Master of Divinity
The Master of Divinity curriculum of the School of Theology is designed to provide students with the spiritual formation, knowledge, and skills required to become committed, effective ordained clergy. To this end, the curriculum includes study of Scripture, the Christian tradition, ministerial skills, and modern cultural contexts, with a view to the reasoned practice of the ministry of Word and Sacrament in both its historical context and its contemporary setting.
Spiritual Formation
Christian ministry requires leaders who are sensitive to the presence of God in their own lives and in the lives of those with whom they are called to serve. Through daily worship, prayer, study, spiritual direction, and quiet days, the School of Theology seeks to develop in its students such an awareness and pattern of life.
Worship Life
The community is grounded in worship. Morning Prayer, the Holy Eucharist, and Evening Prayer are celebrated in the Chapel of the Apostles. Students and faculty take part in at least one of those offices daily, including a weekly community Eucharist. Attendance at the School’s Triduum liturgies (Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter Vigil) is expected of seminary students. Those in field placements are released from obligations to their fieldwork parishes in order to participate fully in the Triduum at the School. Through participation in the church’s liturgical life, students deepen their awareness of the meaning of worship and are provided opportunities to develop their skills in the ordering and conducting of a variety of Prayer Book rites. Students and faculty participate in planning liturgy, leading worship, and preaching.
The Dean has responsibility for the spiritual and community life of the School of Theology. The Dean is the Ordinary of the Chapel of the Apostles.
Curriculum
The master of divinity program is designed to educate a critically informed clergy for ministry in a changing world. The School of Theology is committed to the task of integrating the various areas of theological study within a basic core curriculum.
Electives allow students to focus their attention and advance their learning in selected areas of academic and practical interest. Lectures, seminars, and small group discussions all contribute to the ongoing task of critical and practical integration of the traditions of theological learning with life in the contemporary world.
Requirements for the Degree
The curriculum for the Master of Divinity degree requires 75 semester hours. To retain the status of regular (full-time) student, at least twelve semester hours must be taken for credit each semester.
Core courses are listed indicating when each is normally taken. Circumstances, such as sabbaticals, may dictate changes in when a course is offered. Students, such as those participating in an exchange program or those transferring credits from another school, may find that their sequence must differ from the paradigm below. In such cases, the student should be mindful of course prerequisites and should consult with their advisor (and, when appropriate, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs).
Graduation from the School of Theology follows the successful completion of all requirements for the specified program of study and the approval of the degree by the Senate of the University upon nomination by the Faculty of the School of Theology.
A Master of Divinity student who has successfully completed all prescribed work, has fulfilled the clinical pastoral education and field education requirements, has completed all non-credit degree requirements, has submitted a complete portfolio, and has a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.33 is eligible to be awarded the Master of Divinity degree. Work toward this degree is to be concluded within six consecutive years from the date of matriculation.
Additionally, a student must satisfy all financial obligations to the University. The University will neither confer a degree nor provide transcripts to any student or former student who has unsatisfied financial obligations to the University.
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| JUNIOR CURRICULUM | ||
| Advent Semester | ||
| BIBL 501 | Old Testament I: From Prehistory to the Promised Land | 3 |
| BIBL 511 | New Testament I: The Gospels in Context | 3 |
| CHHT 511 | Church Histories I: Asia and Africa | 3 |
| THEO 503 | Foundations of Christian Spirituality | 3 |
| Easter Semester | ||
| BIBL 502 | Old Testament II: Prophets, Exile, and Aftermath | 3 |
| BIBL 512 | New Testament II: The Bible after Jesus | 3 |
| CHHT 512 | Church Histories II: Europe and North America | 3 |
| HOML 530 | Introduction to Preaching | 3 |
| Summer Term | ||
| Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) is ordinarily taken in the summer after the junior year, if it was not taken before matriculation. | ||
| MIDDLER CURRICULUM | ||
| Advent Semester | ||
| LTCM 507 | Church Music | 3 |
| MNST 511 | Pastoral Theology: Theology and Practice of Pastoral Care | 3 |
| MNST 515 | Congregational Studies | 3 |
| THEO 511 | Introduction to Christian Theology | 3 |
| Easter Semester | ||
| CEMT 511 | Introduction to Moral Theology | 3 |
| LTCM 511 | History of Christian Worship | 3 |
| MNST 516 | Parish Leadership | 3 |
| Elective 1 | 3 | |
| SENIOR CURRICULUM | ||
| Advent Semester | ||
| LTCM 521 | Pastoral Liturgics: The Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church | 3 |
| MNST 525 | Introduction to Christian Education and Formation | 1 |
| MNST 564 | Community and Organizational Leadership | 3 |
| WREL 501 | World Religions | 2 |
| Electives 1 | 3 | |
| Easter Semester | ||
| WREL 502 | World Christianities and Missiology | 2 |
| Electives 1 | 13 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 75 | |
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Students are required to take one three-semester hour elective in each of the following subjects: ethics, homiletics, and theology. Courses approved to satisfy these requirements are designated in the course approval process and are listed here.
Non-credit Degree Requirements1
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bibliography, Research, and Writing Workshop | ||
| Chapel Participation, as scheduled | ||
| Clinical Pastoral Education | ||
| Constitution and Canons (Title IV) Workshop | ||
| Cross-Cultural Workshop | ||
| Cultural Diversity Workshop | ||
| Education for Ministry (EfM) Workshop | ||
| Mental Health First Aid Workshop | ||
| Safeguarding God's Children Workshop | ||
| Safeguarding God's People Workshop | ||
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For details on these workshops, see the Non-credit Degree Requirements for Graduation section.
Portfolio
Each Master of Divinity student will maintain a portfolio, filed with the Coordinator of Academic Affairs in the School of Theology. A completed portfolio is a degree requirement. Portfolios are used for program assessment. A complete portfolio includes:1
| Code | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
A short paper from THEO 511 | ||
A paper from CEMT 511 | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
The Prophets paper from BIBL 502 | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
WREL 502 assignment | ||
The Prophets paper from BIBL 502 | ||
The issues paper from BIBL 502 | ||
| One mid-term exam or paper from either CHHT 511 or CHHT 512 | ||
| The final exam from LTCM 521 | ||
| The final exam from WREL 501 | ||
| The middler evaluation | ||
| One exam from MNST 511 | ||
| Theology of Preaching reflection paper from HOML 530 | ||
| Field education final evaluation | ||
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Exams and papers are to be scanned and submitted electronically to preserve faculty grades and comments. Each item should be labeled by the student, so that it may be easily identified according to the contents list above.