39 units

The biblical studies major combines a broad background in philosophy, Christian theology, and ministry with a solid foundation in the Bible. Graduates are furnished with a biblical basis for Christian ministry and evangelism and are prepared for graduate study in the Bible and Christian theology.

Career Opportunities

This major provides students with tools for continued education at a seminary or university. Graduates have also assumed positions in churches and Christian organizations where knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures are essential.

Requirements

Core requirements for the biblical studies major may double-count with course requirements for the biblical hermeneutics and/or biblical archaeology concentration. A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA is required in all courses for the major.

THEO/UBBL Double Major Guidelines

Should a student choose to double major in theology and biblical studies, he/she must take 3 additional upper-division courses in a single discipline of either THEO or UBBL (THEO 4XX or UBBL 3XX/4XX) to meet the guidelines for double majors.

NOTE: Only one correspondence course may be counted toward the major or minor and only with permission from the department.

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Required Courses
UBBL 230	Luke/Acts 1, 2	3
or UBBL 235	Luke/Acts through a Latinx Lens
UBBL 476	Writing 3: Women in the Biblical Tradition 3	3
Select one of the following:		3
UBBL 496	Senior Seminar: Biblical Theology and Ethics 4
MIN 496	Senior Seminar: Church and Society 4
PHIL 496	Senior Seminar 4
THEO 496	Senior Seminar: Theology and Social Issues 4
MINY 226	Studying and Teaching the Bible	3
UBBL 4xx	Any 400-level UBBL Course	3
Select one of the following:		3
THEO 363	Contemporary Christian Theology
Any 400-level THEO course
Select one of the following:		3
RELG 200	World Religions 5
UBBL 350	Biblical Lands and Cultures 6
UBBL 482	Global Biblical Interpretation 5
Select one of the following:		3
THEO 352	Church History: Apostolic Era to the Eve of the Reformation 7
THEO 354	Church History from the Eve of the Reformation to the Present 7
HUM 325	Core Texts in Christianity 7
Select one of the following:		3
PHIL 303	Reasons for Faith: Exploring the Rationality of the Existence of God and Christianity
PHIL 315	History of Ancient Philosophy
PHIL 316	Medieval Philosophy
PHIL 320	History of Early Modern Philosophy
PHIL 325	History of 19th and 20th Century Philosophy
HUM 324	Core Texts in Philosophy 8
Select 12 units of upper-division ancient languages or biblical studies courses from the following:		12
ALNG 456	Ancient Languages
GRKB 300	Intermediate Greek I
GRKB 301	Intermediate Greek II
GRKB 454	Greek Readings
HEBB 300	Intermediate Hebrew I
HEBB 301	Intermediate Hebrew II
HEBB 455	Hebrew Readings
UBBL 310	The Rise of the King: I and II Samuel 9
UBBL 311	Old Testament Prophets 9
UBBL 317	Ruth and Esther 9
UBBL 320	Psalms and Wisdom 9
UBBL 330	Life and Teachings of Jesus 9
UBBL 331	The Gospel and Letters of John 9
UBBL 340	Romans and Galatians 9
UBBL 341	Thessalonian and Corinthian Epistles 9
UBBL 350	Biblical Lands and Cultures 6
UBBL 351	Near Eastern Archaeology
UBBL 352	Archaeological Field Excavation
UBBL 442	Prison and Pastoral Epistles
UBBL 450	Old Testament World
UBBL 451	New Testament World
UBBL 472	Biblical Apocalyptic
UBBL 481	History of Biblical Interpretation
UBBL 482	Global Biblical Interpretation 5
UBBL 483	Postcolonial Biblical Interpretation
UBBL 493	Biblical Studies Capstone Course: Old Testament Theology (If not taken above)
UBBL 494	Biblical Studies Capstone Course: New Testament Theology (If not taken above)
UBBL 497	Readings
UBBL 498	Directed Research
Students may substitute one of the ancient languages or biblical studies electives above with one of the following religious studies courses:
RELG 350	Judaism: A Story of Hope 5
RELG 351	Islam: The Way of Submission 5
RELG 352	Hinduism: Karma, Dharma, and Yoga 5
RELG 353	East Asian Religions and Mindfulness 5
Total Units		39

¹

Either course meets the General Education Luke/Acts requirement.

²

Meets the General Education Biblical, Theological, and Philosophical Formation requirement.

³

Meets the General Education Writing 3 requirement.

⁴

Meets the General Education Integrative and Applied Learning requirement.

⁵

Meets the General Education Intercultural Competence requirement.

⁶

Meets the General Education Intercultural Competence or Upper-Division Bible requirement.

⁷

Meets the General Education Theology requirement.

⁸

Meets the General Education Philosophy requirement.

⁹

Meets the General Education Upper-Division Bible requirement.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:

1. Explain current methodological approaches used to study the Christian Scriptures.
2. Explain how history and culture influence the interpretation of the Christian Scriptures.
3. Write an acceptable Biblical Studies research paper or prepare an equivalent project.
4. Articulate how scripture, tradition, experience, and reason shape our Christian worldview.
5. Articulate biblically responsible perspectives on gender, race, and ethnic and cultural diversity.