Master of Arts in Religious Studies Summer Program

The Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MARS) program is a two week summer session offered to individuals who have a BA or BS degree. It is designed to enable students to study New Church teachings at a deeper level. The program allows students to relate the truths of doctrine to various academic, professional, and personal areas.

To view or print the full MARS Bulletin, with course descriptions, as well as registration and application forms, Click Here.

Admission

All degree seeking and non-degree students must apply for admission using the Application for Admission Form. Auditors must obtain permission of the instructor and program director, but the Application for Admission Form is not required.

Requirements for Degree Applicants

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent.
Transcript of all courses and grades from each college or university attended.
Undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 on a scale of 4. If the GPA is below 2.5, the Graduate Record Exam may be accepted.
Three letters of recommendation. Recommendations should not be from close family members.
Statement of intent and purpose.
Completed Application for Admission Form.
$30 application fee.

Requirements for Non-Degree Applicants

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution or the equivalent.
Complete Summer Program application.
Completed Application for Admission Form.

Course Requirements

Theology 514: Doctrine of the Lord
Theology 518: Doctrine of the Word
Religious Studies 510: Methodological Approaches to Religious Studies
Students must take five additional courses. Two of these MA level courses may be taken elsewhere wither before entering the program or while in the program.
Students must write a thesis equivalent to two courses.
Students must satisfactorily complete all requirements.

Spring Session: March 11 - May 17, 2013

To register for classes, complete and submit the Registration Form.

Religious Studies 540. Sociology of Religion

3 credits | Dr. Jane Williams-Hogan

Religion is a uniquely human institution. It defines “the only question important for us, ‘What shall we do and how shall we live?’” (Gerth & Mills, 143) Studying religion sociologically gives one access to understanding both the external and internal forces that contribute to the foundation, maintenance, change, and dissolution of religious organizations. Furthermore it permits the analysis of other social forces on religion and of religion on society. Sociology is an intellectual tool that permits the penetration of assumptions and appearances to uncover the underlying social reality. The sociology of religion is a useful discipline for anyone interested in the fate of religion in our modern/postmodern world.

Time to be arranged between Instructor and students | May be taken through distance learning

Summer Session: June 12 - June 21, 2013

Classes meet Wed-Sat from June 12-15, and Mon-Friday from June 17-21. To register for classes, complete and submit the Registration Form.

Theology 514. Doctrine of the Lord

3 graduate credits | Rev. Grant Odhner

All theology and religion hinge on the idea of God. Who is God? What is God like? What does God love? What purpose lies behind His creating the universe and people? What is His plan for fulfilling His purpose? What does He care about most in His working with us? How does He communicate with us? How does the nature of our own experience of life reflect who God is? How we answer these questions-especially the questions about His love, purpose, and plan-either brings unity and beauty to our theology and trust in our walk with God, or it brings disunity and obscurity to our theology and uncertainty in our walk with God.

The purpose of this course is to help students gain a basic grasp of the idea of God presented in the "Heavenly Doctrine"-the teachings given for the New Church through the theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. �This idea of God will provide a framework for understanding and appreciating every other facet of the theology of the New Church: for example, its teachings about...

* the nature of the Word
* the history of Divine revelation (advents)
* the Divine leading / providence
* salvation (as an end-state and as a process)
* the nature of heaven and hell
* the nature of life in the natural world
* the nature of human development
* the nature of marriage

These and other aspects of theology all find their place and meaning in our understanding of God. And having a clear picture of the key concepts about God which are presented in this course will enable students to integrate more particular ideas that they encounter in their reading of the Word and in their reflection on their life-experience.
Religious Studies 522. God, Humanity and Creation

3 graduate credits | Rev. Prescott A. Rogers

All of religion deals with God, with humans and with creation, with an emphasis on their interrelationship. When Emanuel Swedenborg wrote Divine Love and Wisdom and Divine Providence as a two-volume work, he was aware of this religious focus. He was also aware of two of the seven questions that no religion has ever successfully answered: how creation came into existence and why God allows righteous people to suffer. The answer to the first is in Divine Love and Wisdom, where Swedenborg explains how the Lord created, and the answer to the second question is in Divine Providence where Swedenborg explains the Lord’s government of His creation. In addition to these focus points there is so much more, such as how to think spiritually, the importance of the so-called philosophical doctrines (order, influx, degrees, forms and correspondence), and human development.

Calendar - Summer, 2013
May	31	Fri	Last day to register for classes
June	7 12 13 14 15 19 21	Fri Wed Thu Fri Sat Wed Fri	Last day to withdraw from classes with a full refund 8:30 am: Master of Arts in Religious Studies classes begin Last day to withdraw from classes with a 50% refund No refunds for withdrawal from classes after 8:30 pm Saturday Class in session Class is still in session 5:00 pm: Master of Arts in Religious Studies classes end
August	9	Fri	5:00 pm: Course final returns due

Classes meet daily Monday-Friday.

Accreditation

Bryn Athyn College is accredited by the Middle States Commission of Higher Education. Credits earned at Bryn Athyn College generally are transferable to other colleges and universities.

Financial Aid

Funds may be available to individuals who teach in New Church schools (elementary, secondary, and college levels). A person who fits this category must apply for tuition support through the Financial Aid office headed by Carole Eiben. They must submit a New Church Curriculum Development Fund Application.

Housing

If you will need housing on campus during the summer session, contact Dr. Jane Williams-Hogan.

Academic Policies & Regulations

Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with all academic policies. All policies listed in the Undergraduate Student Handbook apply with the following exceptions:

Drop Policy

· It is the student’s responsibility to drop a course if s/he is unable to attend due to changes in the class schedule or personal obligations.

· Non-attendance does NOT relieve a student of the obligation to pay tuition and fees. In addition to paying full tuition and fees, an academic hold will be placed on the student’s account to prevent any further registration transactions.

· Students who do not formally drop a class for which they are officially enrolled will receive an “F” grade for the course(s), and be liable for all tuition and fees incurred during the Summer.

· Students must formally drop a course with the registrar.

· A summer course may be dropped on the 5th day without it showing up on transcript.
Auditing Policy

Depending upon class size, and with the permission of the instructor, a limited number of auditors may be admitted. The cost to audit a course is $744 (or $248 a credit).
Course Load Limits

Students may not enroll in or attend more than two courses at any time during the summer session. Taking only one course is highly recommended.
Course Cancelations

If a course is canceled, the Registrar will send a notification to the email address listed on your registration form. If a course is canceled and you have made a payment, the payment will be refunded.

Course and Grade-Related Policies

Attendance

During summer session each day is equivalent to one week of classes during a term in the regular academic calendar. Therefore, a student cannot be absent from more than one day of classes during the summer session.
Credits

Every course in the Summer Session carries semester credit. Each credit represents approximately eleven 70 minute periods of classroom work per session.
Expectations for Individual Study Time

Students should expect to spend as much as two hours of study outside of class for every hour in the classroom. They will have completed 22 hours of work beyond hours spent in class by the 25th of June; for the project due by August 10th, a minimum of 54 additional hours is required, or nine hours a week for six weeks.
Incomplete Grade Policy

For all graduate-level courses, an interim grade of In Progress “IP” may be assigned if the student has not completed all requirements for the course. The “IP” may be changed to a letter grade if the student completes the coursework within one calendar year from enrolling in the course. It is the student's responsibility to be in contact with the professor regarding the outstanding coursework to be completed. If the coursework is not completed by May 31st of the following year, the “IP” becomes a grade of “WP”. If the student then wishes to get credit for the course the student must re-register, pay tuition, retake the course and complete all assignments in order to get credit for the course.
Qualitative Standard

Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.7 to be in good standing in the MARS program and be eligible for continued enrollment.
Academic Deficiency, Probation, and Suspension

Degree seeking students who fall below a 2.7 GPA will be notified they are on probation and, if after enrollment in the next summer session, the GPA does not reach 2.7 or higher the student will not be permitted to continue in the program. They will be suspended. Non-degree seeking students are permitted to be awarded one C or grade of 2.0; if they receive another C, they will not be permitted to take additional courses in the program.
Advising

Degree seeking students are assigned an advisor upon acceptance. With the student the academic advisor works out an overall program and begins the registration process with the student. Advisers are willing to meet with students at any point in their program. Responsibility to set up meetings rests with the student. An initial meeting should be arranged as soon as possible after the student has been accepted into the program. Non-degree seeking students are not assigned an advisor, but they are welcome to seek advice from their instructor or the summer session academic staff.
Distance Learning

Distance Learning options may be available on a limited basis under special circumstances.
Transcripts

Grades are available approximately three weeks after the final paper has been turned in to the instructor. The Registrar will send out transcripts with grades to students. Official transcripts may be requested from the Registrar and fees will mirror those found in the student undergraduate handbook.
Refund Policy

Students who drop courses in a timely manner may be entitled to a full or partial refund of paid tuition.

Students may be eligible for a refund if a credit balance is reflected on their student account. The refund process begins during the 2nd week of the summer session.
Financial Rights and Responsibility

Students assume responsibility for all costs incurred as a result of enrollment at Bryn Athyn College in the MARS program. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of their account balance and financial aid information, and maintain current valid address information at all times to ensure receipt of all correspondence in a timely manner.

The tuition status of a graduate student is determined by the date the course is dropped or the date in which the student withdraws from the MARS program.

Students who drop courses or withdraw from the MARS program are eligible for a refund of tuition charges according to the College’s refund policies. The effective date used to determine any refund of tuition is the date on which notification of withdrawal is received by the Office of the Registrar, not the last date of attendance by the student.
Student Conduct and Student Life Policies

All the students in the MARS graduate program are twenty-one or older. They should abide by any policies in the Undergraduate Student Handbook that apply regardless of the age of the student.