Master of Arts in Religion Admissions

The Master of Arts in Religion (34 graduate semester hours) at Community of Christ Seminary is designed for bi-vocational ministers who want to deepen their understanding of faith and ministry and transform community, as well as for professional ministers preparing to lead others in discipleship and mission.

Program Admission for the Master of Arts in Religion Program

Graceland University Community of Christ Seminary has a rolling admissions process; students may apply at any time during the year. International student must submit TOEFL scores and the WES or CGFNS audit as part of their application packet, which is typically due by May 30 of the year in which the potential student will begin the MAR program. New MAR cohorts begin in the fall term each year.

1. Applicant must have earned a Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4-point scale, or the equivalent from a non-U.S. institution. Students with a GPA below 3.0 will need to demonstrate the ability to do work at the graduate level. Applicants who have not earned a baccalaureate degree from a recognized and U.S. regionally accredited institution or its educational equivalent will be considered individually.
2. Applicant must complete the application form.
3. Applicant should provide, on the application form: name and email of three persons, each of whom will be asked to provide a reference attesting to the applicant’s promise for graduate study. Applicant will receive three DocuSign forms, via email to sign. Then, the DocuSign forms will be sent to each reference to complete.
4. Applicant must provide official transcripts of all course work. International students are responsible to submit a professional audit of their undergraduate transcript and GPA (Grade Point Average) equivalency by CGFNS or World Education Service (WES). The student (or sponsoring organization, e.g. the church) is responsible for the cost of this audit.
5. Please make sure that all materials (official Transcripts) are emailed to the Seminary Administrative Support Specialist. You may also mail it to: Graceland University, Independence Campus Attn: Seminary Admissions, 1401 West Truman Road, Independence, MO 64050
6. International students must have proficiency in both spoken and written English. To be considered for admission, students whose first language is not English must submit a TOEFL score of 550 or higher on the written exam or a 80 or higher on the online exam. Exceptions will be granted on a case by case basis (for example, someone whose first language is not English but whose undergraduate degree is from an English speaking institution, etc.)