Note:  This program will begin to be phased out in 2008 and has been replaced with our off-campus program, Master of Arts in Youth Ministry Leadership.  Please contact Lori Garde at 260-359-4039 or lgarde @ huntington.edu for additional information.

The mission of the Youth Ministries program is to prepare graduate students for faithful and effective youth ministry leadership.

View our:

• Goals

• Program Objectives

• Core Curriculum

• Youth Ministry Courses

• Concentrations

We want to help our students:

• Articulate a Christian perspective on the taxonomy of adolescent development and the influence of socio-cultural dynamics on the spiritual life of youth.

• Be conversant with the philosophical and historical development of the variety of models of youth ministry being practiced.

• Demonstrate competence in designing, implementing, and evaluating youth ministries that promote spiritual maturity.

• Show evidence of an ability to develop students who minister to their peers.

Strategic Alliance:

• The Link Institute for Faithful and Effective Youth Ministry is headquartered on our campus.

“I would encourage any youth pastor who is considering making youth ministry a life profession to enroll at the Huntington College Graduate School -- and that comes from a youth pastor of twenty-five years.”

Joey Potter, Current Student

Program Objectives:

• Students are expected to be able (a) to balance ministry programs around purposes of evangelism, nurture, and equipping, (b) to design and implement assessment strategies of ministry outcomes and processes that are consistent with the ultimate biblical ends of ministry, (c) to articulate a philosophy of ministry based upon the integration of biblical, empirical, historical, and social science research.

• Students are expected (a) to expand their vision for leadership through youth ministry, (b) to increase their attentiveness to their personal spiritual formation, (c) to demonstrate an understanding of biblical and theological roots for ministry practice, (d) to grow in interpersonal awareness and skills, and (e) to improve their abilities to organize and manage ministry processes.

• Students are expected to be able (a) to identify personally relevant problems related to youth ministry leadership, and (b) to move toward solutions through the process of collecting information, devising and evaluating alternative approaches, and choosing and implementing decisions.

Achievement in these areas is measured by classroom interaction and course projects, accumulated material in the ministry portfolio, the student’s mentoring, and the culmination project.

Core Curriculum
The M.A. Program in Youth Ministries includes an 11-hour Ministry Core as well as a 12-hour Biblical Core.  The Core Curriculum of the Graduate School helps students in all programs attain the understanding and skills necessary for effective leadership and biblical faithfulness while integrating important ministry values.

Youth Ministry Courses
Students pursuing a M.A. in Youth Ministries will also complete 12 hours of Youth Ministries courses.

Areas of Concentration
The remaining 6 credit hours are electives.  Students in the youth ministries program may elect courses that further develop their disciple-making specialization in the areas of ministry leadership or family ministry.  Students may also elect courses from those offered for the pastoral ministries or discipling ministries programs to complete their degree requirements.

Course descriptions are available on-line.

* Students must demonstrate proficiency in this area by 1) having a course at the undergraduate level with at least a B- grade; 2) passing the proficiency exam administered by the graduate school; 3) taking the class, which may add hours to the program.

Note:  This program will begin to be phased out in 2008 and has been replaced with our off-campus program, Master of Arts in Youth Ministry Leadership.  Please contact Lori Garde at 260-359-4039 or lgarde @ huntington.edu for additional information.

Prospective students should also consider the following Master's degree from Huntington University:

• M.A. in Discipling Ministries with a Specialization in Youth Ministry

• M.A. in Youth Ministry Leadership

Huntington University is a recognized leader in youth ministry education.
Contact us today!