature students to a small percentage to maintain academic integrity and expectations at a master’s level.
Residency Requirements
For the first two years 2022-2024, we will only offer the MABC as a residential degree. We are working towards an online version of the MABC beginning in Fall of 2024, although this can change. The on-campus degree will allow for greater collaboration and cohort learning and therefore we encourage all applicants to consider our resident program first. The degree will be able to be completed in two (2) academic years, which includes one summer internship.
Tuition and Fees
- Application for admission (non-refundable): $50.00
- Enrollment deposit: $100.00 (applied to tuition)
- Tuition: $275.00 per credit
- Late registration fee: 5% of total semester tuition cost
- Distance Education fee: $75.00 per course that is taken from a distance
- Graduation fee: $75.00
Scholarships
In addition to our already-low tuition, multiple annual scholarships are available. See the link on the right to apply for a scholarship. Only accepted students are eligible for scholarship consideration.
MABC Requirements and Timeframe for Completion
The MA program must be completed within five (5) years of matriculation; any exception must be approved by the president and academic dean.
The Master of Arts (Biblical Counseling) program is earned after completion of a minimum of 62 credits of coursework. This allows dedicated students to complete the program in two years (assuming approximately 16 credits/semester). A minimum grade point average of 2.3 (C+) is required.
The required courses for each emphasis are as follows:
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MA - Biblical Counseling - 62 credits
Do you have more questions about our MABC program?