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Children's Ministry Degree

Earn a degree in Christian Ministry with an emphasis on Children's Ministry

If you have a heart for ministry and love working with kids, SBU's Children's Ministry concentration within the Christian Ministry major will equip you for service and a fulfilling career.

A unique combination of coursework and study in ministry, theology, education and psychology will equip you to effectively lead and maintain a children's ministry within a church or parachurch organization.

The Children's Ministry program is offered through SBU's College of Arts and Sciences

Resources

Major Map (PDF)

Degree Plan

100%
placement
rate

(Exit surveys reveal that students are employed or accepted to graduate school by the time of their graduation.)

SBU student reads to child

The SBU Advantage

  • Completing an apprenticeship in children's ministry will give you valuable, real-world experience prior to graduation.
  • Learn from highly qualified faculty including Dr. Duke Jones who has more than 30 years of Christian education experience.
  • An extensive network of churches will help connect you with employment after graduation. Each year, more churches seek to hire our graduates than the number of students in our program, creating great job placement opportunities.

Faith Integration

The integration of Christian faith and academic discipline is inherent in the Children's Ministry degree program. Students receive superior academic training in Biblical studies through core classes such as Methods of Biblical Interpretation, Christian Heritage, Christian Doctrine, and Disciple-making and Evangelism. The courses required by each concentration provide excellent career and ministry preparation with the goal of nurturing your personal faith while also equipping you to nurture the faith of others.

Careers

Our graduates pursue a variety of children's ministry and family ministry careers including:

  • Children's/Family minister at various churches around the country
  • Camp director
  • Day care director

Graduate Schools

Many graduates pursue further study at graduate schools or seminaries. Recent children's ministry alumni have continued their studies at:

Scholarships

Children's ministry majors are eligible for the Church Related Vocation (CRV) scholarship, which is currently valued at $2,000 per year. To maintain this scholarship, you must be enrolled in a ministry-related degree program, submit the necessary application and references, participate in SBU's in-service training program and complete any other requirements.

Several privately funded scholarships are also available by application to students preparing for service in missions and evangelism.

Baptist Association of Christian Educators (BACE)

Join SBU's chapter of the Baptist Association of Christian Educators. By joining BACE, you will receive valuable professional development opportunities and be part of a greater network of others who are in or are pursuing leadership roles in Christian education at local churches.

Christian Ministry: Children's Ministry (B.A.) Four-Year Plan

Freshman

Fall Semester

BIB 1013 Old Testament History 3
CIS 1103 Computer and Information Management 3
ENG 1113 English Composition I 3
MAT 1243 Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling  3
POL 1113 American Government and Politics 3
UNI 1111 University Seminar 1
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

BIB 1023 New Testament History 3
COM 1103 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 3
ENG 2213 English Composition II 3
HIS 2213/2223 U.S. History I or II 3
PSY 1013 General Psychology (or SOC 1003) 3
UNI 1121 Introduction to Critical Thinking 1
Total hours 16
 

Sophomore

Fall Semester

BIB 2093 Methods of Biblical Interpretation 3
CED 2003 Introduction to Christian Education 3
KIN 1162 Foundations of Physical Fitness/Wellness 2
GRE 2014 Elementary Greek I or  
HEB 2014 Elementary Hebrew I 4
SPF 2032 Spiritual Formation for Ministry 2
EDU 2232 Introduction to Early Childhood Education 2
EDU 2381 Practicum — Infant/Toddler 1
Total hours 17

Spring Semester

FAR 10_3 Intro. to Art, Fine Arts, Music or Theatre 3
GRE 2024 Elementary Greek II or  
HEB 2024 Elementary Hebrew II 4
THE 3113 Christian Doctrine 3
EDU 2332 Teaching the Young Child 2
EDU 2391 Practicum Preschool/Kindergarten 1
ECO 2003 LIFE Economics 3
Total hours 16
 

Junior

Fall Semester

THE 3023 Christian Heritage 3
BIO 1004 Principles of Biology 4
CED 3023 Church Administration 3
CED 3043 Children’s Ministry 3
CED 2033 Principles of Teaching in the Church 3
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

ICS 2901/2911 Culture Service Project 1
PHS ___4 Physical Science 4
THE 3023 Baptist Denomination (if a Church Related Vocation Scholarship recipient) 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
Total hours 17
 

Senior

Fall Semester

ICS 2901/2911 Culture Service Project 1
PSY ___3 Counseling Elective 3
PSY 3053 Child Development 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 2
Total hours 15

Spring Semester

CED 4983 Christian Ministry Apprenticeship 3
CHR 3073 Disciple-making/Evangelism 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
Total hours 15

This is a proposed guideline. Please check the catalog and see your advisor for your final degree requirements.
Southwest Baptist University reserves the right to make changes to degree plans without advanced notice or obligation.
The student is responsible for understanding and completing all general education, degree, departmental and graduation requirements.

Download in PDF format:
Children's Ministry (B.A.) Plan (PDF)

 

Christian Ministry: Children's Ministry (B.S.) Four-Year Plan

Freshman

Fall Semester

BIB 1013 Old Testament History 3
CIS 1103 Computer and Information Management 3
ENG 1113 English Composition I 3
MAT 1243 Algebraic Reasoning and Modeling 3
POL 1113 American Government and Politics 3
UNI 1111 University Seminar 1
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

BIB 1023 New Testament History 3
COM 1103 Fundamentals of Speech Communication 3
ENG 2213 English Composition II 3
HIS 2213/2223 U.S. History I or II 3
PSY 1013 General Psychology (or SOC 1003) 3
UNI 1121 Introduction to Critical Thinking 1
Total hours 16
 

Sophomore

Fall Semester

BIB 2093 Methods of Biblical Interpretation 3
CED 2003 Introduction to Christian Education 3
KIN 1162 Foundations of Physical Fitness/Wellness 2
SPF 2032 Spiritual Formation for Ministry 2
EDU 2232 Introduction to Early Childhood Education 2
EDU 2381 Practicum — Infant/Toddler 1
CED 2033 Principles of Teaching in the Church 3
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

CHR 3073 Disciple-making/Evangelism 3
FAR 10_3 Intro. to Art, Fine Arts, Music or Theatre 3
THE 3113 Christian Doctrine 3
EDU 2332 Teaching the Young Child 2
EDU 2391 Practicum Preschool/Kindergarten 1
  Children’s Ministry Elective 3
Total hours 15
 

Junior

Fall Semester

THE 3023 Christian Heritage 3
BIO 1004 Principles of Biology 4
CED 3023 Church Administration 3
CED 3043 Children’s Ministry 3
  Children's Ministry Elective 3
Total hours 16

Spring Semester

ECO 2003 LIFE Economics 3
ICS 2901/2911 Culture Service Project 1
PHS ___4 Introduction to Physical Science 4
THE 3023 The Baptist Denomination (if a Church Related Vocation Scholarship recipient) 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
Total hours 17
 

Senior

Fall Semester

ICS 2901/2911 Culture Service Project 1
PSY ___3 Counseling Elective 3
PSY 3053 Child Development 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 2
Total hours 15

Spring Semester

CED 4983 Christian Ministry Apprenticeship 3
  Children's Ministry Elective 3
  Elective 2
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
  Elective 3
Total hours 17

This is a proposed guideline. Please check the catalog and see your advisor for your final degree requirements.
Southwest Baptist University reserves the right to make changes to degree plans without advanced notice or obligation.
The student is responsible for understanding and completing all general education, degree, departmental and graduation requirements.

Download in PDF format:
Children's Ministry (B.S.) Plan (PDF)