Master of Divinity Degree

Degree Goals Evaluation of Learning Degree Requirements

The 87 semester-hour Master of Divinity program is the basic graduate professional degree program in the seminary and is designed to provide the foundational academic preparation for an educated ministry.

The focus of the M.Div. program is on pastoral ministry, but the curriculum is organized to provide ample opportunities for students to explore and develop their interests and competences in other forms of service, including ministerial vocations in Christian education, college and seminary teaching, campus ministry, institutional chaplaincy, pastoral care and counseling, the administration of church agencies, the ministry of music, church-related social work, and global mission work.

M.Div. Degree Goals

Upon completing the M.Div. program, students will be able to:

• demonstrate ability to interpret the Bible by employing appropriate hermeneutical tools;
• reflect theologically about their life and ministry by utilizing biblical, historical, social scientific, philosophical, and liturgical tools;
• articulate Christian faith in contemporary society, nourished by a critical awareness of historical roots;
• integrate their historical and theological studies into their ministerial identity and practice;
• describe, analyze, articulate, proclaim, teach, and evaluate the explicit and implicit theologies of individuals, churches, and communities;
• guide their churches and communities in addressing issues of peace and justice.

Evaluation of Learning

There are two formal and overlapping assessment processes for student academic achievement in the M.Div. program. The first involves grading evaluations given in each course for the quality of the student's academic work. The second involves a portfolio strategy. Entering students are given a portfolio holder, a list of classroom assignments, and a schedule for required periodic reviews with their faculty advisers.

M.Div. Degree Requirements

The Master of Divinity degree requires the completion of 87 semester-hours with a grade point average of 2.25 or higher. Of the 87 hours, 60 must be taken to fulfill particular requirements distributed among the six divisions of the curriculum. The remaining 27 are elective hours and may be used to broaden a student's understanding of the Christian tradition and the nature of the Christian witness in the contemporary world, and to develop professional competences that will contribute to future ministries.

Divisions: I II III IV V VI Electives

Requirements in Division I. Biblical Studies

• The twelve required semester-hours in Biblical Studies include six hours in Old Testament and six hours in New Testament.
  
• In the field of Old Testament, students are required to take OT 500 Introduction to the Old Testament (3 hours). OT 500 is considered a prerequisite for all further coursework in the field, except for Hebrew language study. Unless otherwise noted on the class schedule, all courses in Old Testament beyond OT 500 require exegetical papers and satisfy the divisional requirement for advanced coursework in OT.
• In the field of New Testament, students are required to take NT 500 Introduction to the New Testament (3 hours) plus one advanced exegetical course (3 hours). NT 500 is considered a prerequisite for all further coursework in the field, except for Greek language study. Unless otherwise noted on the class schedule, all courses in New Testament beyond NT 500 require exegetical papers and satisfy the divisional requirement for advanced coursework in NT.
• A Biblical Theology (BT) course may satisfy a requirement for an advanced exegetical course in either Old or New Testament, as announced on the course schedule.

Requirements in Division II. Historical Studies

• A minimum of nine semester-hours is required in Church History.
• Each student is required to take HS 502 History of Christianity I: Early and Medieval and HS 504 History of Christianity II: Reformation and Modern.
• Each student is also required to take at least one 3 semester-hour course in the history of his or her church tradition.
  • Disciples of Christ students must take HS 530 History and Polity of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
  • Presbyterian students much register for either HS 536 Presbyterians in the United States, HS 537 Reformed Theology, or HS 538 Presbyterian Polity.
  • Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) students must take a total of 6 semester-hours, including HS 534 Baptist History and Polity and Hs 535 Baptist Theological Perspectives.
  • United Methodist students are required to take a total of 12 semester-hours: 9 semester-hours in a three-course sequence that includes: HS 531 United Methodist History; HS 532 United Methodist Doctrine; and HS 533 United Methodist Polity, plus the 3 semester-hour course: PT 672 The Church and Evangelism.
  • United Church of Christ students are required to take HS 539 History and Polity of the United Church of Christ.
  • Students who are members of denominations not specifically mentioned above may satisfy the denominational studies requirement by taking a guided research course on the history and polity of the particular denomination in which they intend to practice ministry. After consulting with the dean about appropriate arrangements, such students should register for HS 546 Readings in Denominational History. As an alternative, they may choose, along with all students who are members of non-denominational churches, to enroll, with the dean's permission, in HS 518 Christianity in the United States.
  • Students in the M.Div. program are required to notify the registrar if they (a) change denominations or religious communities in which they are members and in which they expect to serve in ministry, or (b) change their status within those denominations or communities (e.g., change from deacon to elder status in the United Methodist Church).

Requirements in Division III. Theology and Ethics

The twelve semester-hours required in Theology and Ethics are distributed among the following courses:

• TE 500 Introduction to Theology. This 3 semester-hour course is normally taken in the first year of study.
• One 3 semester-hour advanced theology course (e.g., TE 600 Doctrine of God, TE 602 Christology, TE 606 Doctrine of the Church, TE 625 Comparative Theologians, or another approved theology course). This requirement is normally fulfilled in a student's middler year.
• TE 512 Ethics, Culture, and the Mission of the Church, a 3 semester-hour course normally taken in the middle year.
• TE 621 Constructive Theology, a 3 semester-hour advanced course normally taken in the senior year in which students develop their own credo.

Requirements in Division IV. Christianity and Culture

The 6 semester-hours required in Christianity and Culture are satisfied by taking any two of the 3 semester-hour courses offered in this division, or any course offered in another division that, according to the published course schedule, fulfills this requirement.

Requirements in Division V. Practical Theology

• Eighteen semester-hours are required in the division.
• Fifteen of these hours are required in the following areas of ministerial practice and are met by taking five specific courses:
  • PT 500 Introduction to Preaching
  • PT 520 Care in the Christian Community
  • PT 540 Theology and Practice of Public Worship
  • PT 550 Educational Dimensions of Ministry
  • PT 570 Church Administration
• In addition, to the 15 semester-hours listed above, 3 semester-hours are required in Supervised Ministries and are normally met by taking 3 distinct 1 semester-hour courses: SM 500 Reflections on Ministry Experiences, SM 502 Leadership in Ministry, and SM 503 Integrating the Theory and Practice of Ministry, which much be the last of the three.

  Credit can be granted for Clinical Pastoral Education. Students who register for supervised ministry courses must have the prior approval of the director of supervised ministries. See the general descriptions of opportunities for contextual education and Clinical Pastoral Education for further information.

Requirements in Division VI. Cross Disciplinary Studies

One 3 semester-hour course is required in this division: CD 502 Introduction to Theological Education for Ministry, which is designed to be taken in a student's first semester. 

Elective Courses:

Most M.Div. students have 27 semester-hours of elective coursework. Because of additional requirements in denominational studies, CBF students have 24 semester-hours of elective work and UMC students have 15. An elective course is any course that does not meet a specific degree requirement in a student's program. Students should consult with their advisers about selecting elective courses that enhance their ministries.