Master of Arts with Concentration in Religion and the Environment
The concentration is designed for those students who intend to pursue further graduate education in theology or its cognate disciplines or those who seek additional depth of knowledge in a particular field of study. It may be appropriate in some cases for those who do not plan to pursue doctoral study but who expect to teach in a specific discipline in institutions overseas.
Graduation from the School of Theology follows the successful completion of all requirements for the specified program of study and the approval of the degree by the Senate of the University upon nomination by the faculty of the School of Theology.
A Master of Arts (M.A.) student who has successfully completed all prescribed work, has completed all non-credit degree requirements, has submitted a complete portfolio if applicable, and who has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.33, is eligible for the award of the degree of Master of Arts. Work toward the M.A. degree is to be concluded within four consecutive years from the date of matriculation.
Requirements
Drawing on the distinctive strengths of the School of Theology and the Environmental Studies Program and affiliated departments of the College of Arts and Sciences, the M.A. with a concentration in religion and the environment is a flexible program that utilizes Sewanee’s unique ability to contribute to an internationally recognized and vibrant field of interdisciplinary inquiry. After a basic grounding in the tools of Biblical studies, theology, and ethics, distribution requirements guide students so they are exposed to a variety of perspectives on environmental issues, ranging from the “hard sciences” to policy studies. Further elective work within the concentration allows the student to pursue specific interests, and a research project serves as the capstone in the concentration.
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| BIBL 501 | Old Testament: Foundations I | 3 |
| BIBL 502 | Old Testament: Foundations II | 3 |
| BIBL 511 | New Testament: Foundations I | 3 |
| BIBL 512 | New Testament: Foundations II | 3 |
| CEMT 511 | Introduction to Moral Theology | 3 |
| THEO 511 | Systematic Theology I | 3 |
| THBR 531 | Bibliography, Research, and Writing | 1 |
| Concentration 1 | ||
| Environmental Theology (select at least three hours from the following): | 3 | |
| Many Sides of Sustainability | ||
| God and Nature | ||
| Readings in Contemporary Eco-Theology | ||
| Creation, Evolution, and God | ||
| Environmental Ethics (select at least three hours from the following): | 3 | |
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Environmental Ethics | ||
| Environmental Policy (select at least three hours from the following): | 3 | |
| Natural Resources Issues and Policies | ||
| Water Resource Policy and Law | ||
| The Political Economy of Sustainable Development | ||
| Environmental Policy and Law | ||
| Environmental Economics | ||
| Comparative Religious Environmentalism (select at least three hours from the following): | 3 | |
| Religious Environmentalism | ||
| Religion and Ecology | ||
| Buddhism and the Environment | ||
| Rural Religion | ||
| Environmental Science (select at least three hours from the following): | 3 | |
| Field Investigations in Biology | ||
| Advanced Conservation Biology | ||
| Ecology (Lab) | ||
| Biodiversity: Pattern and Process (Lab) | ||
| Introduction to Forestry (Lab) | ||
| Physical Geology (Lab) | ||
| Select twelve additional hours from the courses above or from the list of approved electives 2 | 12 | |
| THEO 598 | Research Project 3 | 3 |
| Total Semester Hours | 49 | |
| 1 | From time to time, additional courses may be offered that satisfy the distribution requirements. Students should consult their advisor (and, when appropriate, the associate dean for academic affairs) to determine if a course not listed above may be used to satisfy the distribution requirements. |
| 2 | These courses will be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor to create a focus on policy, humanities/arts, or science, preparatory to the work of the research project. Certain courses require specific academic background, while others are open without prerequisite. Students should consult with their advisor and with the instructor of courses of interest to determine appropriate placement. Three elective hours may be taken outside of the concentration and the core curriculum. |
| 3 | The student will undertake an independent research project in the last year of enrollment. In the Advent semester, the student secures the agreement of a faculty member from the School of Theology and a faculty member from the College to supervise the project. The student develops a project proposal in consultation with the supervisors, and no later than November 15 submits the proposal to the advisor and the Office of Academic Affairs. In the Easter semester, the student registers for three credit hours of research (THEO 598). The research paper is to be a contribution to scholarly discussion. It is to be 5,500-7,500 words in length, exclusive of documentation and is to be submitted to the project supervisors once it is completed, no later than April 15 for graduation in May. |
Non-credit Degree Requirements1
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Safeguarding God's People Workshop | ||
| Safeguarding God's Children Workshop | ||
| Cultural Diversity Workshop | ||
| Education for Ministry Experience | ||
| 1 | For details on these workshops, see the Non-credit Degree Requirements for Graduation section. |