Bethune-Cookman University, the historically Black educational institution in Daytona Beach, Florida, has announced that its department of religion, philosophy, and Christian ministry will now offer a graduate certificate and a master’s degree program in Christian ministry, beginning this coming fall. The new offerings aim to provide theological educational and vocational opportunities to both clergy and laity working in the church and related church organizations.
The graduate certificate in Christian ministry courses will be offered in the evenings and on weekends in 8-week sessions. The master’s degree in Christian ministry program will be offered in two ways; as a 2-year master’s degree program or as a 5-year bachelor’s and master’s degree program where a student continues undergraduate studies through the master’s level.
Randolph Bracy, dean of the School of Religion at Bethune-Cookman University, stated that “these new degree offerings will provide the next step beyond the baccalaureate degree in Christian ministry to develop global servant leaders who are academically prepared to influence policy and service to improve living standard in diverse communities. The strong faculty in the School of Religion, many of whom are seminary graduates, will provide sound theological education to students.”
Dr. Bracy is a 1967 graduate of Bethune-Cookman University. He earned a master’s degree in education at Florida A&M University, a master of divinity degree from the Colgate-Rochester Divinity School in New York, and a doctorate of education from the University of Florida.