Bible Major
Prepare for your calling in Christian service to the church and beyond.
Biblical studies at Houghton College prepares you to be a Biblically well-versed, theologically informed, and spiritually vibrant Christian scholar, ready to serve God in many fields of Christian service, including pastoral ministry, academia, missions, writing, counseling, and chaplaincy.
Spend Time in the Word
As a Bible major at Houghton College, you will spend most of your time in the Bible itself, with the bulk of the major revolving around courses that go deep into an individual book of the Bible or a series of books.
Career and Graduate School Readiness
The program’s 100% placement rate shows that you gain the foundation you need for your next step, whether it be graduate study or your work in ministry or a related field.
What will I learn?
Through Houghton’s BA in Bible Studies you will:
- Discover your God-given calling though weekly readings and discussions, retreats, one-on-one mentoring, and spiritual direction with your participation in the year-long Emmanuel Scholars experience.
- Delve deeply into the Word of God as you study various aspects and areas of Biblical text with immersion and careful analysis, and then listen more carefully to the voice of God in Scripture.
- Wrestle with important questions as you and faculty seek answers together in Scripture.
- Explore new ways to solve problems from Biblically well-versed and theologically informed Christian scholars.
- Study introductory Greek and/or Hebrew, allowing you to dive into primary texts of the Christian church.
- Integrate your Christian faith with rigorous coursework.
- Be apart of a community of Christians in the “courageous middle” where there is generosity toward Christian traditions other than your own—with a faith seeking understanding and acceptance that all truth belongs to God.
Credit Info
124 Credits
38-39 Required courses
85-86 General education and elective courses
Get a solid foundation in all disciplines of ministry
Rather than focusing exclusively on current trends, you will learn from a variety of core classes, including spiritual formation and vocation, shaping you into someone ready for whatever comes along in your ministry work.
Preparation for a life-time of ministry in a changing world
At Houghton, you won’t just be given the answers—you will learn how to read, apply, and interpret well. These will be skills that you can carry with you, even as everything else around you seems to change.
A vibrant sense of belonging for you
Learn from faculty who have active roles in the local church, but who are also your brothers and sisters providing you with support on the journey.
Featured Testimonial
“Houghton taught me how to engage Biblical Studies with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength. I learned how to ask and wrestle with challenging questions in order to seek the truth, because the Truth would be found in Jesus Christ. Through my professors’ loving mentorship and my friends’ faithful support, I grew tremendously and became more equipped for God’s kingdom work in the world.”
Olivia Bullock ’20 Christian Studies Teacher at Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, Virginia
Experiential Learning
Learn from the lands where Jesus performed his ministry
Learn overseas and travel the Holy Lands of Israel and Palestine with the Holy Land Tour course. Through visits to cultural, historical, and archaeological sites in Israel, you’ll learn biblical history and geography which will aid your overall understanding of biblical works.
Program Outcomes
Earning a BA degree in Bible from Houghton will prepare you to begin your career or enter seminary or graduate school for further study to work in:
- Pastoral Ministry
- Academia
- Missions
- Writing
- Counseling
- Chaplaincy
Application Requirements
Documents and supporting materials
You’ll be asked to provide your official high school transcript, 1 recommendation letter, and your test scores (can be waived)
Personal Statement
Your personal statement should be between 300 and 500 words (roughly a half of page to a page of typed writing). Get started with these suggested writing prompts.
Personal Statement