Master of Theological Studies – Open Format

Boston University School of Theology (effective Fall 2017) Last updated September 10, 2017

Student’s Name______BUID# U ______Matriculation: SeptemberJanuary _____(Year)

1. Core Requirements / Must be taken / Credit / Sem / Grade / Transfer / Petition
STH TF 701 Intro to Christian Traditions / Fall 1 / 3 /  / 
STH TO 704 Intro to Hebrew Bible / Fall 1 / 3 /  / 
STH TF 710 Stewarding a Legacy and a Promise (rq’d beginning Fall 14) / Fall 1 / 1
STH TF 702 Christianity Engaging Modernity / Sprg 1 / 3 /  / 
STH TN 721 Intro to New Testament / Sprg 1 / 3 /  / 
Contextual Education Semester –fulfilled through:
  • SSW FE803 Field Education 3
/ Any / 4 /  / 
Total Credits / 17
2. Core Electives / Must be taken / Credit / Sem / Grade / Transfer / BTI / Petition
Cluster 1 – Texts and Traditions
Choose any course from Cluster 1 (may be taken outside STH):
STH ______/ Any / 3 /  /  / 
Cluster 2 – Engaging Contemporary Contexts
Choose any course from Cluster 2 (may be taken outside STH):
STH ______/ Any / 3 /  /  / 
Cluster 3 – Theories and Practices of Leadership
Choose any course from Cluster 3 (may be taken outside STH):
STH ______/ Any / 3 /  /  / 
Total Credits / 9
3. Free Electives / Credit / Sem / Grade / Transfer / BTI / Petition
SSW HB735 Racial Justice / 3 /  /  / 
SSW MP759 Communities and Organizations / 3 /  /  / 
SSW ET753 Social Work Practice Ethics / 3 /  /  / 
SSW FE804 Field Education IV / 4 /  /  / 
 /  / 
 /  / 
 /  / 
 /  / 
 /  / 
23

Note: Due to the credit conversion, all credits taken prior to September 1, 2016 should be multiplied by .75 to convert to the new 3-credit system. Thus, all 4-credit courses taken prior to Fall 2016 should be counted as 3 credits, all 2-credit courses should be counted as 1.5 credits, and all 1-credit courses should be counted as .75 credits. Please contact the School of Theology Office of Registration () if you have any questions regarding your individual credit requirements.

Taken / Needed / Student’s Signature______Date______
Core Requirements / 17 / Advisor’s Signature______Date______
Cluster Electives / 9
Free Electives / 23 / Registrar’s Signature______Date______
Total / *49

* For those matriculating prior to Fall 2016, the total credits needed are 48 because the Stewarding course is counted as a 1-credit free elective for those students.

All MTS Students must complete the following in order to meet graduation requirements:

Completion of E-Portfolio (instructions on next page)

Assessment Survey #1 by the end of the second semester of study

Assessment Survey #2just prior to final assessment meeting at the end of the degree program

Assessment Meeting with faculty advisor and one other faculty member in April or November of final semester

MTS Assessment

FIRST SEMESTER

-Application essay is placed in e-portfolio, and MTS students are introduced to the assessment process in the Stewarding course or other venue.

-Students should discuss the MTS program learning outcomes with their advisors.

  • If the student is pursuing the Open Format MTS, he or she should follow the primary learning outcomes for the degree as outlined in the STH Academic Bulletin (
  • If student has declared a specialization, he or she should review learning outcomes established by the faculty guiding that specialization area

SECOND SEMESTER

-Student takes the MTS Assessment Survey and submits it to the e-portfolio before April 1 (if matriculating in the fall) or November 15 (if matriculating in the spring). The student is encouraged, but not required, to discuss the assessment survey with her/his faculty advisor during their regular advising meeting.

-Academic Dean meets with MTS cohort taking the assessment to discuss MTS experiences thus far. The surveys serve as a basis for that conversation.

THIRD SEMESTER

-Regular course selection/advising meeting with the faculty advisor.

-By the end of the semester, the student should add one course paper, project, or presentation to the e-portfolio in preparation for the final assessment conversation. A one paragraph rationale for why the student chose the paper should be included. The assignment should be representative of your formation in the program. It could represent, for example, a shift in your thinking, a challenging idea that you worked through, the advancement of your scholarship. The genre is open.

FOURTH SEMESTER

-The final assessment meeting takes place at the end of this semester but prior to April 15 or December 1 (depending on the final semester).

-The student should meet with the advisor and one additional faculty member to discuss the student’s experience of, and growth in, the program. The student will take the assessment survey in preparation for the conversation and submit it to the e-portfolio. The following materials should be included in the e-portfolio: personal statement, one paper/project/presentation, the student’s completed assessment surveys.

-The two faculty members will review all elements of the e-portfolio in preparation for the conversation.

-Following the discussion, the two faculty members should complete the assessment surveys and submit them to the Academic Dean’s office.

MTS/MSW Dual Degree - Boston University
STH and SSW Degree Requirements
Year 1 / STH / SSW-Clinical / SSW-Macro
Fall / STH TF 701 Intro to Christian Traditions (4) / 3
Fall / STH Cluster 1 Elective (4) / 3
Fall / STH TO 704 Intro to Hebrew Bible / 3
Fall / STH TF 710 Stewarding a Legacy and a Promise / 1
Fall / SSW HB 720 Human Behavior * / 3 / 3
Spg / STH TF 702 Christianity Engaging Modernity (4) / 3
Spg / STH Cluster 2 Elective / 3
Spg / STH TN 721 Intro to New Testament / 3
Spg / SSW SR 743 Social Work Research I * / 3 / 3
Spg / SSW HB 735 Racial Justice (STH Free Elective) / 3 / 3 / 3
Year 2 - SSW Foundation Year
Fall / SSW CP759 Intro to SW Clinical Practice / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW MP759 Communities & Organizations (STH Free Elective) / 3 / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW WP700 Social Welfare Policy I / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW SR744 Social Work Research II / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW FE800 Field Ed Seminar (0) / 0 / 0
Fall / SSW FE801 Field Ed I / 3 / 3
Fall / Clinical: take one of the following: CP770, 771, or 772 (optional for Macro) / 2
Spg / Clinical: take the two not taken in the fall: CP770, 771, or 772 / 4
Spg / Macro: SSW MP781** Community Organizing / 3
Spg / Macro: SSW MP783** Planning & Program Development / 3
Spg / SSW WP701 Social Welfare Policy II / 3 / 3
Spg / SSW FE800 Field Ed Seminar (0) / 0 / 0
Spg / SSW FE802 Field Ed II / 3 / 3
Spg / SSW HB Elective / 3 / 3
Spg / SSW Elective (STH Options may be available) / 3 / 3
Year 3
Fall / STH Cluster 3 Elective / 3
Fall / STH Free Elective / 3
Fall / SSW Welfare Policy Elective (STH Options may be available) / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW CPXXX Clinical Practice Elective / 3 / 3
Fall / SSW FE 803 Field Ed III (fulfills STH Contextual Education Requirement and one extra credit toward STH free electives) / 4 / 4 / 4
Fall / STH TF 820 Contextual-Action-Reflection Group for Dual Degree Students (counts toward STH Free Electives) / 1
Spg / STH Free Elective (satisfies SSW Elective if chosen from the SSW list of theology electives that count at SSW) / 3 / 4 / 4
Spg / STH Free Elective (satisfies SSW Elective if chosen from the SSW list of theology electives that count at SSW) / 3 / 4 / 4
Spg / SSW ET753 Social Work Practice Ethics (STH Free Elective) / 3 / 3 / 3
Spg / SSW FE 804 Field Ed IV (STH Free Elective) / 4 / 4 / 4
Total / 49 / 67 / 67