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Biblical Studies (BA)

The program of study for a major in Biblical Studies is designed to prepare students for further seminary or university studies, or for a lifetime of study and service without further formal training. The Mary C. Crowley College of Christian Faith encourages on-the-job training for Biblical Studies majors in cooperation with local churches, hospitals, missions, and other religious institutions.

Biblical Languages are not required for a major in Biblical Studies but is strongly recommended. The second year of Greek or Intermediate Hebrew will count as part of the general studies foreign language requirement.

Goals of the Biblical Studies Major

  • To equip the student with the ability to articulate a general knowledge of the Old Testament and New Testament.

  • To provide a foundation of high-quality academic training for ministry, equipping students to serve as pastors, teachers, missionaries, and in other positions of Christian leadership.

  • To provide the academic foundation that will enable our graduates to be accepted in and graduate from graduate theological programs.

  • To enable the student to ponder the ultimate questions of life, to develop a strong, maturing, distinctively evangelical faith, and present an apologetic to competing views.

  • To lay a biblical foundation for the student's task of integrating faith and learning.

  • To integrate the Biblical Studies discipline with God's truth wherever it is found.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

courses

credit hours (ba)

Developing A Christian Mind
DCM 2301 - Developing a Christian Mind

3

English 

12

ENGL 1301 - Composition and Rhetoric I

ENGL 1302 - Composition and Rhetoric II

ENGL 2301 - World Literature I

ENGL 2302 - World Literature II

Fine Arts 
FINE 1306 - Introduction to Fine Arts

3

Foreign Language 
*Six hours at the 2000 level if adequate requisites are met

14*

Foundations for Excellence 

1

FOUN 1101 - Foundations for Excellence

is required of all first-year and transfer students with fewer than 15 credit hours. (AP, CLEP, IB, or dual/concurrent credit earned while in high school does not count toward these 15 credit hours.)

History

6

Choose two:

HIST 1301 - U.S. History to 1865

HIST 1302 - U.S. History Since 1865

HIST 2301 - World Civilization I

HIST 2302 - World Civilization II

Kinesiology 

2

KNES 1101 - Fitness for Living

and one additional activity course (KNES 1102-1122); for veterans or those 25 years of age or older prior to enrollment at DBU, KNES courses are waived.

Mathematics 

3

Choose one:

MATH 1301 - Math for Liberal Arts

MATH 1303 - College Algebra

MATH 1307 - Finite Math for Business Analysis

MATH 1405 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I

Natural Science (1000 or 2000 level courses only)
One laboratory science from Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Physical Science, or Physics

4

Religion

9

RELI 1301 - Old Testament Survey

RELI 1302 - New Testament Survey

RELI 2304 - Christian Doctrine

Social Science (1000 or 2000 level courses only)

6

POLS 2301 - American National Government

and an additional three credit hours may be selected from Economics, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology.

TOTAL GENERAL STUDIES HOURS

63

Biblical Studies Major

30

CHST 3309 - Spiritual Formation for Christian Ministry

PHIL 2301 - Introduction to Philosophy

PHIL 3303 - Philosophy of Religion

RELI 3305 - Principles of Biblical Interpretation

RELI 3382 - Practicum in Religion (S-L)

RELI 3383 - History of Christianity

or

RELI 4371 - American Church History

RELI 4345 - Christianity in a Pluralistic World

RELI 4350 - Systematic Theology

Choose one Old Testament course from the following:

RELI 3311 - The Pentateuch

RELI 3329 - The Historical Books

RELI 3336 - The Wisdom Literature

RELI 3347 - The Major Prophets

RELI 3362 - The Minor Prophets

Choose one New Testament course from the following:

RELI 4307 - The Gospels

RELI 4321 - The Early Life and Letters of Paul

RELI 4322 - The Later Life and Letters of Paul

RELI 4336 - The General Epistles

Electives

Upper-Level

Lower or Upper-Level

9

18

TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED

120

A 120-credit-hour minimum for a bachelor's degree is required, including 36 upper-level credit hours.

At least 12 credit hours in the major program must be completed at Dallas Baptist University, including nine upper-level course hours.

Minimum GPA Required for Graduation from Dallas Baptist University: DBU requires a minimum institutional cumulative, major, and minor GPA of 2.0.

(S-L)=Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.

MINOR IN BIBLICAL STUDIES

See information about the Biblical Studies minor here.

ACCELERATED DEGREES AVAILABLE

DBU also offers Accelerated Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program(s) for this degree available for qualifying undergraduate students. Refer to Accelerated Bachelor's and Master's Degree Program Requirements for additional information.

Refer to individual course descriptions for course requisites.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

Find course descriptions by category under the Undergraduate Course Descriptions section in the navigation panel.