School Details
Maranatha Baptist University is a four-year private Baptist school located in Watertown, Wisconsin. The school was founded in 1968 by Dr. Cedarholm, who named the school after the Aramaic phrase Maranatha, which means “Lo He cometh,” and appears in I Corinthians 16:22.
Maranatha Baptist University offers certificates of completion, associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, master’s degrees, and doctor’s degrees. All courses, online or in a classroom, are taught from a biblical worldview. Maranatha provides online degree options at every level—associate, bachelor, and graduate. Online options make it convenient for students to join live classrooms from where they live or work.
Accreditation & Licensing
Maranatha Baptist University is accredited by:
Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
All Programs
Art & Liberal Arts
Maranatha Baptist University offers an online Associate of Arts degree in Humanities to the nontraditional student. This program is designed for students interested in moving forward to an advanced degree. Studies include but are not limited to:
- General Psychology
- Computer Applications
- General Electives
Maranatha Baptist University provides a biblically-focused curriculum, helping students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills with a Christ-centered mindset. Graduates with this degree may proceed forward to higher studies in history, English, or communication arts. Enter a degree program suited to academic and professional goals through MBU online.
Earn an Associate of Science degree with a concentration in Digital Media through Maranatha Baptist University online. This program provides training in the theories and applications of digital production. Studies include but are not limited to:
- Photography
- Videography
- Web and Print Design
Students will develop a foundational knowledge of video, web content, and imagery. Graduates with this degree may go on to pursue a bachelor’s or a career as a digital media associate. Learn to work with software, enhance skills essential to digital communication, and build the confidence to succeed with MBU online.
An online Associate of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies can lead to more with Maranatha Baptist University. This program combines classic liberal arts studies with a biblical studies core. Students may choose a concentration, choice of which include but are not limited to:
- Business
- Digital Media
- English
- Science
Students may use this program to progress forward to a bachelor’s degree in a desired subject. Distance learning courses are flexible and work for the working adult student. Enter an academic pathway towards academic and professional goals through MBU online.
An online Bachelor of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Studies is available to the working adult student through Maranatha Baptist University. This customizable program is designed for students interested in flexible transfer options and a broad-based education. Areas of potential focus include but are not limited to:
- Digital Media
- Business
- English
Maranatha Baptist University provides a biblically-focused curriculum, helping students develop problem-solving and decision-making skills with a Christ-centered mindset. Graduates with this degree may go on to pursue or enhance careers in business, journalism, ministry, education, and more. Enter an online degree program suited to personal and professional values and interests with MBU.
You can grow your expertise in education with the Graduate Certificate of Education in English from MBU. This online program lets you broaden the scope of your career without the time and money investment of a master’s degree program.
This fully online English graduate certificate program can apply towards a Master of Education in Teaching and Learning, should you choose to continue your education. Topics of study include:
- Literary theory and criticism
- Advanced grammar and composition
- British and American short fiction
- American romanticism
You can grow with graduate-level coursework with the Graduate Certificate of Education in History. This online program provides expertise in education without the commitment of a master’s degree program.
Educators appreciate this history graduate program to advance their training and increase their areas of expertise. Topics of study include:
- Historiography
- The birthright of the reformation
- World War II military history
- Cold war America
Credits from this fully online graduate program transfer to the Master of Education program should you opt to pursue your master’s degree.
You can prepare to lead and inspire future generations with the Master of Arts in Teaching / English Language Arts from MBU. This online English master’s degree provides Wisconsin state licensure for experienced teachers or career changers in grades 4 – 12.
With a biblical emphasis, you can put your faith into action in the classroom. Through the online English program, you gain such knowledge and skills as:
- Curricular expertise in literature and composition
- Deep in-classroom experiences
- One-on-one mentoring
- Ability to lead young students and inspire in them a love of language
You can become a better teacher and expand your teaching areas with the Master of Arts in Teaching / Secondary Social Studies. This online secondary education degree leads to a Wisconsin Secondary Broad Field Social Studies license for teaching grades 4 – 12.
Professionals seeking to change careers or educators wanting to expand their offerings appreciate this online secondary master’s degree program. Topics of study include:
- Technology for educators
- Exceptionality in student learning
- Biblical perspectives in human relations and counseling
- Instructional improvement through assessment
Graduates gain the tools to develop meaningful learning experiences for their students. The in-classroom experiences provide hands-on practical training.
Criminal Justice, Safety & Law
You can develop your interest in justice to represent Christ in your work with the Associate of Science in Criminal Justice from Maranatha Baptist University. The online criminal justice degree explores such topics as:
- Sociology
- Nature of crime
- Institutional and community corrections
- Policing and criminal investigation
Through the online criminal justice associate’s degree program, you gain sought-after skills in communications and behavioral science. Graduates can transfer all credits toward a bachelor’s degree program in this area.
Education
You can honor your Christian roots and your desire to teach in a Christian school with the Bachelor of Science in Educational Studies from Maranatha Baptist University. While this online teaching degree does not directly lead to teacher certification, it is a step toward alternative accreditation.
This flexible program appeals to non-traditional students as it acts as a stepping stone in such ways as:
- Alternative certification through a state
- Certification by Christian School agencies
- Alternative education careers
- Graduate studies
This online teaching program offers a bachelor-to-master pathway. By opting for graduate courses through the undergraduate program, you can complete nearly half of your required courses for the Master of Education.
You can expand your teaching expertise with the Graduate Certificate in Special Education from MBU. This online gifted and special education graduate certificate appeals to those with Wisconsin teaching licenses.
The fully online program allows you to make a difference for those with special needs without pursuing a degree. Topics of study include:
- Inclusive classroom strategies for exceptional students
- Classroom management
- Reading diagnosis and assessment
- Collaboration, communication, and transition
What comes in a small package but provides big rewards for your career? That would be the Graduate Certificate of Education in Math from MBU. This online STEAM education graduate certificate offers graduate-level coursework to broaden your areas of expertise in teaching.
The fully online program requires the completion of foundational math courses such as calculus and linear algebra prior to enrollment. Topics of study within this online STEAM education graduate certificate program include:
- History of mathematics
- Coding theory and cryptography
- Foundations of analysis
- Topology
The Master of Arts in Teaching / Elementary from MBU is just one of the five licensing areas within their MAT certification program. This online elementary education master’s degree appeals to those in one of two situations:
- Degreed teachers seeking state licensure
- Career changers switching to teaching and pursuing state licensure
Your Christian-based education provides knowledge and skills in elementary education through intensive coursework, hands-on classroom experiences, and personalized faculty mentorship. Topics of study include:
- Biblical perspectives in human relations and counseling
- Human relations clinical
- Exceptionality in student learning
- Educational technology
You can earn your Wisconsin Secondary Broad Field Science license through the Master of Arts in Teaching / Science from MBU. This online STEAM education master’s degree equips you with the classroom skills, knowledge, and best instructional practices to take your teaching to the next level.
Every student benefits from the student teaching and mentored clinical experiences. Your online STEAM education coursework covers such topics as:
- Meeting the needs of the adolescent learner
- Methods of teaching science
- Classroom management and positive behavior practices
- Student learning and motivation
You can gain expertise in the science of learning with the Master of Education in Teaching & Learning from MBU. This online teacher leadership master’s degree imparts research-based practical methods of instruction to promote excellence.
As a Christian university, students learn to teach to the heart of their students and to build their Christian characters.
Through the online teacher leadership program, you will study the history and philosophy of education as well as research design. Other topics of study include:
- Student learning and motivation
- Curriculum theory and practice
- Instructional improvement through assessment
- Exceptionality in student learning
Religion & Philosophy
Maranatha Baptist University offers an online Associate of Arts in Christian Ministry program. This program can stand on its own and lead to careers or career advancements, or it can be used to begin pathway studies leading to online bachelor’s degrees.
This degree provides biblical and theological foundations for personal ministries. You will gain a deeper understanding of the Word of God as you prepare for a future in vocational ministry. The curriculum offers in-depth, academic studies of God’s Word that are beneficial for vocational ministries or to help students know more about the Bible for their personal lives.
Key courses include:
- Baptist Heritage
- Bible Doctrine 1 and 2
- Christian Life, Leadership, and Evangelism
- Introduction to Missions
- Modern Creationary Thought
- Proverbs & Ecclesiastes
The online Bachelor of Science in Bible program is available from Maranatha Baptist University. This program provides a biblical and theological foundation for personal ministry. The curriculum takes time for an in-depth, academic study of God’s Word that will be valuable for those that want to know more about the Bible for themselves or to prepare for a future in vocational ministry.
Important courses in this degree include:
- 1&2 Corinthians
- Apologetics
- Baptist Heritage
- Bible Doctrine 1 and 2
- Christian Life, Leadership, and Evangelism
- Modern Creationary Thought
Another option is for students to take Seminary courses while enrolled as undergraduates, allowing them to meet requirements for both this program and a future Seminary degree. Upon graduation, you could have as few as three credits left to finish your MA in Bible.
The Master of Arts in Bible degree can be completed entirely online. It is designed for students who want to know Christ but are unable to leave their current ministry or job in order to complete their schooling. The curriculum includes biblical and theological courses and allows students to choose practical electives that meet their interests and career goals. You will learn to articulate biblical and systematic theology with scriptural support using a dispensational hermeneutical framework and to exercise biblical discernment in evaluating current trends in theology, biblical interpretation, and culture. Students will learn to interpret God’s Word from a dispensational hermeneutic and to articulate biblical and theological truth in a variety of settings in and out of the church.
Maranatha Baptist University offers an online Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling. This degree is designed for individuals interested in becoming wise counselors through a curriculum that still teaches about the Bible and honors Christianity. Students may be full-time ministers or just people who want to be more effective communicators of biblical counsel for those struggling with sin. You will take courses in practical areas including crisis counseling and addictive behavior along with courses that provide a solid foundation in the Bible and theology. This program teaches classic and current theology, a spiritually fervent life of ministry, and helps students become and stay faithful to the Holy Spirit’s work through God’s Word in their personal lives and ministries.
Graduates are prepared to:
- Discern current trends in Biblical Counseling and their relationship to biblical truth
- Perform counseling in church, youth, campus, or missions settings
- Develop research and communication skills and the foundational knowledge of Biblical Counseling needed to pursue additional training and graduate studies
The online Master of Arts in Biblical Studies is designed for those who feel the Lord is calling them to serve as pastors, assistants, youth pastors, missionaries, evangelists, or Bible teachers. The curriculum teaches practical pastoral issues while emphasizing biblical languages and studies and theological courses. Students learn about the basic elements of biblical and systematic theology; how to assess current trends in theology, biblical interpretation, and culture; to compare those trends with biblical truth; and to use these findings to accept, reject, or correct these trends. You will also learn about dispensational hermeneutics and how to use them to interpret, preach, and teach the Bible and gain a basic understanding of the biblical languages that can be used to prepare and deliver sermons and lessons. Courses provide a basic understanding of church history that will help in evaluating past and current events in their historical contexts and teach students how to demonstrate faithfulness in their lives and ministries.
The online Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies degree is designed for those who want to serve God full-time through missionary work. The curriculum emphasizes the theology and practicality of missions topics including church planting, theological issues in missions, world religions, and linguistics, using a strong biblical and theological framework. Students will learn about applying basic church planting principles, evaluating policies and practices of missionaries and mission agencies, analyzing cultures and worldviews, and exercising biblical discernment in assessing current trends in intercultural studies.
You can choose from two tracks, depending on where you want or plan to carry out your missionary work, the Urban Track or the Global Track. For those who want to minister in a foreign country and feel they are being called to serve overseas, the Global Track requires an internship in a foreign country. Others may feel the call to serve urban areas, including at-risk youth and adults in inner cities, and will complete an internship in these areas.
The online Master of Divinity program provides solid biblical and theological training for those being called to full-time ministry. The program is designed for individuals who want standard preparation of a seminary-level education in preparation for careers as pastors, missionaries, youth or assistant pastors, chaplains for the Department of Defense, and others whose focus is on communicating the Word of God.
Students are able to choose an area of specialization if they wish to from the following:
- Biblical Counseling
- Biblical Languages
- Inter-Cultural Studies
- New Testament
- Old Testament
- Pastoral Theology
- Theology
The core curriculum offers a solid foundation of biblical languages, church history, pastoral theology, biblical studies, and theological studies. You will learn about leadership in ministry, to communicate God’s Word effectively in multiple ways, to address issues or opportunities for improvement in Baptist churches, and more as you prepare to reach out to congregations of all sizes and minister to all types of people in different locations.