Christian Ministry Degree

Our M.A. in Pastoral Ministry degree is an online Catholic ministry degree that features a curriculum designed for those who are interested in becoming:

• Directors of religious education
• Youth ministers
• Campus ministers
• Catechists
• K-12 theology teachers
• Permanent deacons

• Teaching the Catholic tradition to those who have little or no Catholic experience
• Engaging the hearts, minds, and souls of children and young adults in the grades of K-12
• Developing ministry programs for children, young adults, and college students
• Leading programs such as Bible study, RCIA, and Pre-Cana
• Gaining administrative, leadership, and ministerial skills
• Networking with others in the community

Our Catholic education master’s curriculum is completely online, which allows students to complete their degree at their own desired pace. When working toward your Christian education degree, you can complete your classes in as little as two years by taking three courses per semester, or extend your time to complete classes in six years by taking two courses per semester. We also offer the opportunity for students to take classes without completing the entire Catholic ministry degree program.

Additionally, at St. John’s Seminary, we have a team of dedicated faculty and staff members who are passionate about what they do and are equipped to help students achieve success in their Catholic ministry courses. As our faculty have devoted their lives to the church, students will be able to learn from their extensive experiences and wisdom. 

• The Old Testament and Its Interpretation
• The New Testament and Its Interpretation
• Dogmatic Theology
• Church History
• Moral Theology
• Catholic Social Teaching
• Pastoral Ministry in Theory and Practice
• Liturgical and Sacramental Theology
• Spiritual Theology and Practice
• The Nature and Order of the Church
• Pastoral Care for Marriage and Families
• Practicum

Click here for the entire list of the curriculum

 Ready to apply for our online Christian ministry degree? Here are the steps to follow:

1. Review the necessary requirements, including that students must have already earned a baccalaureate degree with an undergraduate grade point average of 2.5 or higher.
2. Contact the director of the MAPM Program to set up a time for a Zoom or phone interview.
3. Complete our application form.
4. Prepare and email a curriculum vitae and a 500-word statement that expresses why you are interested in joining our program.
5. Have a pastoral agent send a letter of recommendation. This can either be from a religious superior who’s at the parish you’re interested in working for, or from someone in the field of ministry who has knowledge about your experience and character.
6. Request any undergraduate and graduate institutions to send official copies of your transcripts.
7. If you did not complete your baccalaureate degree from an English-based institution, please send us your TOEFL scores.

If you have any questions about our Christian education master’s classes or the application process, feel free to contact us today and we will be happy to help!

Contact us at [email protected]

At St. John’s Seminary, we are blessed with a dedicated faculty and staff who have devoted their lives to the Church, so students considering the Christian Ministry degree can trust they are in the hands of men and women called to form the next generation of lay ministers.

It is also important to note that our Christian Ministry degree is a program that can completed 100% online, giving students the freedom to pursue and achieve their degree at their own desired pace. This means pastoral ministry master’s students can complete their degree in as little as two years or extend their studies and finish the program in six years.

When choosing our seminary for your Christian Ministry degree, our mission is to help our students improve their ministerial and leadership skills—as well as their knowledge of the wisdom of the Church—in order to be evangelists for the 21st century.