Sunset International Bible Institute is a recognized higher-education institution. We have been issued a letter of authorization to confer degrees by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, according to the provisions of the Texas Education Code, sub-chapter G, chapter 61, title 3, section 7.5 (g). This authorizes us to legally grant religious degrees under the laws of the State of Texas.

Sunset International Bible Institute Graduate School has an articulation agreement with Amridge University in Montgomery, Alabama, regarding the transfer of SIBIGS credit into the Turner School of Theology accredited degree programs, including the M.A., M.Div., D.Min., and Ph.D. of Biblical Studies degrees. Sunset also has transfer arrangements with other colleges affiliated with the Churches of Christ.

Sunset International Bible Institute is a Learning Partner with the Masters International School of Divinity. This affiliation offers several benefits for SIBI and SIBIGS graduates including tuition reduction in the various degree programs available through MISD.

Please read the information concerning Sunset’s graduate programs carefully and commit your decision to prayer. If you have completed a Bachelor’s Degree in any field from a recognized college or university, we welcome you to apply for our Master’s programs. Preaching School graduates who hold a certificate of graduation are encouraged to contact us for leveling course work to receive their Bachelor’s Degree and be admitted into the MBS program. If you believe that you are qualified to enter the program, you are encouraged to complete the Master's degree application online.

Applicants for Sunset Graduate School’s Doctoral programs must have completed a Master’s degree in a field related to biblical studies. The Doctoral application is available online (coming soon).

Kerry Williams, Dean of Sunset Graduate School

Sunset International Bible Institute
Master's Degrees and Graduate Certificates

The Master of Biblical Studies and the Master of Spiritual Leadership degrees from Sunset are religious degrees focused on a Biblically balanced study of God’s word and its practical application in congregational ministry. The classes, studies, reading, and research required to earn a Master's degree are designed to prepare students for enhanced ministry in local churches, Christian organizations, or mission environments. The degree is intended to serve as evidence of an advanced level of knowledge, training, and other qualifications required for those ministry applications.

The first Master of Biblical Studies graduates completed their degrees in 2011. Other men have graduated each year since that time. In 2017, the basic Master’s program was adjusted to concentrate on practical ministry. At present, the aim of Sunset’s Master's of Biblical Studies in Practical Congregational Ministry is to, "Equip ministers for effective long-term service in local congregations through practical, real-world instruction."

Sunset is a single-purpose professional institute of ministry. Our degrees reflect our uniqueness. Ministry in the Lord’s church is the primary focus, the consuming passion, and the “one thing” to which we are committed. Sunset International Bible Institute has been widely recognized among Churches of Christ as a quality Bible and ministry training school since its beginning in 1962. The fruit of almost five decades of training preachers, teachers, and missionaries for effective Christian ministry speaks well of the quality of a Biblical degree from Sunset.

The faculty and administration of the graduate program at Sunset are composed of men who have decades of experience in ministry and ministry training. In most cases, they hold or are in the final stages of completing terminal degrees from accredited institutions, and are widely recognized as scholars in their disciplines. More importantly, they possess the spiritual qualities that we seek to model in our lives and develop in the lives and ministries of our students. They are men of Christian character and Biblical soundness. They do not just teach ministry, they are involved in it; they do not simply talk about the Bible, they live its precepts. This depth of both knowledge and experience provides our graduate school with a unique blend of scholarship and practical application. Because our faculty members are Christian leaders, they can help to prepare others to become better leaders.

Contact Kerry Williams, kerry.williams@sibi.cc, for more information.

Reasons for Earning Your Master's Degree

There are many reasons to pursue graduate training, and many quality institutions to choose from. Perhaps you are asking yourself, “Why should I get my master’s degree?” This is a valid question. Earning your master’s degree at Sunset can be a plus in these ways:

1. Practical Emphasis. Sunset’s program is decidedly practical in nature. There are many fine Christian institutions offering graduate degrees in Theology or Biblical Studies, equipping graduates to do research and dig deeper into the text. We desire to go the extra mile and incorporate the biblical text into a program designed to equip graduates for the actual work of ministry. At Sunset, students learn the ins and outs of real ministry: leadership principles, relationship building, conflict resolution, congregational planning, and more. The program is designed to do more than make you knowledgeable, it is designed to make you SUCCESSFUL!
2. Affordable Quality.  A graduate degree from Sunset costs significantly less than most other degree offerings.  Our tuition rate is $75 per credit hour.  This rate equals a total cost of $225 for each three-hour graduate course, with a total tuition cost for the entire 36-hour program of only $2,700.  This is a true value, as the average cost of all graduate degrees in 2010 was $14,537, which has grown dramatically since that time.
3. Generous Transfer Policy.  Most colleges and universities allow very limited transfer credits into their graduate programs, generally no more than 6-9 credit hours from previous graduate work.  Also, many do not allow transfer credit from previously completed graduate degrees.  We recognize that many individuals have completed graduate work in many fields, yet have a desire for training in practical ministry.  Sunset, therefore, offers up to 15 transfer credits from previously completed coursework, even from previously completed degrees.
4. Professional Development. Coursework leading to a master's degree will expose you to thoughts and trends which will keep you on the cutting edge of current thinking and effective ministry. With more than 50 percent of ministers within the Churches of Christ holding a master's degree or higher, earning a graduate degree from SIBI will move you up to the educational level enjoyed by many of your colleagues and friends.
5. Personal Growth. As a student of God's Word, you also probably find yourself drawn to what the great minds and scholars have written on various important Biblical subjects. Studying at SIBI will expand your mind and challenge you to grow.
6. Personal Fulfillment. The sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment which comes from completing a graduate degree is significant. Many pursue a higher degree, not necessarily to impress anyone or to gain better employment opportunities, but simply because they dream about the fulfillment which comes from knowing that they have undertaken and completed a challenging project.

Foundation Courses (3 Courses - 9 Credit Hours)
BIB501 – Introduction to Graduate Studies
BIB512 - Theology of Biblical Leadership
BIB508 - Graduate Readings in Theology: Christian Spirituality

Core Courses (4 Courses - 12 Credit Hours)
MIN502 - Preaching in the 21st Century
MIN532 - Practical Ministry in the Congregational Context

Two of the following courses:
COU503 - Theology of Christian Counseling
COU570 - Conflict Resolution in the Church
MIN515 - Advanced Homiletics or
MIN533 - Advanced Church Growth

Electives
12 hours (4 classes) in any combination of other classes

Capstone (1 Course - 3 Credit Hours)
MIN600 - Research Project

Master of Biblical Studies in Youth and Family Ministry (MBS)
36-hour degree program:

Foundation Courses (3 Courses - 9 Credit Hours)
BIB501 – Introduction to Graduate Studies
BIB512 - Theology of Biblical Leadership
BIB508 - Graduate Readings in Theology: Christian Spirituality

Core Courses (6 Courses - 18 Credit Hours)
MIN532 - Practical Ministry in the Congregational Context
COU503 - Theology of Christian Counseling
COU570 - Conflict Resolution in the Church
MIN513 - Family Ministry Concepts
MIN531 - Advanced Youth Ministry
MIN519 - Christian Education

Electives
6 hours (2 classes) in any combination of other courses

Capstone (1 Course - 3 Credit Hours)
MIN600 - Research Project

Master of Spiritual Leadership (MSL)
36-hour degree program

Foundation Courses (3 Courses - 9 Credit Hours)
BIB501 – Introduction to Graduate Studies
BIB512 - Theology of Biblical Leadership
BIB508 - Graduate Readings in Theology: Christian Spirituality

Core Courses (5 Courses - 15 Credit Hours)
MIN532 - Practical Ministry in the Congregational Context
COU570 - Conflict Resolution in the Church
LDR575 – Leadership: Creating Vision
LDR576 – Leadership: Mediating Change in Adverse Conditions
LDR577- Leadership: Succession Planning

Electives
9 hours (3 classes) in any combination of other courses

Capstone (1 Course - 3 Credit Hours)
MIN600 - Research Project

Graduate Certificate in Leadership
Degree Plan (4 Courses – 12 Credit Hours)

BIB512 - Theology of Biblical Leadership
COU570 - Conflict Resolution in the Church
LDR576 – Leadership: Mediating Change in Adverse Conditions
LDR577- Leadership: Succession Planning

Graduate Certificate in Church History
Degree Plant (4 Courses – 12 Credit Hours)

HIS520- Restoration History: Stone & Campbell
HIS535- History of Churches of Christ in the United States
HIS565- Social World of Christianity: Greece and Rome
LDR577- Leadership: Succession Planning

Electives Offered

Bible/Theology:
BIB504 - Contemporary Issues in Theology
BIB505 - Advanced Apologetics
BIB509 - Christ and His Church in Ephesians
BIB510 - Missional Message of Acts
BIB517 - Advanced Hermeneutics
BIB526-9 - Directed Readings in the Biblical Text (Independent study that can be taken up to 4 times on different subjects)
BIB565 - Religious Worldviews: Distinguishing the Case for the Christian Worldview

Ministry:
MIN513 - Family Ministry Concepts
MIN519 - Christian Education
MIN530 - Small Church Ministry
MIN531 - Advanced Youth Ministry
MIN560 - Preaching Biblical Genres
MIN561 - Effective Topical Preaching

Church History:
HIS520 - Restoration History: Stone & Campbell
HIS535 - History of Churches of Christ in the United States
HIS565 - Social World of Christianity: Greece & Rome

Leadership:
LDR575-Leadership: Creating Vision
LDR576-Mediating Change in Adverse Conditions
LDR577-Leadership: Succession Planning

Apply Now

Sunset International Bible Institute Doctoral Degrees

Sunset Graduate School began offering two doctoral degree programs in January 2022. The Doctor of Biblical Studies degree consists of 39 credit hours (13 classes) of coursework with no dissertation requirement. The Doctor of Theology degree consists of 30 hours of coursework (10 classes), followed by 18 hours of dissertation credit. Both programs provide students with in-depth Bible training at the highest academic level. To be accepted into the Doctor of Biblical Studies or Doctor of Theology programs, the applicant must have completed a Master’s degree in a field related to biblical studies from a recognized institution.

Reasons for Earning Your Doctoral Degree

Doctoral studies provide students with several benefits:

1. Professional Development. Coursework leading to a doctoral degree will expose you to thoughts and trends which will keep you on the cutting edge of current thinking and effective ministry beyond the level of basic graduate studies.
2. Lifelong Learning. Doctoral students often have a motivation to always continue to grow in their knowledge and spirituality.
3. Personal Growth. As a student of God's Word, you also probably find yourself drawn to what the great minds and scholars have written on various important Biblical subjects. Studying at SIBIGS will expand your mind and challenge you to grow.
4. Personal Fulfillment. The sense of personal fulfillment and accomplishment which comes from completing a terminal degree is significant, as a doctorate represents the highest level of mastery in any field of study.
5. Affordable Studies. A doctoral degree from Sunset costs significantly less than most other degree offerings. Our doctoral tuition rate is $125 per credit hour. This rate equals a total cost of $375 for each three-hour doctoral course.

Doctor of Biblical Studies
39-hour degree program

• BIB701 - The Gospels
• BIB702 - Writings of Paul
• LDR703 - Seminar in Leadership
• MIN704 - Seminar in Counseling
• MIN705 - Seminar in Preaching
• MIN706 - Seminar in Evangelism & Missions
• BIB707 - The Holy Spirit
• BIB708 - Salvation Theology
• BIB709 - Restoration Theology
• BIB710 - Revelation
• BIB713- Individual Study in the Biblical Text
• BIB714 - Individual Study in the Biblical Text
• One of the following courses:
• MIN733 - Advanced Church Growth
• BIB715 - Individual Study in the Biblical Text

Doctor of Theology
48-hour degree program

Coursework (10 Courses - 30 Credit Hours)

• BIB701 - The Gospels
• LDR703 - Seminar in Leadership
• MIN706 - Seminar in Evangelism & Missions
• BIB708 - Salvation Theology
• BIB709 - Restoration Theology
• BIB710 - Revelation
• BIB711 - Old Testament Theology
• BIB712 - New Testament Theology
• BIB713 - Individual Study in the Biblical Text

 One of the following courses:

• MIN733 - Advanced Church Growth
• BIB715 - Individual Study in the Biblical Text

Dissertation (Including proposal and dissertation defense - 18 Credit Hours)
18 Graduate Hours of Dissertation (minimum of five terms)

Preview all coursework online.

Questions and Details