This accounts for a total of 28 credits. Asbury Theological Seminary has a fully online MDiv program with a wide range of specialization options. Each specialization is 15 credits. If you want to pursue a specialization, you have to declare it before you finish one third of the program 32 credits.
Choosing not to specialize will give you more elective credits 24 total. If you have a religion major or minor from an accredited college, you can earn up to 18 credits towards your MDiv.
Note: You can combine your MDiv with a master of theological studies for a dual degree, which saves you 15 credits. An optional residency summer allows you to complete the program faster. The program culminates in a three credit thesis. Location: St. Luther Seminary lets MDiv students complete two thirds of their degree online through a distributed learning program.
Twice a year, students spend two weeks on campus to work through the remaining third. There are seven MDiv concentrations available through Luther Seminary, and it takes five or six classes to complete them. Ten elective courses are built into the MDiv program, so in theory, you could complete two concentrations and still finish your degree in the standard time. Students are also required to go through a candidacy process , which varies depending on the denomination you intend to serve in.
There are 30 classes in the MDiv program, and their academic catalog uses courses and credits interchangeably. DL program follows the same comprehensive curriculum as the residential M. Up to At least Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary offers a hybrid MDiv program through their distance learning program, called Connect. The degree includes three concentrations, which they refer to as majors. Twice a year, AMBS online students head to campus for week-long intensives.
Online MDiv students at United Theological Seminary can complete their residency requirements in as little as four weeks. The master of divinity program includes three open elective courses, plus four electives you can apply toward a concentration. University of Dubuque Theological Seminary offers a distance MDiv degree which can be completed mostly online.
There are no concentrations in this online MDiv, but more than 25 percent of your credits 21 are electives. Phillips Theological Seminary offers an online MDiv degree program that focuses on Bible, history, theology and ethics, and practical theology. There are no concentrations, but you get 15 elective credits. One third of the program has to be completed on campus.
Freed-Hardeman University offers a fully-online master of divinity degree with a broad curriculum. Amridge University is a distance-learning-only institution, and they offer a highly flexible online master of divinity. There are 13 required courses and 13 elective courses.
There are no concentrations, but your electives can either come from an assortment of nine major course subjects or hone in on two of them. There are no required biblical language courses, but Amridge recommends you use some of your elective courses on Greek and Hebrew studies. Indiana Wesleyan University offers a hybrid master of divinity program that requires about one third of your courses to be completed on campus in Marion, Indiana.
One-fourth to one-third of the course work in the core praxis classes deals directly with biblical, theological and historical outcomes.
They are woven into a tapestry of knowledge, skills, and dispositions that are exactly the mix of resources a pastor needs to bring to the immediacy of a ministry situation. Like a couple of other schools on this list, IWU requires a letter of endorsement from your church. Additionally, you need to be involved in a ministry for the duration of the program.
Lexington Theological Seminary has a hybrid MDiv program with a unique course schedule. One third of the program needs to be completed on campus. The degree program begins with a rapid-fire series of two-week courses.
The master level is where students complete a capstone project , which addresses an issue in your local congregation. Students work with local church leadership and LTS to devise several strategies to approach and solve the issue.
This project involves extensive writing. Throughout the MDiv program, courses vary in length from two, four, or eight weeks. There are numerous required classes, some of which are only worth half a credit. Most courses are available online, but some must be completed as part of week intensives on campus. Anderson University offers an online master of divinity program through their School of Theology. Students can choose to take courses in standard week terms, or accelerated 8-week terms.
Online classes at Anderson University meet online from PM— PM once a week, but most of the course content is delivered asynchronously in videos and readings. There are no concentrations, but you get a total of 12 elective credits—three in biblical studies, three in theological studies, and six in ministry studies. Central Baptist Theological Seminary offers a fully-online master of divinity program based on five theological pillars:.
There are no concentrations and no elective credits. There are eight concentration options which include an credit paid internship. The internship can be completed locally. Note: In order to be admitted, you cannot be divorced, married to a divorced person, or separated from your spouse.
In order to graduate, you must agree to the doctrinal position of Baptist Bible Seminary within four years. Shiloh University is a distance-education-only institution, and they have an extremely affordable master of divinity program. In addition to the 74 credits in classes, students must accrue hours of ministry experience over the course of the program of which needs to be supervised.
Core courses fall under these four categories:. There are no concentrations, but you have 15 elective credits which you can apply to ministerial studies, biblical languages, or biblical studies.
Heritage Christian University offers an online master of divinity through their distance learning program. All of the courses are online, but students need to come to campus for:. You can make alternative arrangements for taking the final exams, but the other on-campus experiences are required. While Greek and Hebrew are offered as concentrations, HCU also requires five biblical languages courses in the core curriculum.
World Mission University offers an almost fully online master of divinity degree program. They have a pretty simple residency requirement: you just have to take one class on campus.
Before you can graduate, you must pass a comprehensive Bible exam and complete a final ministry project on an approved topic that interests you. Piedmont International University offers two separate online master of divinity programs: languages and non-languages. As you might expect, one of these includes biblical languages courses, and the other does not.
The languages program requires two Greek and two Hebrew courses, and the non-languages program has additional biblical studies courses instead. This is the only significant difference between the two programs. Virginia University of Lynchburg offers an MDiv that can be completed partially online. Two thirds of the program must be completed on campus. Note: Virginia University of Lynchburg is a historical African American institution founded more than years ago.
Bethesda University offers a fully online master of divinity which is designed to be completed in three years.
The curriculum covers four main areas:. University of Northwestern St. Paul has a unique online master of divinity program. Surprisingly, even in this dual-graduate degree program, there are no required courses in the biblical languages.
For the most part, the entire curriculum fits into these two categories: biblical studies and theological studies. The MDiv curriculum culminates in a supervised internship which you can complete with a local church or ministry. Faith International University offers one of the more robust online master of divinity degrees. There are no concentrations, but students have a high degree of choice throughout the program. In each major category of study, there are 20 credits of specific electives which allow students to choose courses within a subject, and there are 12 open elective credits as well.
The curriculum focuses on these four key areas:. The master of divinity program at HIU allows students to choose from several concentrations including Christian ministry and leadership, church planting, intercultural studies, pastoral care, spiritual formation, and children, youth, and family. The university requires some prerequisite Bible courses, and the program may be completed in three years for full-time students.
Graduates earn a total of 72 credits. A private university, Liberty founded in , is now home to more than , students, programs, and state-of-the-art technology.
Liberty offers an array of online degrees, including a master of divinity , among its many Christian-focused areas of study. Students submit transcripts, pastoral recommendations, and a divinity questionnaire as part of their application for the program, which is accredited by the Association of Theological Schools ATS. Coursework covers many areas, including ministry writing and research and study of the Old and New Testament. The Olivet master of divinity degree may be taken in a variety of formats including online, video conferencing, one-week intensives, or on site.
The three-year program features many concentration options such as pastoral leadership, ministerial studies, urban ministry, and theology.
The program also requires a mentored ministry aspect where students engage in ministry under the direction of an experienced guide. A private college near Indianapolis, Anderson University features a campus with 1, students and more than full-time faculty members. The degree prepares students for ordained ministry with its seminary curriculum, which explores the Bible, church history, theology, mission, and pastoral ministry. Studies particularly focus on those preparing for ordained ministry and there is an option to take on-campus courses.
The credit program requires references, essays, and transcripts from prospective applicants. Founded in and formerly the Bible Institute, today Cornerstone enrolls around 2, students annually. CU's master of divinity program is a comprehensive, rigorous degree covering a variety of ministry areas such as Biblical languages, scripture, theology, church history, and spiritual formation.
The credit program requires 10 courses in Hebrew and Greek and may be taken on site, live, or anytime through the university's HyFlex approach. Seventy-seven percent of graduates report being gainfully employed upon graduation.
The program offers scholarships for select students. Founded in , today ORU enrolls over 4, students and boats a to-1 student-to-faculty ratio. Graduates finish The program, accredited by the Association of Theological Schools ATS , leads students to career paths as pastors, chaplains, and counselors, and into fields of evangelism and Bible school teaching.
Founded by Presbyterians in , today UD boasts a student-to-faculty ratio of 15 to 1 and enrolls over 2, students annually. The theological seminary at UD provides students the opportunity to explore religion with its master of divinity distance degree program.
The program requires a two-week residential intensive session and orientation, however, the majority of the rest of the coursework is remote or virtual. Students must complete core coursework in Biblical study, history and theology, ministry, and integrative and field education courses. A minimum GPA of 2. Founded in , Midwestern now boats online, in-person, and hybrid degrees and courses including an Asian-studies-focused curriculum. Midwestern's master of divinity degree requires 72 hours of core curriculum in subjects such as theology, Old Testament, history, and Greek.
Nine credits focus on electives, and preaching courses are designated for men, while teaching courses are designated for women. MBTS students who major in divinity choose from different specialties such as biblical counseling, biblical languages, Christian education, youth ministry, and church planting.
SEBTS, a private school founded in , enrolls nearly 5, students annually at its private, Christian campus. The fully online master of divinity degree program provides an array of courses including Christian ministry, missiology, North American church planting, and preaching and pastoral ministry. Admissions require undergraduate biblical studies, a 3. Amridge confers associate, baccalaureate, master's, and doctoral degrees at its private, Christian campus. The master of divinity program prepares students to become effective Christian ministers and church leaders.
The degree is designed for students interested in ministry careers and is a first step to the doctor of ministry degree program. Graduates maintain a 3. We ranked the following programs based on factors like quality, faculty strength and publications, reputation, and rankings. Prospective MDiv students should consider several factors when researching potential programs.
We cover several important considerations for prospective learners below. Online master of divinity programs prepare graduates for ministerial leadership roles in churches, social service agencies, hospitals, and the military. Most MDiv programs require three years of full-time study. During that time, students take courses on topics like ministry studies, religious studies, ministry experience, and scriptural interpretation.
Graduate students may also study religious traditions outside of their own faith. Some MDiv programs conclude with a capstone project, research paper, or senior seminar. Applicants to master of divinity programs typically need a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. They must also submit essays on their religious faith and reasons for pursuing the degree. Some programs set prerequisite undergraduate courses for admission. The program combines online courses with some hybrid courses, including two annual, week-long visits to the campus.
MDiv Connect students must complete 53 credit hours of online courses and 27 credit hours of hybrid courses. The first of these hybrid courses is called LEAP, which stands for Leadership Education in Anabaptist Perspective, and it serves as the foundational course for the The purpose of these on-campus visits is to learn and experience practices for spiritual formation, such as community worship, morning prayers, community meals, and other group meetings.
Students are required to write a thesis and take a capstone ministry assessment course. Online course content is delivered through the Moodle learning management system. Financial aid and scholarships are available, and distance learners can access an online bookstore and library resources.
Prospective students can submit an online form through the school's website. Applicants will need to provide documentation of previous education, a resume, and a personal essay describing motivations for pursuing a Master of Divinity online degree at AMBS. Higher Learning Commission is a regional accreditation agency.
Regent University offers an online Master of Divinity M. The online program includes core courses in Christian history, Biblical writings, scriptural interpretations, leadership, and spiritual formation. The program is meant to prepare students to lead churches, ministry organizations, The online M. Eight start dates are offered per year, and courses span eight weeks. Online students pay the same tuition rate regardless of location, and financial aid and scholarships are available. Distance learners have access to many of the same academic and student resources as they would on campus, such as career guidance, counseling services, and technical support.
Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities is a regional accreditation agency. Middle States Commission on Higher Education is a regional accreditation agency. Div is considered a professional degree for Christian clergy , and many denominations require ministers to earn one before they're even ordained. The requirements for ordination differ by denomination, so be sure to ask your church about the necessary qualifications.
To be considered for an M. Div, applicants must fulfill some basic requirements. For example, applicants must have a bachelor's degree.
Applicants should also be prepared to prove their membership in a faith community. Admissions officers will usually only admit students who are members of a particular denomination. Online learning enables students to attend to personal responsibilities while studying at convenient times.
Some colleges offer affordable online programs with recorded lectures and opportunities for students to participate in asynchronous discussions. Even if a program offers fully online coursework, field experience will usually be in person at a site near the student's location. Overall, most online M. Therefore, an M. The terminal degree for M.
Div alumni is a Doctor of Ministry D. However, most master's degrees have several courses in common to ensure that future ministers and priests understand the history and practices of their respective churches. A few of these common courses are listed below. Tuition rates for the most affordable colleges with online M. To reduce the amount students will owe after graduation, they should rely on grants, scholarships, work-study funding, and other gift aid before taking out student loans.
When considering a loan, most students prefer to rely on federal loans — rather than private lenders — because they offer fixed interest rates, flexible repayment plans, and loan forgiveness options. While online students are generally eligible for the same financial aid as campus-based students, some scholarships or grants may be limited to those who attend in person. To verify whether a student qualifies for aid, students should check all eligibility requirements before applying.
For example, financial aid is usually restricted to students who enroll in a regionally or nationally accredited college. Also, some financial aid may only be available to students who enroll full-time or are considered state residents for tuition purposes. To help reduce tuition and fees, graduate students applying for an online master's degree in divinity should apply for all available financial aid. There are four sources of financial aid : the federal government, state governments, universities, and private sources such as non-profit organizations, churches, or businesses.
Div students have access to many additional funding options through faith-based associations. Some awards are available to all M. Div students, while others target specific groups, such as those preparing for a career in ministry or women preparing for missionary work.
Below are some available scholarship opportunities. For additional information, students can check out our resources about paying for a college degree , which include details about popular college savings plans, the student debt crisis, and more.
While many master's degrees require only credit hours, the average M. Div degree can take up to 90 credit hours, making it more time-consuming and expensive than other degrees. Therefore, it's natural to wonder if this degree is worth the investment. If you feel called to become an ordained clergy member, the satisfaction of pursuing your vocation will likely be worth the effort.
Opting to earn your degree online gives you greater flexibility in your schedule and allows you to choose from a broader range of programs — some more affordable than others — without relocating. However, the opportunity to interact with others of the same faith while pursuing an M. There are numerous opportunities to provide pastoral care without this degree.
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