MOBILE, Ala. – Spring Hill College (SHC) has redesigned its Master of Theological Studies, (MTS) Master of Pastoral Studies (MPS) and Master of Arts (MA) degrees in a new blended format of on-line courses and in-classroom experiences.  More than 30 years ago Spring Hill College offered its first graduate degree program in the Diocese of Jackson and since then numerous Mississippians have earned Master of Theology degrees from SHC.  The school also offers extension classes in Atlanta and Birmingham.
Spring Hill is still committed to this mission. In response to a desire from students not near the centers of Jackson, Birmingham, Mobile and Atlanta, Spring Hill has redesigned its graduate theology programs to be accessible to more people in more areas. The new program will require students entering the program to take at least three Level I courses, which are hybrid courses requiring just one six-hour in-classroom session on a Saturday in either Mobile or Atlanta.
After completing these courses, the student will take fully on-line Level II courses. While taking Level II courses, and before completing their program, students will be required to attend three graduate seminars. These seminars will meet in Mobile and Atlanta for one overnight stay from Friday evening to Saturday afternoon or Saturday noon through Sunday noon.
Students from anywhere in the southeastern U.S. would only have to travel to Mobile or to Atlanta six times in total during the course of the entire program. Both the MTS and MPS require a total of 33 credit hours.  The MA requires 48 and builds on the MTS degree.
This new blended program allows students to earn an academically rigorous theology degree in the convenience of their own home and time schedule. At the same time, the program provides targeted in-classroom meetings for the students in the program to build a learning community with other students and with the faculty.