MASTER OF DIVINITY DEGREE

BECOME An effective, COMPASSIONATE FAITH LEADER

Prepare for the pulpit and beyond with this versatile ministry degree. Whether you’re called to ordained parish ministry or board-certified chaplaincy, your MDiv at United will prepare you to be an effective,compassionate faith leader in an ever-changing world.

HOW MANY CREDITS IS THIS PROGRAM, AND HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?

This 72-credit program can be completed in three years if you maintain a full-time course load (24 credits per year).

You will be required to complete twenty-four 3-credit courses, including one field experience (e.g. internship, practicum, CPE). The MDiv does not generally require a final thesis or project, although you could choose to use an open elective to pursue either.

can i complete the mdiv via distance learning?

Most MDiv concentrations can be completed entirely via distance learning. The concentration courses for the MDiv in Spiritual Direction are taken at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota. To be eligible for ordination in the UMC, students pursuing the MDiv in Methodist Studies must take all courses on campus as residential students.

what can i expect from an mdiv degree?

United’s Master of Divinity degree program will prepare you to:

• Interpret the founding religious texts of your tradition with proficiency
• Summarize various theological, cultural, and historical expressions of your tradition and meaningfully dialogue with other traditions
• Articulate the theological bases of ethical praxis and demonstrate commitment to justice and public stewardship
• Understand the purposes of and navigate within one or more contexts of vocational practice
• Competently and productively engage with familiar contexts, as defined by culture, religion or global location
• Perform practical leadership skills and exercise professional ethics appropriate to one or more contexts of vocational practice
• Recognize the arts as creative resources for formational growth, religious reflection and social engagement in one or more contexts of leadership practice
• Interpret cultural and vocational contexts and identify strategic points of leadership for social transformation
• Demonstrate a broad capacity for effective ministerial leadership through the thoughtful integration of knowledge and skills in religious heritage, formation, contextualization and vocational performance

WHAT CONCENTRATIONS ARE AVAILABLE?

United’s MDiv degree offers the following areas of concentration:

• General Studies
• Biblical Studies
• Interreligious Chaplaincy
• Religion and Theology
• Social Transformation
• Spiritual Direction
• Theology and the Arts
• Church Leadership
• Anabaptist and Free Church Studies
• Methodist Studies
• Presbyterian Studies
• UCC Studies
• UU Studies

The “General Studies” concentration allows you to design your own experience in conversation with your advisor. The “Church Leadership” concentration is a generic church ordination preparation program; if you are seeking ordination and do not belong to one of the church traditions of our other ordination programs, you should pursue this option.