Biblical Studies Intensive
Six courses, 18 credits, the whole canon — an intensive Bible and theology minor that pairs with any major.
About the Minor
The Biblical Studies Intensive Minor is built for students who want serious Bible and theology training alongside any major. Six courses, eighteen credits, and a curriculum that takes you across the whole canon — from Genesis through Revelation — plus working coverage of Christian doctrine and the practical art of apologetics.
The minor pairs broad survey with focused study. You’ll cover the Old Testament in two courses, the New Testament in two more, and then sit down with theology and apologetics as capstone work. By the end, you’ll have read Scripture in its parts and as a whole, articulated the doctrines that hold Christian faith together, and developed the skills to talk about all of it with anyone who asks.
Because the minor stands alone — independent of any specific major — it pairs especially well with business, education, communication, psychology, political science, and any other field where biblical literacy adds depth to professional life.
What You'll Learn
Read the Old Testament Well
Work through the Pentateuch, the historical and wisdom books, and the major and minor prophets in context.
Read the New Testament Well
Study the Gospels analytically and follow the early church from Acts through Revelation.
Articulate Core Doctrine
Explain the doctrines of Scripture, God, Christ, salvation, the Holy Spirit, the church, and last things.
Defend the Faith Thoughtfully
Build careful responses to the modern challenges Christians actually face in conversation.
Apply Scripture to Life
Draw practical principles for Christian living from each part of the canon.
Engage Across Disciplines
Bring biblical literacy and theological depth into whatever major or career path you're pursuing.
An Intensive Built on a Biblical Worldview
The Biblical Studies Intensive Minor doesn't bolt a worldview onto the curriculum — it's the curriculum. Three convictions shape the whole minor.
Scripture as One Coherent Story
The minor covers all 66 books in survey form precisely because Scripture coheres. You won't leave with a few favorite passages and gaps everywhere else; you'll leave with a working map of the whole canon and a sense of how it fits together.
Equips you to teach, lead, or simply discuss the Bible with the whole story in view.Theology Rooted in Text
BIB 304 trains students to discover theology in Scripture rather than import it from somewhere else. Doctrine grows out of careful reading; it doesn't replace it.
Anchors what you believe in what the Bible actually says, not what's culturally convenient.Apologetics That Engages, Not Retreats
BIB 400 treats Christianity as a claim about reality worth defending well. The course trains rigorous, respectful engagement with skeptics rather than dismissiveness in either direction.
Gives you the tools to stand your ground with both honesty and patience.Where This Minor Takes You
The Biblical Studies Intensive Minor isn't tied to a single career — it strengthens whatever discipline it pairs with and opens doors in ministry settings of every kind.
Lay Ministry Leader
Lead small groups, teach Sunday school, or run discipleship programs with the confidence of formal training.
Christian School Educator
Add formal Bible credentials to a teaching career, especially for Bible-class assignments in Christian schools.
Church Staff Roles
Bring deeper biblical grounding to worship, children's, youth, or administrative ministry positions.
Parachurch and Nonprofit Staff
Serve mission, mercy, and ministry organizations with a steadier theological foundation.
Marketplace Christian
Pair any professional career — business, law, medicine, the arts — with serious biblical literacy.
Bridge to a Bachelor's
Use the minor as preparation for ACU's Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies if you decide to go further.
Why Students Choose This Minor
The Biblical Studies Intensive Minor is the deepest Bible add-on at ACU short of a full BA — and the most flexible.
Whole-Canon Coverage
Four survey courses take you across the entire Bible — Old Testament and New — in sequence.
Theological Capstone
BIB 304 anchors the minor in a working knowledge of the doctrines that shape Christian faith.
Apologetics Component
Few minors include a dedicated apologetics course — this one does, giving you tools for real conversations.
Pairs With Any Major
The minor stands alone, so it adds depth to business, education, communication, psychology, political science, and more.
Stackable to a Bachelor's
All 18 credits apply directly to ACU's Bachelor of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies if you continue.
Same Faculty as the BA
Every course is taught by ACU's Bible & Theology professors — no separate minor-only track.
Getting Started
Adding the Biblical Studies Intensive Minor to your degree plan takes only a few steps.
Talk With Your Academic Advisor
Map the 18 credits into your degree plan and identify the best sequence given your major's schedule.
Plan Around the BIB 207 Prerequisite
BIB 207 Gospels requires BIB 100 or BIB 101 first — most degree plans already include BIB 100, but confirm yours does.
View BIB 100 →Sequence the Survey Courses
Take BIB 104 and BIB 108 to cover the Old Testament; pair with BIB 207 and BIB 208 for the New Testament.
Finish With Theology and Apologetics
Cap the minor with BIB 304 Theology and BIB 400 Apologetics, ideally in your junior or senior year.
Explore More Options
Ready to Go Intensive in Scripture?
The Biblical Studies Intensive Minor pairs the whole canon with theology and apologetics in 18 credits. Talk with our team or apply today.
