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Master of Divinity in Church Leadership

The MDiv in Church Leadership program will prepare you for pastoral ministry. It is designed for students who are pursuing ordination by a denomination with rigorous church leadership curricular expectations but which does not fall under any of the designated denominational concentrations (e.g., MDiv in Presbyterian Studies).

If you are seeking a ministerial position in a non-denominational congregation or ordination with flexible curricular requirements, the MDiv General Studies may be the better program for you.

This program may be a good fit for you if you plan to pursue:

  • Ordained ministry in a local congregation
  • Chaplaincy (with the addition of chaplaincy certification)
  • Other ordained positions from denominations for which we do not have a denominational concentration

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Concentration Learning Outcomes

In addition to achieving the coreMDiv degree learning outcomes, a graduate of the MDiv in Church Leadership degree program will be able to:

  • interpret a selected biblical passage from multiple historical and contemporary perspectives and using one or more critical methods, demonstrating understanding of the influence of their own situatedness on that interpretation;
  • conduct a personal theological interpretation of a selected biblical text that demonstrates understanding of the influence of their own situatedness on that interpretation and that engages the situatedness of contemporary readers from a context different from their own;
  • critically interpret, analyze and reflect on a selected Christian theological text or perspective in its historical context as well as through the lens of modern questions and challenges;
  • articulate strategies for effective, professional, ethical, and compassionate pastoral and spiritual care to a diversity of persons;
  • craft and deliver a sermon or public address that demonstrates effective speaking form/style and content based on a selected context; and
  • achieve their self-defined practice of ministry goals that are appropriately based on the requirements of their denomination or other vocational path.

 

United’s MDiv at a Glance

  • 72 credits
  • Twenty-four 3-credit courses, including one field experience
  • A final thesis or project is not required, but you can choose to complete a thesis as an elective course
  • Can be completed in approximately three years if you take a full-time course load of 9 credits per trimester
  • Most MDiv concentrations, including Church Leadership, can be completed entirely via distance learning; many courses can be taken completely asynchronously

 

Church Leadership in Action

Kateri Boucher, MDiv Student in Church Leadership

Kateri Boucher, MDiv Student

The more Kateri learned about United, the more it seemed like the best choice. “I wouldn’t have to sacrifice what I [wanted] to do an online program,” she remembers thinking. Because she wanted to balance her part-time work at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Detroit, service projects, and seminary, Kateri sincerely appreciates United’s distance learning program.

Read more here. >

 

Program Course Guide Sheet for Academic Year 2025–2026

PRIMARY OUTCOME
NUMBER OF COURSES COURSES
Theology 4
Invitation to Theology: Truth, Goodness, and Beauty
History of Christian Theologies
History of Modern Theologies
Constructive Theology
Textual Hermeneutics 4
Introduction to Religious Texts
Two 2000-level Religious Texts courses
Choose one:
Biblical Exegesis
One additional 2000-level Religious Texts course
Ethics and Justice 2
Choose one:
Christian Ethics
Comparative Religious Ethics
Choose one:
Queer and Trans Theologies
Black and Womanist Theologies
Formation 1 Introduction to Spiritual and Personal Formation
World Religions 1
Choose one:
Global Christianities & Intra-religious Diversity
World Religions
Religion, Culture, and the Arts 1
Choose one:
History of Arts and Theology
Art, Religion, and Contemporary Culture
Social Transformation 1 Leadership and Strategies for Social Change
Religious Leadership and Practice 2
Choose one:
Organizational Leadership and Administration
Social Enterprise
Contextual Education Internship
Concentration 7
PM1001 Introduction to Pastoral and Spiritual Care
PM2003 Preaching and Your Public Voice
Three additional PM courses
Two elective courses
Research and Communication 1 MDiv Capstone Seminar
DEGREE TOTAL
24

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