ACADEMICS & ISRAEL INITIATIVE
Master of Theological Studies (MTS)
The centerpiece of the one-year program at STS Texas is the Master of Theological Studies (MTS), a 42-hour accredited degree taught by the faculty of Shepherds Theological Seminary. At most seminaries this degree would take two to three years to complete, but students in the one-year program at STS Texas can complete the intensive MTS in one calendar year. Courses include Hermeneutics, Old and New Testament surveys, Historical Theology, and the Life of Christ.
Classes are taken in a module format, and members of the cohort work together through a prescribed schedule in 12 months. As students complete classes in sequence, they receive a biblical foundation that builds upon itself throughout the year.
Israel Initiative and Jordan Study Trip
Students in the one-year program spend an impactful two weeks traveling and studying the history and geography of Israel, in conjunction with a 3-credit course. This study trip is part of the larger Shepherds initiative that is built upon two convictions: (1) that students will know and convey God’s Word better by seeing it visually; and (2) that Israel is uniquely accessible today in a manner unlike it had been for much of recent history.
Visualizing God's Word
Our professors believe that teaching students on location provides the best and most enriching way to help them grow in understanding the biblical narrative. For our students, Israel becomes their giant blackboard, their real-life PowerPoint as the pages of Scripture come alive when they walk in the footsteps of Jesus, David, the Prophets, and other heroes of the faith.
Jordan’s Importance for Biblical Studies
Our students have the privilege of exploring this land so rich in historical and theological significance. Jordan features major sites from both Testaments and from the intertestamental period, including Petra, Sodom and Gomorrah, and Edom.
