STM Handbook for Pastors

Master of Sacred Theology Handbook for Pastors

This handbook provides detailed information about the Master of Sacred Theology (STM) program of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary (WLS). In April of 2024, the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) granted an initial accreditation of the STM program of WLS for a period of seven years. Through ongoing implementation of the principles-based approach of ATS, WLS will continue to assess and improve and enhance the STM program to the benefit of pastors and the people they serve.

The purpose of this handbook is to help pastors who are taking STM courses through WLS to understand how the degree program works and to make an informed decision about whether to pursue the degree.

Since the inception of Summer Quarter courses at WLS in the 1970s, the pastors of the WELS and other confessional Lutheran church bodies have been welcome to take for-credit courses at WLS without committing to earning the STM degree. The primary purposes of those courses are for pastors to grow and be encouraged in their faith and to grow in pastoral heart and skill for gospel ministry in their current place of service. The STM program is not primarily about earning a degree but about growth in the gospel and in gospel ministry. While the STM degree may prepare pastors for earning a doctoral degree in the future, the main purposes of the program are pastoral, not academic.

The STM program consists of more than 100 courses taught by the faculty of WLS and faculty-approved adjunct instructors. Each course offered in the STM program provides an opportunity for growth, and many pastors have taken the available courses that have interested them. However, those courses have been designed to achieve the educational goals of the whole program and the specific focus area into which they fit. One purpose of this handbook is to promote the STM program by making those goals and courses clear.

Send any inquiries about Grow in Grace or the contents of this handbook to growingrace@wls.edu.

Purpose and Goals of the STM Degree Program

Theological training at WLS is broad in scope, preparing men to serve in a variety of ministry settings, especially pastoral ministry in congregations.

The purpose of the STM degree is to help pastors to build on the training they have received in the Master of Divinity (MDiv) program at WLS and in ministry experience. The STM program helps pastors develop God-given gifts in a specific area of theological study with a clear application to advancing the cause of the gospel in their current callings and ministry context. The degree program also equips pastors to use available resources effectively and conduct theological research for the benefit of the church.

Because the Lord has given various gifts to all people, including pastors, and because pastors are called to develop and employ their gifts in their unique place of service, the STM program is designed to provide a focused yet flexible course of study for a variety of pastors.

The singular purpose of WLS is to equip pastors for the WELS or for churches and cultural groups within its confessional fellowship. WLS accomplishes that purpose, in part, through Grow in Grace, the continuing education department, which partners with pastors in their ministry-long pursuit of spiritual, theological, and professional growth.

While the WLS degrees aimed at entrance into the public ministry (MDiv, Bachelor of Divinity [BDiv], or Bachelor of Theology [BTh]), are intentionally broad in scope, the STM is meant to build on that foundation and to provide an active pastor with the opportunity to pursue a more focused, in-depth course of study.

The STM program has three main goals:

  1. To encourage and equip confessional Lutheran pastors for a lifetime of spiritual and professional growth through formal and informal continuing
  2. To preserve and deepen the six attitudes/commitments cultivated in the MDiv program:
    • Confessional in stance
    • Evangelical in approach
    • Mission-minded in spirit
    • Culturally sensitive
    • Appropriately flexible
    • Zealous both to nurture and to equip the saints

To partner with pastors for growth in nine areas of theology and ministry, with each pastor focusing on one of them.

Eligibility for the Program

Grow in Grace encourages pastors to grow through informal continuing education from the time they graduate until the time they retire and beyond. Grow in Grace also encourages and invites pastors to take formal continuing education classes whenever they are able. For those who are interested in the degree program, the best time for pastors to commit to earning the STM degree is between 3 and 20 years after they graduate.

The STM degree is designed specifically for pastors serving in WELS or in sister churches of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference (CELC), and who hold an MDiv, BDiv, or BTh degree.

Every year STM credits can be earned in face-to-face courses, in online courses, and on study tours. On occasion, church workers (e.g., teachers and staff ministers) and lay leaders who do not hold an MDiv, BDiv, or BTh have asked to participate in an STM course. On a case-by-case basis, such requests may be honored provided there is room in the course. Participants would need to understand that the credits earned will not count towards a WLS STM degree and might not be recognized by other institutions of higher learning.

Such a request should be sent to the director of Grow in Grace at growingrace@wls.edu.

General Overview of Requirements for Pursuing the STM Degree

The STM program is a 24-credit program with the following requirements:

  • All STM students must take two courses: Confessional Lutheran Hermeneutics in the Contemporary Context (2.0 credits); and Pastoral Theological Research (1.0 credit)
  • All students must earn at least 12 credits in one of the nine focus areas. Included among those 12 credits must be the focus area required
  • Up to six of the focus area credits may be earned in directed study, a thesis, or a combination of the two.
  • No more than 49% of the 24 credits may be earned in online
  • Credits earned in the program remain active (valid) for 12
  • One of the following requirements must be met to complete the program
    • A research and writing project/thesis (earns 1 credit for every 45 hours of work)
    • A portfolio project (does not earn credits)
    • A review examination (does not earn credits)

The nine focus areas:

The faculty of WLS set, review, and revise the focus area goals and courses. Those focus area goals and courses appear in this handbook. WLS seeks to offer enough formal continuing education courses so that a pastor intent on earning his STM degree in the focus area of his choice could conceivably do so in 4 to 6 years.

Earning STM Credits

There are a variety of ways to earn credits in the STM program:

  • Face-to-face on-campus courses: On-campus courses include two weeks of Winterim classes in January and two weeks of Summer Quarter courses in June of even-numbered Face-to-face courses are the preferred way to earn credits, especially courses on campus. On-campus courses come with the following blessings: a beautiful campus setting, daily chapel, library resources, fellowship and recreational activities, and time away from regular life and ministry. In an effort to make Winterim and Summer Quarter courses affordable and enjoyable, WLS offers the following lodging and meal package: one week in the dorm plus 14 meals in the cafeteria (three meals every weekday but no evening meal on Friday) for a cost of $250/week. Professors and students should follow a business casual dress code at a minimum.
  • Face-to-face off-campus courses: Satellite continuing education events take place in the districts of WELS in odd-numbered years throughout the year. Participants at satellite events may audit Those taking satellite courses for credit may have additional pre-course work and will have additional post- course learning activities. Professors and students should follow a business casual dress code at a minimum.
  • Online Courses: For those who live farther away, online courses are offered during Spring Online (beginning at the end of January), Summer Online (beginning in June), and Fall Online (beginning in mid-September). These courses run for 8, 10, or 12 weeks, depending on the credit value. Participants can expect four to eight hours of work per The balance between synchronous and asynchronous activities may vary from course to course.
  • Trips: With no additional cost for the credits, pastors may earn credits on WLS- sponsored trips. See focus area goals and courses for details. Participants will be asked to complete some pre-trip and post-trip learning
  • Directed Study: Under the supervision of an advisor, the pastor works on a practical ministry project in his place of service. Each credit earned requires 45 hours of active learning. Up to six credits may be earned. Approval of the project must be received in advance using the Directed Study Proposal form. Note: the total number of directed study credits and thesis credits cannot exceed Note: if a student wants to work on directed study at the seminary when WLS classes are in session, the lodging and meal package mentioned above is an option.
  • Research and Writing Project/Thesis: Under the supervision of an advisor, the pastor does theological research and writes a Each credit earned requires 45 hours of active learning. The student must submit the Thesis Proposal form in advance. Note: the total number of directed study credits that count toward the focus area and thesis credits cannot exceed six.

Note: if a student wants to do thesis work at the seminary when WLS classes are in session, the lodging and meal package mentioned above is an option.

  • Other institutions: A pastor may earn up to 4 credits from other institutions of higher learning with consultation and approval from his supervisor prior to taking each course.

In all of these “courses,” the syllabus will include detailed information about the goals, requirements, procedures, deadlines, grading, and grade weighting.

Students are expected to attend all classes and participate regularly in discussion (whether in person or online). If a student begins to show a pattern of absence, the instructor is urged to confront the student and to notify the Grow in Grace Director, who will determine the best approach to counseling.

Generally, final assignments are due one month after the last day of class. One three-month extension may be requested by the student and approved by the instructor. At the end of that three-month extension (four months after the last day of class) credit for the course can no longer be earned.

Because the STM program is a master’s-level program building on the MDiv degree, a final course grade lower than B- will result in the course not being included in the student transcript.

Students are able to access their transcripts in the Student Information System and may request a copy of their transcript at any time. In January of 2023, the STM program shifted from a 32-credit (at 30 hours/credit) to a 24-credit (at 45 hours/ credit) system. This means that for pastors who earned credits before 2023, determining the number of credits still needed to complete the program requires some careful calculations. Students may request those calculations by emailing growingrace@wls.edu.

The STM Course Schedule

The STM calendar follows a two-year cycle:

In even-numbered years:

  • Winterim: For one week, the second week of January on WLS campus
  • Spring Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning the end of January
  • Summer Quarter: Two weeks in June, on the campus of WLS
  • Summer Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning in June
  • Fall Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning in early September

In odd-numbered years:

  • Winterim: For one week, the second week of January on WLS campus
  • Spring Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning the end of January
  • Satellite Events: Various locations in the WELS districts during spring, summer, and fall seasons
  • Summer Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning in June
  • Fall Online: For 8, 10, or 12 weeks beginning in early September

Directed Study

For the pastor who would like to tailor a portion of his program to meet a very focused theological interest or ministry need that might not regularly or thoroughly be addressed in any STM course, the option is available to design a directed study project.

The directed study should happen after the student has decided which focus area to concentrate his STM degree in and after he has been assigned an advisor.

The pastor will earn 1 credit for each 45 hours of work done on the study. He may earn up to 6 credits in directed study that count as focus area credits.

The process for completing a directed study is as follows:

  1. The student requests the detailed description of the directed study project and the STM Directed Study Proposal form by emailing growingrace@wls.edu.
  2. The student submits the STM Directed Study Proposal form with pertinent
  3. Once approved and assigned an advisor, the student submits to his advisor his initial plan for study, including description, goal, bibliography, tangible final product, and timeline.
  4. The advisor and student meet to discuss and revise the plan, establish clear goals, and set parameters for the project.
  5. The student informs his advisor of progress and submits the final product by the established deadline.
  6. The advisor resubmits the Directed Study Proposal form with all necessary information, including grade and number of credits earned. The cost per credit is two-thirds of the regular cost.

Another form of directed study can take place when a pastor who is taking a regular face-to-face or online course works with the course instructor’s approval to produce a project or do further research that pursues the course’s topic in a way that is beyond the regular course requirements. The procedures for such a directed study are the same as those listed above.

Grades

WLS uses the same grading scale for all its master’s programs (e.g., MDiv program), including the STM program.

Because the STM program is at a master’s level that builds on the MDiv degree, any final course grade lower than a B- will result in no credit earned and show as an audit on the student’s transcript.

Policy on Plagiarism

Plagiarism is any use of language or an idea that came from someone else in which you fail to credit the source. This includes presenting text written by a generation system as your own—e.g., entering a prompt into an artificial intelligence tool and using the output in a paper.

Verbatim re-use of wording from an article, book, website, etc. is the most flagrant form of plagiarism, but it is not the only form. Reshuffling a source’s words or swapping them for synonyms while keeping the source’s thought the same is still plagiarism if you do not tell the reader where the thought came from. The only exception is information considered common knowledge. Examples of common knowledge: “רֶמאֹּ֫יַו is a wayyiqtol from רמא in qal.” “The 95 Theses were originally written in Latin.” Neither of these statements needs a footnote.

Plagiarism can be inadvertent, resulting from sloppy note taking while reading or researching. Plagiarism can also result from a decision to wait to add your citation data until after your paper is finished. By then, you may have forgotten what you thought of yourself and what you read somewhere else.

Consequences of plagiarism may include failure on an assignment, grade reduction, course failure, or other sanctions imposed at the instructor’s or the seminary’s discretion.

Earning the STM Degree

The following is a checklist for earning the STM degree:

  • The student has taken the required STM course: NT5060 Confessional Lutheran Hermeneutics in the Contemporary Context [2 credits].
  • The student has taken the required STM course: ED9091 Pastoral Theological Research [1 credit].
  • The student has taken all required courses in his focus
  • The student has earned at least 12 credits in his focus
  • The student has earned enough credits from other focus areas to bring his active STM credit total to 24.
  • No more than 49% of the earned credits were in online
  • The student has completed the STM program by writing a thesis in his focus area (earns credits) or by preparing a portfolio (does not earn credits) or by writing a comprehensive exam (does not earn credits).

A pastor who has completed all these steps has earned his STM degree.

For STM students who would like to graduate from the STM program and receive their degree at the WLS graduation service in May, all the requirements mentioned above must be completed by April 1.

A capstone fee of $50 is payable to the WLS business office upon completion of a portfolio or exam. No additional fee above tuition is owed for a thesis.

Pastors who have earned their STM degree are encouraged to receive their degree at the graduation service in May, if feasible. Their presence at graduation will be a visible encouragement for others to pursue growth through formal continuing education.

After earning the STM degree in one focus area, pastors are encouraged to keep taking STM courses as they are able. Some pastors may choose to “add another jewel to their existing STM crown” by earning 12 new credits in another focus area. Pastors pursuing that option should request a new STM advisor.

Completing the STM Program

This section provides detailed information for those wanting to complete their STM by writing a thesis, by creating a portfolio, or by writing a comprehensive exam. It should be noted that some focus areas do not lend themselves well to the

comprehensive exam option; they limit the choices to either the thesis option or the portfolio option. As they approach the end of their STM program, pastors will want to consult with their advisor about which option is best.

Thesis option

The research and writing project/thesis is conducted under the supervision of an advisor, usually the STM advisor, in the focus area in which the student is

pursuing his STM. He earns one credit for every 45 hours spent on the project. While the thesis project is usually done at the end of the pastor’s pursuit of the STM, additional courses may be taken after the thesis project. Before writing a thesis, however, the pastor must have taken the Pastoral Theological Research course and the required courses in his focus area.

The process for completing the thesis project is as follows:

  1. The student requests the more detailed description of the thesis project, the grading rubric, and the STM Thesis Proposal form by emailing growingrace@wls.edu.
  2. The student submits the STM Thesis Proposal form with pertinent
  3. Once approved and assigned an advisor, the student submits an expanded formal proposal to his thesis advisor.
  4. Once approved, the student researches and writes the thesis, following the SBL style guide.
  5. The student successfully completes an oral exam with a first and second reader appointed by the Grow in Grace director and the STM advisor.
  6. After suggested revisions the paper may be submitted for publication in the essay file of the WLS library or Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly (WLQ).
  7. The advisor resubmits the STM Thesis Form with all necessary information, including number of credits earned. The cost per credit is two-thirds of the regular cost.

Portfolio option

The portfolio project is a gathering of artifacts that demonstrate the student has achieved the stated goals of his focus area of the STM degree program. Those artifacts will include assignments and projects completed for the program.

Artifacts produced during the student’s pursuit of the degree but not submitted in STM courses may also be included if they demonstrate that the student achieved the focus area goals. The portfolio project should be done after the necessary 24 credits have been earned. No credits are earned in the portfolio project process.

The process for completing the portfolio project is as follows:

  1. The student requests the detailed description of the portfolio project and the Portfolio Information form at growingrace@wisluthsem.org.
  2. The student submits the Portfolio Information form with pertinent
  3. Once approved, the student gathers the artifacts (typically 5-7 of them), writes the cover sheet (typically 1-3 pages), and submits the portfolio to the STM advisor.
  4. The student successfully completes an oral exam with a first and second reader appointed by the Grow in Grace director and the STM advisor.
  5. The advisor resubmits the Portfolio Information form with all necessary information. A fee of $50 is payable to the WLS business office.

Comprehensive exam option

The comprehensive exam provides an opportunity for the student to review the course material from the focus area courses he took and demonstrate his achievement of the focus area goals through an exam administered by his STM advisor. The exam should be written after the necessary 24 credits have been earned. No credits are earned in the process of preparing for or writing the comprehensive exam.

Some focus areas do not lend themselves well to the comprehensive exam option. For that reason, some focus areas limit the options for completing the STM degree to the thesis option or the portfolio option.

The process for completing the comprehensive exam is as follows:

  1. The STM student requests the detailed description of the comprehensive exam by emailing growingrace@wls.edu.
  2. The STM advisor provides a study guide for the
  3. The STM advisor and student agree on a date for the writing of the
  4. The STM student prepares for and writes the
  5. The STM advisor grades the exam and submits the grade to the Grow in Grace office. A fee of $50 is payable to the WLS business office.

Communication about STM Courses

Grow in Grace shares information about upcoming STM courses in the following ways:

  • The Grow in Grace portion of the WLS website: wisluthsem.org/grow-in-grace/.
  • A monthly digital newsletter called Grace Notes, which goes to all email addresses in the database at 5:00 am Central Time on the second Tuesday of each month. If you would like to be added to that distribution list, send an email to growingrace@wls.edu
  • Continuing education sessions at Celebration of Ministry retreats
  • Information mailed to WELS congregations and pastors
  • Information distributed through other church channels (e.g., synodical reports, emails to circuit pastors)
  • Two personal contacts each year to STM students who have been assigned an STM advisor

STM course registration is done through the Student Information System (SIS)— https://sis.wls.edu. Pastors may access the course catalog in their SIS account and register for available courses.

Each term will open for registration when the previous term begins. For example, the Fall Online term opens for registration the day Summer Quarter begins.

Winterim registration opens the day Fall Online begins. Reference the course schedule on page 10 of this handbook.

Course registration closes approximately one month before the course begins. At the time of registration closing, course viability is determined.

An on-campus course that has fewer than five students at the registration deadline date will be dropped as undersubscribed. Satellite courses with less than seven enrolled at the registration deadline date will be dropped as undersubscribed.

Exceptions to this policy about undersubscribed courses would need to be approved by both the instructor and the Grow in Grace team.

Face-to-face courses are considered fully subscribed when enrollment reaches 20 students. Enrollment beyond that limit would need to be cleared with the course instructor by the director of continuing education.

Online courses will be considered fully subscribed when enrollment reaches 12 students. Enrollment beyond that limit would need to be cleared with the course instructor by the director of continuing education.

Securing a Faculty Advisor

Who serves as STM Advisors?

STM advisors are WLS professors assigned to STM students who are pursuing an STM degree in their area of theology. In some cases, the WLS faculty may assign an advisor who is a retired WLS professor or an STM adjunct instructor.

When and how are STM advisors assigned?

An STM student may request an advisor when he has decided which focus area he would like to pursue for his STM degree. It is recommended that students begin thinking about this after they have earned eight or more STM credits.

What do STM advisors do besides contacting their students twice a year?

Besides contacting their STM students twice a year with information about upcoming courses, an STM advisor also works with his advisee to design a road map for completing the degree. An STM advisor may also guide directed study and thesis work. An STM advisor also serves as first reader for the thesis or the portfolio and he leads the discussion during the oral exam. An STM advisor also prepares the study guide and writes and administers the comprehensive exam (or makes arrangements for the test to be proctored).

Until the time they are assigned an STM advisor, pastors who have earned STM credits will receive information only through the first channels mentioned in the previous section.

Pastors wanting to be assigned an STM advisor may send their request to growingrace@wls.edu.

Library Resources

The WLS library supports the study and research needs of the seminary students and faculty, as well as WELS pastors, teachers, staff ministers, and members around the world.

When school is in session the library is open as follows:

  • Monday-Thursday 7:30am–5:00pm, 6:30pm–10:00pm
  • Friday 7:30am–5:00pm
  • Sunday 6:30pm–10:00pm

The library is closed when school is not in session, including afternoons before longer breaks. See the WLS calendar for the school schedule or call the library at 262-242-8113.

On-campus face-to-face courses during Winterim (every year in January) and Summer Quarter (in even-numbered years in June) have the added benefit of daily access to the library and its resources.

STM students are encouraged to contact the library to have books or scanned portions of books sent to them by regular mail or email. An online request form can be accessed at https://www.wls.edu/resources/library/.

Students may also contact the library at library@wls.edu. Pastors can expect the library to respond to their inquiries within one business day when school is in session.

Technology

WLS uses the Moodle platform for its learning management. WLS calls it SemNet. STM courses and STM instructors will use SemNet to varying degrees, but almost all courses will use SemNet for some purposes, and many courses (especially online courses) will require almost daily use of SemNet.

To access SemNet all students must have a Microsoft 365 account. The cost for that service is $20/year, payable annually to WLS through the Student Information System (SIS). This account provides students with the following benefits:

  • Access to SemNet
  • A edu email address
  • Access from anywhere to the Atla database (thousands of theological and non-theological academic journals)
  • Access to the Student Information System, their transcript, and self-registration for courses
  • Single Sign-On access to all of the above

Students needing help with this technology may email inquiries to growingrace@wls.edu.

Tuition Costs, Scholarships, and Travel Assistance

As of 2023, the 24-credit STM program costs $400 per credit. A discounted price of $300 per credit is given when the congregation pays the tuition for their pastor’s continuing education.

If the congregation is paying for tuition, the total cost will be 24 credits x $300 =

$7,200. Compared to other master’s programs and doctoral programs, this is very inexpensive.

There are ways to further reduce the cost of tuition:

  • To incentivize formal continuing education for pastors who have been serving between 3 and 10 years, the first credit ($400 value) for them is free when they attend on-campus Summer Quarter in even-numbered years.
  • The tuition cost for for-credit students at satellite events in odd-numbered years is $200/credit instead of $400/credit.
  • The tuition cost for directed study credits and thesis credits is two-thirds the regular cost.

For pastors who are funding their own formal continuing education, scholarships are available to help bring down the cost of tuition. The amount of the scholarship depends on scholarship fund balances and the number of requests; however, based on the recent past, pastors paying for tuition can expect to pay $300/credit. Pastors seeking scholarship support for tuition are encouraged to submit their requests early.

To make on-campus face-to-face courses in January or June more affordable for pastors traveling from some distance, the following travel assistance may be awarded to those who apply: after the congregation or pastor has paid the first $350 for travel (airfare, mileage to and from the airport, parking at the airport, ride to WLS, ride back to MKE), 50% of the additional eligible travel expenses may be reimbursed. Rental cars are not included. The amount of travel assistance depends on the number of requests. Early applications are encouraged. The application form can be requested at growingrace@wls.edu.

Tuition is paid in the pastor’s SIS account. At minimum, a deposit is required at registration. Financial aid should also be applied for at the time of registration using the appropriate form (https://www.wls.edu/grow-in-grace-2024/financial-aid/). Those being awarded financial aid will receive an email from the Grow in Grace office notifying them the credit has been given and their balance can be paid. Balances for tuition and any room and board fees should be paid by the first day of class in the pastor’s SIS account.