Program at a Glance
The Master of Arts in Christian Faith and Life is an online, 30-credit-hour graduate program for individuals who want to study theology and integrate Christian faith with everyday life, vocation and whole-person formation.
What You'll Learn
- Interpret biblical and theological texts with depth and clarity.
- Engage a range of Christian traditions with wisdom and charity.
- Integrate Christian faith across disciplines, connecting theology to fields such as business, health care and the arts.
- Apply theological insight to complex issues in culture and society.
- Practice faithful discernment grounded in Christ-centered conviction.
Why This Program?
Program Distinctions
Faith for Everyday Life: Learn how Christian faith informs the way you live, work, lead and serve. This program equips you to apply that perspective across a range of professional and personal settings, from business and education to health care, the arts and public service.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Explore how faith intersects with fields such as medicine, law, business, science, architecture, nursing, art and music. This intentional design connects theological reflection to the questions and challenges of contemporary life.
Intellectual Depth and Spiritual Formation: Engage in rigorous, applied theological study while growing in wisdom, discernment and faithful practice. Through reading, research, discussion and reflection, you will develop both scholarly depth and personal formation.
Designed for Diverse Callings: While some students may be exploring ministry, the MACFL is designed specially for people across many fields and stages of life. It offers graduate-level theological education for those who want to integrate faith more deeply with their work, relationships and sense of calling.
Program Details
Curriculum
Core Curriculum (30 Credit Hours)- CFL 5010: Theology as a Way of Life
- CFL 5015 Who Is Jesus Christ?
- CFL 5020 Faith, Beauty, and Imagination
- Interdisciplinary Partner: O’More College of Architecture & Design, Watkins College of Art and the College of Music & Performing Arts
- CFL 5025 Worship and Christian Life
- CFL 5030 Technology and the Good Life
- Interdisciplinary Partner: College of Sciences and Mathematics
- CFL 5035 Being Human
- Interdisciplinary Partner: Thomas F. Frist, Jr. College of Medicine
- CFL 5040 Community and the Common Good
- Interdisciplinary Partner: Belmont University College of Law BSA
- CFL 5045 Social Entrepreneurship and the Common Good.
- Interdisciplinary Partner: Jack C. Massey College of Business
- CFL 5050 Suffering and Death
- Interdisciplinary Partner: Gordon E. Inman College of Nursing
- CFL 5100 Capstone
- Students must complete at least 18 credit hours before enrolling in the Capstone.
- The Capstone is recommended in the final semester and includes an in-person presentation component.
Online and Asynchronous: Learn on your schedule. All coursework is available online and asynchronous with live faculty support and peer engagement as you move through the program.
On-Campus Orientation: Start with an in-person orientation on Belmont’s campus, building connections with faculty and peers.
Interdisciplinary Faculty Expertise: Learn from faculty across fields like health care, law, business and design, exploring how Christian faith applies across disciplines.
Capstone Project: Complete a capstone project connecting theology and faith to your field or area of interest.
- Education
- Law
- Health Care
- Business
- Art & Design
- Ministry
Application Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree from a regionally accredited institution
- Official Transcripts from all colleges or universities attended
- Minimum GPA: 3.0 preferred; conditional review available for applicants below 3.0 with evidence of readiness
- Statement of Purpose outlining career goals and program fit
- Two Letters of Recommendation (one academic, one professional) attesting to readiness and leadership potential
Additional Information:
- Transfer Credit: Up to 6 graduate hours may transfer (B or higher, within 5 years).
- Application Review: Rolling admissions; early application recommended for preferred start term.
Tuition
Tuition: $865 per credit hour- Belmont alumni receive a 20% tuition discount.
Learn more about graduate tuition and financial aid
Sample Course Sequence
*Flexible pacing based on your schedule| Semester | Course Code | Course Title |
|---|---|---|
| Fall Year 1 | CFL 5010 | Theology as a Way of Life |
| CFL 5015 | Who Is Jesus Christ? | |
| Spring Year 1 | CFL 5020 | Faith, Beauty, and Imagination |
| CFL 5025 | Worship and Christian Life | |
| Summer Year 2 | CFL 5030 | Technology and the Good Life |
| CFL 5035 | Being Human | |
| Fall Year 2 | CFL 5040 | Community and the Common Good |
| CFL 5045 | Social Entrepreneurship and the Common Good | |
| Spring Year 2 | CFL 5050 | Suffering and Death |
| CFL 5100 | Capstone |
Learn from Expert Faculty
In the MACFL program, you’ll learn from faculty who bring both academic expertise and real-world experience across disciplines. Drawing from fields such as theology, business, health care, law and the arts, professors connect their work to the classroom, helping you explore how faith informs a wide range of professions and contexts.
Email: kevin.trowbridge@belmont.edu
Amy Rasmussen
Email: amy.rasmussen@belmont.edu
Adam Neder
Email: adam.neder@belmont.edu
Jordan Wood
Email: jordan.wood@belmont.edu
Christina Carnes Ananias
Email: christina.ananias@belmont.edu
Frequently Asked Questions
The MACFL is an online theology degree designed for those who want to apply their faith beyond traditional ministry roles, preparing them to lead and solve complex problems within their communities.
The program is delivered primarily online, with fully asynchronous coursework that students complete on their own schedules. It also includes two in-person immersion experiences at the beginning and end of the program, where students connect with faculty and peers for orientation and their final capstone presentation.
The program is 30 credit hours. The MACFL is flexible based on your schedule, but students should expect to complete it in as few as 5 terms, or 16 to 24 months.
No. Students from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds are welcome, regardless of their stage in the Christian faith or prior study of theology.
The MACFL is designed for both early-career graduates and professionals who want to pursue a master's in theology and learn to think deeply about their faith and apply it in their work and everyday life.
It is a strong fit for individuals across fields such as business, education, health care, nonprofit leadership, the arts and public service.
Yes. The Belmont Bruin Alumni Grant offers 20% tuition reduction for Belmont graduates.
Additionally, to determine your eligibility for financial aid, graduate students should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Unlike many graduate theology programs that focus primarily on preparing students for ministry or academic roles, the M.A. in Christian Faith and Life is designed to help you integrate faith with everyday life and vocation. Through interdisciplinary engagement with fields such as business, health care, law, science, architecture, design and the arts, the MACFL combines rigorous theological study with spiritual formation and practical discernment.
While a Master of Divinity (MDiv) prepares students for ordained ministry and pastoral leadership, the MACFL is an online theology degree designed for those who want to apply their faith across their careers and communities.
MACFL graduates enter their fields equipped with a distinct advantage — a theologically grounded perspective that shapes how they lead, serve and make decisions across careers in nonprofit leadership, education, business, health care, ministry and public service.
Contact Us
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Sophie Chua
Admissions Coordinator
(615) 460.8335