Academic Year Basic Requirements

• Applicants to all programs should hold a B.A., B.S., or the equivalent from an accredited college or university.
• In addition, admission to the Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree on the general track requires evidence of a first theological degree.
• Applicants for the Master of Sacred Theology degree in Anglican Studies (S.T.M./A.S.) must have a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from an accredited seminary and have an ecclesiastical endorsement (normally, postulancy for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church or permission of one’s bishop).          
• Applicants for the Diploma in Anglican Studies (D.A.S.) should have a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from an accredited seminary and have an ecclesiastical endorsement (normally, postulancy for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church or permission of one’s bishop).
• An applicant whose first language is not English is required to complete the TOEFL or IELTS. Students who do not have U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency in the United States are required to have or acquire a valid U.S. visa.

Academic Year Application Requirements

• A completed application form is required.
• Official transcripts of undergraduate work and all other post-secondary academic work are required, from each institution attended.
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program who have an ecclesiastical endorsement (normally, postulancy for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church or permission of one’s bishop, or the equivalent endorsement in another faith tradition) must submit one letter of recommendation from their bishop (or equivalent official in another faith tradition).  Admission requires written proof of a background check completed by the diocese.
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program who do not have an ecclesiastical endorsement must submit three letters of recommendation are required, one of which should be from a member of the clergy who can comment on the applicant’s intellectual abilities, sense of vocation, psychological and spiritual maturity, and capacity for graduate-level study. Admission requires written proof of a background check conducted by the University’s Human Resources office, at the expense of the applicant.
• Applicants for admission to the Diploma in Anglican Studies (D.A.S.) program must submit one letter of recommendation from their bishop. A 3 to 4 page personal statement, responding to the set of questions provided in the application, must be submitted. Admission requires written proof of a background check conducted by her or his diocese.
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Arts (M.A.) degree must submit three letters of recommendation (one from a member of the clergy and two from professors who have taught the applicant) and a 3 to 4 page personal statement responding to the set of questions provided in the application.
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) general track must submit two letters of recommendation from theological school professors and a 5 to 10 page personal statement responding to the set of questions provided in the application.
• Applicants for admission to the Master of Sacred Theology in Anglican Studies (S.T.M./A.S.) program must submit one letter of recommendation from the bishop. They must also submit a 5 to 10 page personal statement responding to the set of questions provided in the application. In addition, they must submit written proof of a background check conducted by the diocese.
• An official visit and interview is required for all D.A.S., M.A., M.Div., and S.T.M./A.S. applicants, as well as S.T.M. general track applicants who plan to attend during the academic year.

Other Attributes for the Academic Year Programs

• Applicant should have a mature Christian faith, a history of active participation in a church community, and have begun a disciplined spiritual life.
• Applicant’s vocational goals should have been examined and tested within a faith community. The program to which the applicant is applying should be appropriate to his or her vocational goals.
• Applicant should have the intellectual ability and academic background to engage the curriculum in a satisfactory way and to fulfill successfully the requirements of the program to which he or she is applying.
• Applicant may be required to submit writing samples.
• If an applicant is married/partnered, his or her family should be stable, and together they must be willing and able to make the adjustments required for life in seminary and in the community of Sewanee.
• Applicant should have what the admission committee considers a realistic plan of how the student intends to finance his or her seminary program, including (when appropriate) the needs of the applicant’s family and adequate medical insurance for self and family. It is expected that the applicant will not be encumbered with significant consumer debt.

Summer Term Basic Requirements

• Applicants to all programs should hold a B.A., B.S., or the equivalent from an accredited college or university.
• Admission to the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program requires evidence of a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, or its equivalent; evidence of ordination; and a minimum of three years, full-time, experience in ministry, subsequent to the granting of the M.Div. degree.
• Admission to the Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree on the general track requires evidence of a first theological degree.
• Applicants for the Master of Sacred Theology degree in Anglican Studies (S.T.M./A.S.) must have a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from an accredited seminary and have an ecclesiastical endorsement (normally, postulancy for Holy Orders in the Episcopal Church or permission of one’s bishop).          
• An applicant whose first language is not English is required to complete the TOEFL or IELTS. Students who do not have U.S. citizenship or legal permanent residency in the United States are required to have or acquire a valid U.S. visa.

Summer Term Application Requirements

• The completed application form must be received by May 1 to begin classes in June.
• Applicants are required to provide official transcripts of college, seminary, and all other post-secondary academic work. Transcripts must be received from all institutions attended. A minimum grade average of B in post-baccalaureate work is generally required for admission.
• Applicants for enrollment in the Doctor of Ministry program (D.Min.), including those concentrating in Liturgy or Preaching, must provide three letters of recommendation from two theological school professors and one church official or member of the clergy. In addition, a 5 to 10 page personal statement responding to a set of questions provided in the application must be submitted.
• Applicants to the Doctor of Ministry in Liturgy (D.Min. in Liturgy) and the Doctor of Ministry in Preaching (D.Min. in Preaching) programs must fill out the supplemental questionnaire provided in the application.
• Documentation of non-academic continuing education experiences, such as C.P.E., career development counseling, workshops, and conferences that the student considers to be relevant to his/her participation in the program can be included.

Requirements for Special Students

Non-degree-seeking students may enroll in courses for credit or audit at the School of Theology as “special students,” with some limitations. Special students must be able to do graduate-level work, and the faculty reserves the right to determine who will be admitted as a special student. In the Advanced Degrees Program, special students are limited to nine credit hours. Special student applications must be approved by the associate dean for academic affairs and include:

• the Special Student Application form, available from the coordinator of academic affairs;
• transcripts of all previous college, seminary, and graduate work from each institution attended;
• written permission from the instructor of the course to be taken.

Application for Transfer Students to the D.A.S., M.A., and M.Div. Programs

Application for admission of potential transfer students follows the same admissions procedures as those listed above. Transcripts and catalog descriptions of all theological studies previously completed are required as part of the application process. The School of Theology accepts credit for transfer and advanced standing after appropriate evaluation, described in the catalog section on transfer credits.