The Master of Arts in Intercultural Studies (MAICS)—now offered with flexible study options—prepares students for many types of cross-cultural ministry, enabling them to view current global trends through the lens of missiology. This degree is intended for students with varied levels of cross-cultural exposure, and emphasizes both scholarship and praxis. MAICS students gain the foundational skills to pursue further studies or research opportunities, or to serve others through practical ministries around the world.

The program includes a foundational set of integrated courses from all three schools at Fuller, followed by courses that provide a solid framework of missiological disciplines. With this foundation, students may then take a variety of relevant elective classes, or pursue a specific area of emphasis in greater depth.

Flexible plans of study allow you to complete the MAICS according to your needs. You can:

• Complete all your coursework face-to-face on a campus 
• Combine online and face-to-face courses 
• Remain in your context by studying primarily online, with just three one-week sessions at a Fuller campus.* To take maximum advantage of your online options, you would follow this plan:
  
  • Earn 72 units through online courses 
  • Earn 24 units through “Hybrid Plus” courses
    
    • Each Hybrid+ Course consists of nine weeks of online study plus one week of face-to-face study at a campus
    • When you come to a to a campus for that face-to-face requirement, you will take two courses during your one-week stay 
     
   

Students following this plan can complete the MAICS in three years. See a sample schedule.

Candidates for the MAICS Students in this program have a commitment to intercultural ministry in the church, parachurch or the marketplace. Students come from varied backgrounds of intercultural experiences.   Further Studies The MA in Intercultural Studies can serve as a prerequisite for doctoral studies at Fuller. Please reference the requirements for your desired doctoral program to ensure you take the courses that meet the academic prerequisites for admission.   Practicum Included in the curriculum is the opportunity to complete a crosscultural practicum that combines coursework with practical ministry.  The practicum experience challenges students to discern their calling, grow spiritually, and apply what they are learning to a crosscultural context. Online Options Students may take up to 72 units online.*

Paths to Completion There are flexible options for completing this degree: primarily online with Hybrid Plus classes,* or on a campus in combination with online and hybrid classes. In addition to the traditional, ten-week daytime schedule, campus courses are also offered in the evenings and as intensives,** allowing for even more flexibility. Duration of Study The MAICS degree can be completed in two years of full-time study. Students who stay in their context, combining online study with Hybrid Plus courses, will typically complete the degree in three years.* Many pursue the program on a part-time basis and thereby extend their study over a longer period of time.   Ministries The degree prepares students for work in the church, parachurch or the marketplace.

*Study plan pending ATS and WASC approval.
**Intensive courses are typically offered as either one-week, two-week, or five-week sessions. 

By thinking critically and creatively about contemporary global issues, MAICS graduates are able to demonstrate in word and deed the transforming work of Christ.