School of Intercultural Studies
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The Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies (M.A. ICS) is a two year program designed to meet the need of mid-career training for missionaries and international church and mission leaders. The M.A. ICS exposes students to new possibilities for missiological praxis so that they meet the challenge of contextualizing the gospel in an increasingly global community. In addition, it enables practitioners to pursue coursework in one area of missiological study, culminating in a reflective and research-based writing project.

In order to be admitted into this program, students are required to have at least three years of crosscultural ministry experience, defined below in note one. The M.A. ICS requires the successful completion of 96 quarter units, and a typical class constitutes 4 units.  In addition to full-time and part-time study at the main campus in Pasadena, you may also take up to half of the classes in a combination of online, individualized distance learning, and extension campus courses. 

Sample Curriculum (see note 2)

Outcomes:

• Develop a biblical and theological foundation for missiological theory and reflection.

• Understand and learn to exegete culture.

• Become familiar with anthropological theories and issues relating to intercultural communication with special reflection on your own ministry context.

•  Gain awareness of the missional nature of the church and of significant developments in traditional denominations and emerging networks

• Develop and integrate leadership theory derived from Biblical and contemporary Western and non-Western contexts.

• Gain competence in one skill area of missiological research, reflection, and writing.

Notes:

1. Crosscultural ministry experience is defined as ministry or service operating outside of one’s own cultural context with a people of different ethnicity. Applicants who do not meet this prerequisite would be well-suited for the M.A. in Crosscultural Studies.

2. For specific curriculum information, click here to access the current catalog.  For information on transfer credit, please contact SIS Academic Advising.

3.  Includes 16 units of coursework, a research methods course, and an 8 unit writing project.

4. Concentrations are available in Anthropology, Children at Risk, Church Growth, Communication, Contemporary (Postmodern) Culture, Ethnomusicology, International Development, Islamic Studies, Leadership, Mission History, Spiritual Dynamics of Mission, Theology of Mission, and Urban Mission.  Students may also opt for General Intercultural Studies by selecting from any of the courses offered in SIS.

5. Students who have not completed 16 units of Biblical studies or theology at an undergraduate or graduate level will take Bible, theology, ethics or history courses to complete the 16 unit competency.  The remaining units may be taken as electives.  Students who come with this competency may pursue 24 units of general electives.

Admissions Information
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Applicants for the Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies program in the School of Intercultural Studies must submit the following:

• Official transcripts of all postsecondary schools attended, showing a bachelor's degree earned from an accredited institution of higher learning, with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.7 or above.

• Evidence of academic capacity for graduate study as communicated through GPA and references (one of which should be an academic reference)

• Evidence of personal maturity as communicated through three references (one of which must be a pastoral reference), and the applicant's religious autobiography

• Religious Autobiography parts A and B

• Fuller's application form, with application fee attached

Note: Applicants to the English language MA in Intercultural Studies program whose native language is not English or whose medium of instruction for all secondary and post-secondary education is not English must either submit a test score of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within the past two years or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Academic Format, taken within the past two years. Please click here for minimum required scores.

If you would like to apply online to this program, click here.