Curriculum in the Executive Leadership in Christian Ministry Master's Degree
The Master of Arts in Executive Leadership in Christian Ministry focuses on skills pertaining to the heart of actual ministry leadership, including financial leadership, volunteer management, outreach, and conflict resolution.
The 39 credit-hour degree is designed to be completed online within 17 months of intensive study. Students may hold a full-time job during the course of study. All work applied toward a master’s degree must be completed within four years from the date of enrollment.
CCU students participate in theology classes that blend the latest in eLearning technology with the latest business theory and practice. Students attend classes online, do research using the Internet, exchange e-mails, and participate in online discussions. Even assignments and tests are submitted online.
Highlighted Courses
Students are required to complete 13 courses for the M.A. in Executive Leadership in Christian Ministry.
Some of the foundational courses include:
- Personnel Stewardship (MIN 505) This course prepares students to lead at both a strategic and operational level as they lead the HR and talent management responsibilities in a nonprofit or compassion-focused organization. Roles and tasks explored include assessing, hiring, training, evaluating, rewarding, developing, disciplining, and firing both merit and non-merit employees.
- Volunteer Leadership and Program Management (MIN 507) This course focuses on the basics of project management, addressing project planning, scheduling, estimating, controlling, and managing risk, especially as those skills involve and impact volunteers.
- Elder/Board Leadership (MIN 510). This course prepares students to create, serve, and develop a high-capacity, highly effective board team. Focus will be given also to the legal, regulatory, and ethical issues in governing nonprofit boards.
- Communications, Marketing, and Ministry (MIN 512). This course enables students to lead the creation and implementation of a communication strategy that is based on both compelling, attractive, and informative social media and branding techniques as well as biblical perspectives and knowledge.
- Servant Leadership (MIN 514). This course focuses on skills necessary to minister to the care and welfare of the organizational staff — a task as important as the business operations of the nonprofit, care-focused organization. Those skills include loving, leading, listening, and communicating.
- Outreach and Expansion Strategies (MIN 516). This course accesses the entrepreneurial spirit, governed by godly parameters, as a proper baseline for undertaking organizational outreach and expansion. Idea generation, purpose, and mission are informed and guided by the realities of sustainability.