Opportunities are available for M.A. students in other programs at Baylor to include a religion component in their studies. The department also offers a non-thesis route to the M.A. With the approval of the faculty, Ph.D. students who are not able to complete the dissertation may pursue the non-thesis M.A. Faculty are committed to a strong research agenda, and that agenda is tied to the Baylor tradition of providing the very finest in classroom instruction. Baylor a top tier university, and the department along with the university remains friendly to faith and to church, thus providing a distinctive setting in American higher education. The M.A. program is designed for the student with adequate background in religion who wants to pursue intensive study and research within one of the four major divisions (Old Testament, New Testament, Historical Studies, and Theological Studies).