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The Bible is the bestselling book of all time—and it’s not particularly close. With an estimated 5–7 billion copies printed over roughly the last 500 years, there’s no denying its profound influence on all society. Nations, kingdoms, and dynasties rise and fall, but the Bible remains.
Because of its unparalleled spiritual and cultural significance, it’s no surprise that there are hundreds of Biblical Studies degree programs. If this is a field you’re interested in, then this guide is for you. We’ll go over what a Biblical Studies degree actually is, coursework, career paths, and more. To finish, we’ll end with a directory of biblical studies programs for you to explore.
Let’s dive in.
What Is a Biblical Studies Degree?
A bachelor’s degree in Biblical Studies is for students who desire to learn about the proper way to read, interpret, and apply the Scriptures. In these programs, students do deep dives into all aspects of the Bible—it’s history, interconnectedness, original languages, proper exegesis, etc.
While Biblical Studies may be considered a type of theology degree, it is different than a broad-spectrum theology degree. Literally translated, “theology” means the study of God. Therefore, theology degrees use the Bible to inform their studies of God. Biblical Studies, however, is a more singular focus on the study of the Scriptures themselves.
How a Bachelor’s in Biblical Studies Works
Like almost all bachelor’s programs, earning a Biblical Studies degree is usually a four-year program comprising about 120 credit hours. Students should expect to take a substantial number of general education courses, specific courses on the study of the Bible, and some electives.
This is an excellent choice for students who envision themselves pursuing continuing education after their bachelor’s. It may also be a good choice for students who wish to go directly into some type of ministry position. Later, we’ll discuss more specifics about these different paths.
Types of Biblical Studies Degrees
When browsing Biblical Studies program options, you’ll notice some offer BA degrees while others offer BS degrees. A Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree tends to offer a broader scope and requires more courses in the humanities. A Bachelor of Science (BS) degree tends to have a more scientific or technical focus. In practicality, there often isn‘t a huge difference between a BA or BS in Biblical Studies. With this degree, it’s more important to choose a program and school you like overall than to use BA vs BS as a deciding factor.
You may also see other disciplines combined with Biblical Studies degrees. For example, there are degree programs in Bible and Theology, Biblical and Messianic Jewish Studies, and Biblical Studies with a Church Ministries concentration. These programs will have very similar core curriculum but will also include additional courses to educate students in various supplemental concentrations.
Bachelor’s of Biblical Studies Coursework
All Biblical Studies programs will share many common courses. You will take some classes focused on the Old Testament and some focused on the New Testament. There will also likely be courses in hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible) and exegesis (the actual interpretation of the Bible). Hebrew and/or Greek classes will enrich your study of the text in its original languages. Most programs also include courses in general theology, history, and practical application to supplement your studies.
Let’s look at a sample Biblical Studies program to see how this all comes together. Here are Olivet Nazarene University’s degree requirements, featuring the kinds of courses just mentioned:
Admission Requirements
Applying for an undergraduate program in Biblical Studies is the same process as any other major. Typically, you fill out an online application and submit your high school transcripts, your ACT or SAT scores, and sometimes an essay or personal statement. Once the college or university grants you general admission into their school, you can declare yourself a Biblical Studies student.
How Much Do Biblical Studies Degrees Cost?
Undergraduate programs typically charge each student the same tuition per semester or per year, provided the student stays within a certain number of credit hours. Taking additional credit hours will usually result in an increased cost.
Some colleges, like Biola University, are on the high end, hovering around $20,000–$25,000 per semester. Liberty University and Trinity Christian College, are around $10,000–$12,000 per semester. South Florida Bible College presents a very affordable option with an entire year of tuition and fees for only $7,620.
It’s important to note a couple of things while looking at these numbers. First, this is only the cost of tuition. Room and board plus other fees could substantially increase the financial load. Second, many of these schools offer generous financial aid and scholarships. In fact, Oral Roberts states that “nearly 100%” of their student body receives financial aid. Additionally, there are many outside scholarships available for Biblical Studies students.
Online Biblical Studies Degrees
If you’re looking to earn a bachelor’s in Biblical Studies but can’t do an on-campus program, you still have plenty of options. Online students should be aware that they won’t have the same kind of collaborative classroom experience as on-campus students. In fact, unless they go through the program with a cohort, they will often complete coursework entirely independently. Many online students find this appealing, however, as they can complete their work with greater flexibility and sometimes even finish their program faster than their on-campus counterparts.
Some notable schools with online programs include Biola, Colorado Christian, and Moody. Head over to our online biblical studies degrees page for our rankings of the 15 best degrees and our directory of all biblical studies programs.
What Can You Do with a Biblical Studies Degree?
There are many different directions you can take with a Biblical Studies degree. While a pastor is an obvious career path, others include Christian camp director, Christian school teacher, ministry director, and administrative roles at a Christian university.
If you don’t plan to continue your education, it may be wise to supplement this degree with an application-focused minor or second major. For example, if you want to lead a Christian summer camp for teens, you could combine a Biblical Studies major with a Youth Ministry minor.
Biblical Studies is also a common undergraduate degree for students who aren’t just looking for a foundational understanding of the Bible but also want to continue their education. Interestingly, doctoral degrees in Biblical Studies are almost as popular as bachelor’s degrees in Biblical Studies. After earning a bachelor’s in Biblical Studies, you could go on to earn your Master’s or Doctorate in Counseling, Public Policy, Bible, Theology, or even Biblical Archeology.
Biblical Studies is a great foundational degree for many important roles in ministry and public life. If any of this sounds up your alley, check out our degree guide to find the program that’s right for you!
All Bachelor's Degrees in Biblical Studies
112 Schools Found
Alabama
Oakwood University
Religion Department
Huntsville, Alabama
Samford University
Biblical and Religious Studies Department
Birmingham, Alabama
Arizona
International Baptist College
Chandler, Arizona
Arkansas
Ecclesia College
Division of Biblical/Theological Studies
Springdale, Arkansas
Harding University
College of Bible and Ministry
Searcy, Arkansas
John Brown University
Department of Bible and ministry
Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Ouachita Baptist University
Department of Biblical Studies and Theology
Arkadelphia, Arkansas
Williams Baptist College
Christian Ministries Department
Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
California
Azusa Pacific University
Department of Biblical and Religious Studies
Azusa, California
Biola University
Talbot School of Theology
La Mirada, California
Concordia University-Irvine
Church Work and Theology Department
Irvine, California
Fresno Pacific University
School of Humanities, Religion and Social Sciences
Fresno, California
Hope International University
Pacific Christian College of Ministry And Biblical Studies
Fullerton, California
Life Pacific College
San Dimas, California
Pacific Union College
Angwin, California
Point Loma Nazarene University
School of Theology and Christian Ministry
San Diego, California
San Diego Christian College
El Cajon, California
Simpson University
Redding, California
The Master's University and Seminary
School of Biblical Studies
Santa Clarita, California
Vanguard University of Southern California
Theology Department
Costa Mesa, California
William Jessup University
School of Theology and Leadership
Rocklin, California
Colorado
Colorado Christian University
School of Theology
Lakewood, Colorado
Florida
Florida Christian College
School of Bible and Theology
Kissimmee, Florida
Palm Beach Atlantic University
School of Ministry
West Palm Beach, Florida
Trinity Baptist College
Jacksonville, Florida
Georgia
Point University
East Point, Georgia
Toccoa Falls College
Bible and Theology Department
Toccoa Falls, Georgia
Hawaii
New Hope Christian College
Honolulu, Hawaii
Idaho
Boise Bible College
Boise, Idaho
Northwest Nazarene University
Theology and Christian Ministries Department
Nampa, Idaho
Illinois
Moody Bible Institute
Chicago, Illinois
Olivet Nazarene University
Department of Biblical Studies
Bourbonnais, Illinois
Trinity Christian College
Theology and Christian Ministry Department
Palos Heights, Illinois
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois
Wheaton College
Biblical and Theological Studies Department
Wheaton, Illinois
Indiana
Bethel University
Biblical and Theological Studies Department
Mishawaka, Indiana
Huntington University
Institute for Christian Thought and Practice
Huntington, Indiana
Indiana Wesleyan University-National & Global
School of Theology and Ministry
Marion, Indiana
Indiana Wesleyan University
Theology and Ministry Department
Marion, Indiana
Kansas
Barclay College
Haviland, Kansas
Kansas Christian College
Overland Park, Kansas
Sterling College
Theology and Ministry Department
Sterling, Kansas
Tabor College
Bible, Religion and Philosophy Department
Hillsboro, Kansas
Kentucky
Asbury University
Christian Studies and Philosophy Department
Wilmore, Kentucky
Campbellsville University
School of Theology
Campbellsville, Kentucky
Kentucky Christian University
Keeran School of Bible and Ministry
Grayson, Kentucky
Kentucky Mountain Bible College
Ministerial Studies Department
Jackson, Kentucky
Louisiana
New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
New Orleans, Louisiana
Maryland
Maple Springs Baptist Bible College and Seminary
Capitol Heights, Maryland
Michigan
Concordia University-Ann Arbor
Theology Department
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Cornerstone University
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grace Christian University
School of Bible and Ministry
Wyoming, Michigan
Great Lakes Christian College
Lansing, Michigan
Kuyper College
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Spring Arbor University
Spring Arbor, Michigan
Minnesota
Crown College
Bible and Theology Department
Saint Bonifacius, Minnesota
North Central University
School of Biblical And Theological Studies
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Missouri
Baptist Bible College
Springfield, Missouri
Calvary University
Biblical Studies Department
Kansas City, Missouri
Central Christian College of the Bible
Moberly, Missouri
Evangel University
Theology and Global Church Ministries Department
Springfield, Missouri
Hannibal-LaGrange University
Christian Studies Department
Hannibal, Missouri
Ozark Christian College
Joplin, Missouri
Southwest Baptist University
Division of Christian Ministry
Bolivar, Missouri
Nebraska
Nebraska Christian College
Papillion, Nebraska
New York
Nyack College
School of Bible and Christian Ministry
Nyack, New York
Roberts Wesleyan College
Ministry Department
Rochester, New York
North Carolina
Heritage Bible College
Dunn, North Carolina
Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Department of Bible and Christian Ministry
Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Montreat College
Montreat, North Carolina
Southeastern Free Will Baptist Bible College
Wendell, North Carolina
North Dakota
Trinity Bible College and Graduate School
Ellendale, North Dakota
Ohio
Cedarville University
Cedarville, Ohio
Malone University
Department of Bible, Theology, and Ministry
Canton, Ohio
Ohio Christian University
Circleville, Ohio
Tri-State Bible College
South Point, Ohio
Oklahoma
Oklahoma Baptist University
Hobbs School of Theology and Ministry
Shawnee, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Christian University
Biblical Studies Department
Edmond, Oklahoma
Oklahoma Wesleyan University
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Oral Roberts University
College of Theology and Ministry
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Southwestern Christian University
Departments of Traditional Education
Bethany, Oklahoma
Oregon
Corban University
School of Ministry
Salem, Oregon
Pennsylvania
Cairn University
School of Divinity
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Eastern University
Theology Department
Saint Davids, Pennsylvania
Geneva College
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Grove City College
Biblical and Religious Studies Department
Grove City, Pennsylvania
Lancaster Bible College
Bible and Theology Department
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Anderson University
College of Christian Studies
Anderson, South Carolina
South Dakota
University of Sioux Falls
Theology Department
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Tennessee
American Baptist College
Nashville, Tennessee
Belmont University
College of Theology and Christian Ministry
Nashville, Tennessee
Carson-Newman University
School of Biblical and Theological Studies
Jefferson City, Tennessee
Johnson University
Knoxville, Tennessee
Lee University
Theology Department
Cleveland, Tennessee
Milligan University
School of Bible and Ministry
Milligan, Tennessee
Southern Adventist University
School of Religion
Collegedale, Tennessee
Union University
School of Theology and Missions
Jackson, Tennessee
Texas
Abilene Christian University
Department of Bible, Missions, and Ministry
Abilene, Texas
College of Biblical Studies-Houston
Houston, Texas
Dallas Baptist University
College of Christian Faith
Dallas, Texas
Grace School of Theology
Conroe, Texas
Houston Baptist University
Department of Theology
Houston, Texas
Howard Payne University
School of Christian Studies
Brownwood, Texas
Lubbock Christian University
Department of Biblical Studies
Lubbock, Texas
Virginia
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg, Virginia
Liberty University
Department of Biblical Studies
Lynchburg, Virginia
Washington
Northwest University-Center for Online and Extended Education
College of Ministry
Kirkland, Washington
Northwest University
College of Ministry
Kirkland, Washington
West Virginia
Appalachian Bible College
Mount Hope, West Virginia
Wisconsin
Concordia University-Wisconsin
Department of Theology
Mequon, Wisconsin
Maranatha Baptist University
College of Bible and Church Ministries
Watertown, Wisconsin
Marian University
School of Theology, Philosophy, and Ministry
Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin