---
title: "Interested in Getting a Biblical Counseling Degree without Moving?  Now You Can Do It @RTSCharlotte"
canonical: "https://michaeljkruger.com/interested-in-getting-a-biblical-counseling-degree-without-moving-now-you-can-do-it-rtscharlotte-2/"
pubDate: "2018-06-20T08:00:01.000Z"
updatedDate: "2023-04-14T17:56:13.000Z"
author: Michael Kruger
description: "This past week, I spoke at the TGC Women's conference in Indianapolis. I did three sessions on a number of different topics, but the highlight was the RTS-sponsored lunch conversation where Melissa and I discussed why theology matters for women. Afterwards, I was asked repeatedly about which degree program would be helpful for women wanting [...]"
tags: ["Academics & Seminary", Counseling, "Women's Ministry"]
---

This past week, I spoke at the [TGC Women’s conference](https://2018.thegospelcoalition.org/) in Indianapolis. I did three sessions on a number of different topics, but the highlight was the [RTS-sponsored lunch conversation](https://wp.me/p2dVaB-1LF) where Melissa and I discussed why theology matters for women.

Afterwards, I was asked repeatedly about which degree program would be helpful for women wanting to go to seminary. Although all our programs are great, I think the RTS Charlotte [Master of Arts in Christian Counseling](http://rts.edu/Site/RTSNearYou/Charlotte/MACC/overview.aspx) degree (MACC) is a wonderful option.

What makes the MACC degree distinctive is that half of the 66 credit hours are in Bible and theology. Thus, MACC students not only know *how* to counsel, they know the crucial *content* of their counseling.

And here’s the big news: we recently [announced](http://www.rts.edu/charlotte/newsevents/newsdetails.aspx?id=2645) that we are now offering the MACC degree in an new Summer/Winter format. *This means that students can now get the MACC degree over the course of four years without having to relocate.*

Let me say that again. You can get the MACC without moving.

But, here’s the thing that makes the Charlotte program unique: *our counseling classes are not taken online*. They are all residential classes right here in Charlotte. They are simply done in intensive formats during the winter and summer.

Given that counseling is inherently a relational exercise, we think it is a bit counter-intuitive to get a counseling degree by only plugging in the head phones and looking at a computer screen. Instead, counseling is best taught and learned in a [face-to-face environment](https://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/2018/03/12/face-to-face-counseling/) where students can interact with each other and with the professors.

So, we are excited to see how this new Summer/Winter MACC program can allow people to get a degree without moving, but at the same time preserving the important face-to-face, relational aspects of counseling.

In addition, Charlotte’s biblical counseling degree has a number of other distinctives:

- Committed to the gospel message and the sufficiency of God’s Word as the basis of all counseling
- Our program shares the same biblical perspective on the counseling task as modeled in organizations like the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF) and the Biblical Counseling Coalition (BCC).
- Phenomenal visiting faculty including Ed Welch, Rod Mays, Jeremy Pierre, Heath Lambert, Deepak Reju, and Bob Kellemen
- More than half the MACC curriculum is Bible and Theology, laying a critical foundation for counseling
- A director, [Jim Newheiser](http://rts.edu/Site/RTSNearYou/Charlotte/MACC/faculty.aspx), with over 25 years of counseling experience
- Located in beautiful city of Charlotte on a gorgeous 17 acre campus

To read more about the new program, see [here](http://rts.edu/Site/RTSNearYou/Charlotte/MACC/overview.aspx). The formal press release is [here](http://www.rts.edu/charlotte/newsevents/newsdetails.aspx?id=2645).

Hope to see you in a counseling class soon!