What is Biblical Studies? Biblical studies are the academic investigation and interpretation of the Scripture of the Old and New Testaments. Drawing on disciplines ranging from history to Greek and Hebrew to literary criticism, a Biblical studies degree offers training in how to interpret and apply the Word of God.
When you get right down to it, the whole story and study of Christianity comes down to one book: the Holy Bible.
The best-selling, most widely read book in human history, to Christians, the Bible represents the inerrant Word of God. Written by divinely inspired prophets, it is both history and how-to manual. It offers words of wisdom and solace; it provides songs of joy and portents of the apocalypse.
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It’s no wonder, then, that degrees in Biblical studies are some of the most popular Christian degrees offered at Bible colleges and Christian universities around the world.
These degrees are important not just for individual enlightenment and parish ministry, however, but also for the overall understanding of Christianity.
The well of understanding that you draw from in any ministry is filled from the Word. Sustaining your own faith, inspiring others, and sharing Christ’s love with those who need it most is all made possible through better understanding of Scripture.
Biblical Studies Degrees are For Everyone – From Undergraduates to Doctoral Candidates
A Biblical studies degree is a college program that is centered around Christian scripture and its interpretation. What you learn is not just the content and wisdom of the Bible, but also how to effectively communicate that knowledge to others. It’s an important skill for any pastor to have.
Associate Degrees in Biblical Studies
An associate degree in Biblical studies takes two years to complete. The course of study you follow is about half general liberal arts training and half devoted to your major subject.
That means you will not just study Biblical history, hermeneutics, and the text of the Bible itself. On top of all of those courses, you’ll also complete classes designed to build your general studies and communication skills. This is a sort of entry-level preparation for either entry into the workforce or eventual pursuit of a higher-level degree.
Because of this division of your coursework, associate degrees are often accepted for transfer by four-year colleges that offer bachelor’s degrees in Biblical studies. Using your associate as a transfer degree means that the credits you earned for it can be applied to your bachelor’s studies.
Since two-year schools are typically less expensive, that makes an associate in Biblical studies a quick, efficient way to get started on your university education.
Bachelor’s Degrees in Biblical Studies
A bachelor’s degree offers a four-year course of instruction that combines intensive Biblical study with a traditional liberal arts and sciences education. You’ll get more in-depth coursework in Scripture at this level, with more electives and deeper analysis. Earning a bachelor’s degree puts you on a good footing for many entry-level positions in ministry or even in secular jobs.
The required general studies part of these degrees may not have anything specific to do with Scripture, or even faith, but they are an important part of what makes a college degree so valuable. You will take courses in a variety of different subject areas, including:
- English writing and literature
- Social studies
- History
- Math and sciences
It’s all general knowledge that college graduates are expected to have. But even more, it’s a course of study designed to promote critical-thinking, communications, and analytical skills that you can apply both in life and to your Bible studies.
Master’s Degrees in Biblical Studies
The master’s degree level will put you through another two to three years of advanced studies in Scripture, without any of the extras. The liberal arts training is in your rear-view mirror at this point. You are free to focus in completely on the complexities and mysteries of Scriptural text.
At this level, you are almost certain to be studying at least part of the Bible in the original Greek or Hebrew. Master’s degrees are also typically focused in on a single aspect or theme within Scripture. Self-direction is encouraged in graduate programs. You will pick a thesis topic and orient many of your courses and most of your research toward studying it.
That gives you a chance to specialize even further in your master’s studies, whether you decide to explore the identity of the author of the Revelation of St. John or compare the Septuagint to the original Hebrew Scripture it was translated from. Your expertise is elevated at this level, and your job opportunities rise in the ministry and elsewhere.
Doctoral Degrees in Biblical Studies
Doctoral studies take you to the pinnacle of Scriptural analysis. This is where the work of interpretation and investigation is most potent. Many of the answers that come from Biblical studies are generated by PhD candidates who use their doctoral dissertation as an opportunity to go deeper and more completely into some Scriptural question that no one had fully considered yet.
Though the Word is inerrant, human hands are fallible, and many early hand-copied manuscripts of Scriptural text contain errors of omission or transcription that only Biblical scholars can sort out.
To do this, you’ll have to devote an additional two to three years of study on top of your bachelor’s and master’s programs. It’s not a degree that is for the faint of heart. But if you are called to learn at this level, you can make the greatest impacts on faith and ministry, too.
Most doctoral graduates become college professors, teaching others in their specialty area. But some practicing pastors also find this level of deep knowledge of Scripture useful and important in practical ministry work.
You Will Explore Both Gospel and Points of Debate in Your Bible Studies Degree Program
There’s no great mystery about your courses in a Biblical studies degree… they’re going to be about Scripture.
What might surprise you is the great variety and depth that are available in the field of Biblical studies.
The Bible is actually a compilation of many different books. Each of those has its own history, author, and reason for being included in the Scriptures. Many of them talk about the same events or the same subjects from different perspectives or different eras.
Two thousand years after Christ walked the Earth, there has been a lot of thought and debate about what it all means. You can be a part of those discussions as a student of the Bible.
The difficulty and intensity of the courses that you can take in a Biblical studies program will vary depending on your degree. But you will generally be looking at the same subjects of study at all levels.
Coursework Found in Biblical Studies Degree Programs
It’s possible, and even likely, that you’ll focus your studies in one of these areas, or even in some even more detailed niche of Biblical studies. But most Biblical studies degrees have required coursework in areas such as:
Greek and Hebrew Exegesis - Every English-speaking reader of the Bible is working from an interpretation made by others. And you don’t have to look far to see the many different interpretations available. Biblical studies degrees seek to remove the middleman in your contemplation of God’s Word by teaching you the languages in which it was originally written.
History of Scripture - How the modern Bible became the modern Bible is a story of more than just translation. There are thousands of years of prophetic and religious writings that were, at various points, accepted as genuine and inspired, but later discarded. Even today, not every Christian denomination includes the same set of writings in their Bibles. Understanding what made it in to Old and New Testaments and why is an important piece of understanding those books themselves.
Hermeneutics - Before you start prying apart those original texts, you’ll take some courses that give you some tools for analyzing them. Biblical hermeneutics is the theory and methodology of interpreting spiritual texts, applying principles of semiotics, presupposition, and context to go past the plain text to discover deeper meanings.
In-depth Textual Studies - Every Bible studies degree starts off with at least a high-level overview of the Old and New Testaments of the Christian Bible. But from there, you will dive into enormous detail, narrowed down by either specific books, the works of individual prophets, or thematic concentrations through different chapters. Some examples include:
- Studies in the Pentateuch
- Intertestamental Period
- Studies in the Gospels
- Poetic Literature
- Books of Letters
Research - More than most degrees, Biblical studies require students have serious library, analytical, and investigative skills. You’ll probably fill those out through coursework dedicated to developing your abilities as a researcher, teaching you how to uncover resources to inform your investigations into Biblical texts. These can be as basic as library science courses or as advanced as archaeological studies, depending on the level of your degree.
But, my child, let me give you some further advice: Be careful, for writing books is endless, and much study wears you out.
What Are the Apocryphal Books?
In the earliest days of Christianity, there was no single recognized set of canonical writings of the teachings of Jesus. The Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible that is the basis for today’s Old Testament, had been fixed at 24 books before the birth of Christ, a pruning commented on in Ecclesiastes as necessary to reduce confusion and dispute over the Word.
But the Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Revelations of the New Testament were not yet fixed. Any prophet could comment on His teachings. Those authors worked for hundreds of years after his death to chronicle His story and guidance.
Not all Christian sects could agree on which of those works actually reflected the Word, however. It wasn’t until the 4th century that the current 27 books of the New Testament were designated as canonical.
But the debates didn’t stop and some denominations consider the discarded writings heretical; others consider them valuable, but non-canonical. And others include some of those works in their own canon.
For Biblical studies scholars, the Apocrypha are important sources of information and commentary as well as subjects of debate over Church doctrine.
Concentrations in Biblical Studies Offer More Direction in Your Training
Concentrations are common options in Biblical studies degrees at the bachelor’s level and above. They let you focus your studies in an organized fashion on particular aspects of Bible studies. Some of the most common concentrations include:
Biblical archaeology - Archaeological practices both stem from and benefit Biblical studies. The history of the Bible is traced through artifacts from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the Nag Hammadi library, and Biblical studies thrive on those original documents and their discovery. At the same time, the Bible is a book of recorded history, and evidence with in it has led to archaeological digs for everything from Noah’s Ark to the Temple of Solomon.
Biblical exposition - Sermons are frequently based directly on the text of the Bible. A concentration in Biblical exposition equips you for the study and development of expository speech and writing that is firmly founded on the Word of God.
Systematic theology - Theology is an exploration of religion and the spiritual impulse. Any systematic assessment of the Christian religion must stem from the instruction manual—the Bible. Concentrations here help draw the ties between Christian belief and doctrine and the original text from which it is drawn.
Ministry studies - Church leadership, Christian counseling, chaplaincy—since many students pursue Biblical studies as a way to improve their knowledge and ability to serve a ministry role, you will find degrees that offer all different kinds of ministry-related concentrations. They focus on familiarizing you with the specific aspects of Scripture to support those roles and offer counsel and wisdom more effectively.
You don’t have to pick a specific concentration in Biblical studies, however. Many students are looking for a more general overview of the Bible, and a general degree in this field is how to get it.
Selecting the Right School for Your Biblical Studies Degree
Picking a school to pursue Biblical studies can be a challenge. There are many different divinity schools and Christian colleges to choose from. And that’s before you consider all the different concentrations and electives on tap.
Your interests will be the determining factor in which college you decide to attend. But there are some general guidelines to help make sure you get the fullest education you can in Biblical studies.
Picking an accredited university means getting a quality education. Accreditation means quality assurance, plain and simple. Most colleges in the United States are regularly evaluated by accreditors recognized by the Department of Education or the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). But it’s worth checking your Christian college to make sure it is accredited, likely by either ABHE (the Association for Biblical Higher Education) or ATS (the Association of Theological Schools).
Online Biblical studies programs deliver flexibility and affordability. Online studies aren’t for everyone, but for those who can handle the responsibility and self-motivation, they open up worlds of possibility. Your choices expand when schools across the country are available. And with the ability to time-shift your coursework, you can fit in college studies together with meeting real-life obligations with work or family.
Doctrine is important for ordained ministers. A master’s degree is typically required for ordination by Christian church organizations. Whether you’ve already earned that degree or are on your way there, you’ll want to make sure that the doctrine your school follows matches the teachings of your church.
- There are many Biblical studies degree options out there, and even more if you consider the wide access offered through online studies. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding the right match for your calling.
What Can You Do With a Degree in Biblical Studies?
Biblical studies degrees are primarily designed to provide preparation and advancement for careers in the ministry. At undergraduate levels, these degrees offer you an unparalleled grounding in your knowledge of the inerrant Word of God that prepares you for further studies in ministry.
Graduate programs in Biblical studies expand that knowledge to help support your practical and theoretical use of Christian Scripture for:
- Inspiration
- Solace
- Support of your ministry
But traditional pastoral work isn’t your only option with these degrees.
One of the best things you can do with knowledge is to spread it around. So Biblical studies programs are a great way to prepare for a career as a teacher. Sunday schools are happy to have even associate-level Biblical studies graduates bringing up the next generation of Christians to love and appreciate the Word of God. A bachelor’s degree can qualify you to teach in a Christian, or even secular school with some additional ITP (initial teacher preparation) classes.
Master’s and doctoral graduates of Biblical studies programs routinely find work teaching at the college level.
A graduate degree is more than just a taproot into Biblical knowledge, though. The advanced training you get is also powerful preparation for leadership and managerial roles. Master’s graduates can become important movers in faith-based non-profits, aid organizations, or community groups. Some graduates even become authors, expanding the knowledge of millions of readers.
Finally, there are people who earn degrees in Biblical studies simply because the Bible interests them and they are called to learn more about it. A degree doesn’t just bring job prospects. It can deliver knowledge and wisdom, and those are things you may want for deeply personal and entirely non-career-oriented reasons.
Whatever your motivation, however, you will come away from a Biblical studies program with deeper understanding, more committed faith, and a stronger connection with the Lord than ever before.
