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<title>Master of Divinity</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Master of Divinity</span></span>

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For graduate-level theological institutions, the <b>Master of Divinity</b> (<b>MDiv</b>, <i>magister divinitatis</i> in <a href="Latin" title="Latin">Latin</a>) is the <a href="First_professional_degree" class="mw-redirect" title="First professional degree">first professional degree</a> of the pastoral profession in <a href="North_America" title="North America">North America</a>. It is the most common <a href="Academic_degree" title="Academic degree">academic degree</a> in <a href="Seminary" title="Seminary">seminaries</a> and <a href="Divinity_school" class="mw-redirect" title="Divinity school">divinity schools</a> (e.g. in 2014 nearly 44 percent of all US students in schools accredited by the <a href="Association_of_Theological_Schools" class="mw-redirect" title="Association of Theological Schools">Association of Theological Schools</a> were enrolled in an MDiv program).<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><p>In many <a href="Christian_denomination" title="Christian denomination">Christian denominations</a> and in some other religions, the degree is the standard prerequisite for ordination or licensing to professional ministry. At accredited seminaries in the United States, this degree requires between 72 and 106 <a href="Credit_hour" class="mw-redirect" title="Credit hour">credit hours</a> of study (72 being the minimum determined by academic accrediting agencies, and 106 being on the upper end of certain schools that wish to ensure a broader study of the related disciplines.) After the completion of the Master of Divinity degree, students can continue further and get their professional <a href="Doctor_of_Ministry" title="Doctor of Ministry">Doctor of Ministry</a> degree.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Overview">Overview</h2></div>

<p>Christian MDiv programs generally include studies in <a href="Christians" title="Christians">Christian</a> ministry and theology. In 1996, the <a href="Association_of_Theological_Schools" class="mw-redirect" title="Association of Theological Schools">Association of Theological Schools</a> established the standard that all accredited MDiv programs should include the following four content areas: Religious Heritage, Cultural Context, Personal and Spiritual Formation, and Capacity for Ministerial and Public Leadership.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Coursework usually includes studies in <a href="Koine_Greek" title="Koine Greek">New Testament Greek</a>, theology, <a href="Philosophy" title="Philosophy">philosophy</a>, <a href="Church_history" title="Church history">church history</a>, <a href="Pastoral_theology" title="Pastoral theology">pastoral theology</a>, <a href="Hebrew_Bible" title="Hebrew Bible">Hebrew Bible</a> (<a href="Old_Testament" title="Old Testament">Old Testament</a>), and <a href="New_Testament" title="New Testament">New Testament</a> studies. The requirements for an MDiv take between three and four years, and include practical experience like most professional terminal degrees.

</p><p>Many programs also contain courses in <a href="Church_growth" class="mw-redirect" title="Church growth">church growth</a>, <a href="Ecclesiology" title="Ecclesiology">ecclesiology</a>, <a href="Evangelism" title="Evangelism">evangelism</a>, <a href="Systematic_theology" title="Systematic theology">systematic theology</a>, <a href="Catechesis" title="Catechesis">Christian education</a>, <a href="Liturgy" title="Liturgy">liturgical studies</a>, <a href="Latin_language" class="mw-redirect" title="Latin language">Latin</a>, <a href="Hebrew_language" title="Hebrew language">Hebrew</a>, <a href="Canon_law" title="Canon law">canon law</a>, and <a href="Patristics" title="Patristics">patristics</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The degree may or may not include a <a href="Thesis" title="Thesis">thesis</a>.

</p><p>The MDiv is a requirement for ordination in many denominations. For example, the <a href="United_Methodist_Church" title="United Methodist Church">United Methodist Church</a>, one of the largest Protestant Christian denominations in the US,<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> whose students in 2014 made up nine percent of all MDiv students enrolled in schools accredited by the Association of Theological Schools,<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> requires candidates for ordination as elder to earn an MDiv<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and requires candidates for ordination as deacon to earn either an MDiv or a master's degree in another field with additional theological studies.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>

<blockquote><p>"The formal preparation of clergy began in the 16th century when the Roman Catholic Church created a new environment for the formation of priests called the seminary, which literally means “seedbed.” At the Council of Trent (1545–1563), the Roman Catholic Church officially adopted the term for a place where spiritual leaders would be developed. As education grew in Roman Catholic seminaries, they were later developed by Protestant denominations through universities. When Harvard College was founded in 1636, it was the first seminary prototype in North America. The goal of Puritan theological education at Harvard was to produce a pastor-theologian, or “learned clergy.” This has remained the goal of seminaries to this day. Most of these universities offered a bachelor of divinity degree as the primary degree for clergy preparation. In 1808, the first seminary to prepare Congregationalist clergy was the Andover Theological Seminary. Andover’s founders fashioned the essential seminary experience for the next two centuries, which included a professional specialized faculty and a sizeable library. The 3-year curriculum focused on three areas of study: (1) the Bible, (2) church history, and (3) theology. In 1809, the Presbyterians in New Jersey established Princeton Seminary."<sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup></p></blockquote><p>In 2022, The Association of Theological Schools reported that the Master of Divinity degree has seen a steady decline in enrollment. In comparison to 2021, the percentage dropped by 4% and declined 9% since 2018. While the percentage of enrollment in Theological Seminaries have Master of Divinity degrees as the plurality enrollment, the decline from 43% to 35% in a decade indicate a concern for professionals in the field.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

</p><div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Contemporary_usage">Contemporary usage</h2></div>

<p>The Master of Divinity has replaced the <a href="Bachelor_of_Divinity" title="Bachelor of Divinity">Bachelor of Divinity</a> in most United States seminaries as the <a href="First_professional_degree" class="mw-redirect" title="First professional degree">first professional degree</a>, since the former title implied in the American academic system that it was on a par with a <a href="Bachelor_of_Arts" title="Bachelor of Arts">Bachelor of Arts</a> or other basic <a href="Undergraduate_education" title="Undergraduate education">undergraduate education</a> even though a <a href="Bachelor's_degree" title="Bachelor's degree">bachelor's degree</a> previously was and remains a prerequisite for entrance into graduate divinity programs. The Commission on Accrediting of the <a href="Association_of_Theological_Schools_in_the_United_States_and_Canada" title="Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada">Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada</a> accredits most Christian schools in North America and approves the degree programs they offer, including the MDiv.

</p><p>The MDiv is a significantly more extensive program than most taught (as opposed to research-based) <a href="Master's_degrees" class="mw-redirect" title="Master's degrees">master's degrees</a>. In the United States, the degree typically consists of approximately 90 <a href="Semester" class="mw-redirect" title="Semester">semester</a> hours, as opposed to the 30 to 48 semester hours typical of most master's degrees, or the approximately 60 semester hours typical of mental health counseling or entry-level social work master's degrees. Ordination in most <a href="Mainline_Protestant" title="Mainline Protestant">mainline Protestant denominations</a> and the <a href="Catholic_Church" title="Catholic Church">Roman Catholic Church</a> thus requires seven or eight years of education past high school: the first four in undergraduate studies leading to a bachelor's degree (which may or may not be in a related field) and then three or four years of seminary or divinity school education leading to the MDiv.

</p><p>The MDiv stands in contrast to the <a href="Master_of_Arts" title="Master of Arts">Master of Arts</a> (MA) in theology and <a href="Master_of_Theological_Studies" class="mw-redirect" title="Master of Theological Studies">Master of Theological Studies</a> (MTS), the usual academic degrees in the subject (which tend not to include "pastoral" or "practical" courses), and the <a href="Bachelor_of_Sacred_Theology" title="Bachelor of Sacred Theology">Bachelor of Sacred Theology</a> (STB), <a href="Licentiate_in_Sacred_Theology" class="mw-redirect" title="Licentiate in Sacred Theology">Licentiate in Sacred Theology</a> (STL), <a href="Master_of_Theology" title="Master of Theology">Master of Theology</a> (MTh/ThM), <a href="Master_of_Sacred_Theology" class="mw-redirect" title="Master of Sacred Theology">Master of Sacred Theology</a> (STM), and <a href="Master_of_Religion" title="Master of Religion">Master of Religion</a> (MRel), which are also academic degrees. Schools with <a href="Pontifical_faculties" class="mw-redirect" title="Pontifical faculties">Pontifical faculties</a> in North America often award both the MDiv and STB at the same time after a three-year period of graduate studies.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Enrollment_differences_between_genders">Enrollment differences between genders</h2></div>

<p>Although in 2014 women made up approximately 53 percent of all students enrolled in ministerial non-MDiv degree programs at US schools accredited by the <a href="Association_of_Theological_Schools" class="mw-redirect" title="Association of Theological Schools">Association of Theological Schools</a>, they constituted only approximately 29 percent of all MDiv students in the same schools in that year.<sup id="cite_ref-auto_11-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-auto-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The group with the most parity in MDiv enrollment numbers between men and women at those schools in that time period were African American students, among whom enrollment numbers were almost equal between genders.<sup id="cite_ref-auto_11-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-auto-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<p>For the 2022–2023 academic year, the average cost per year for MDiv tuition and fees at a school accredited by the <a href="Association_of_Theological_Schools" class="mw-redirect" title="Association of Theological Schools">Association of Theological Schools</a> was $16,488.67 in the United States and $10,765.50 in Canada.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<ul><li><a href="Doctor_of_Divinity" title="Doctor of Divinity">Doctor of Divinity</a></li></ul>

<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2></div>

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</style><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ats.edu/member-schools/member-school-list">"Alphabetical List - The Association of Theological Schools"</a>. <i>www.ats.edu</i>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ats.edu/uploads/resources/institutional-data/annual-data-tables/2014-2015-annual-data-tables.pdf">"2014 - 2015 Annual Data Tables"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>The Association of Theological Schools</i>. Table 2.10-B Head Count Enrollment by Degree Category and Program United States. p. 31<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite web}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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<li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFO'Gorman2007" class="citation journal cs1">O'Gorman, Robert T. (2007). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ats.edu/uploads/resources/publications-presentations/theological-education/2007-theological-education-v43-n1.pdf">"Reflections of an 'Investigative Journalist' on the Four Content Areas of the MDiv"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>Theological Education</i>. <b>43</b> (1). The Association of Theological Schools: <span class="nowrap">1–</span>2. <a href="ISSN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISSN (identifier)">ISSN</a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0040-5620">0040-5620</a><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">For an example of an MDiv degree outline see <cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://fuller.edu/Academics/School-of-Theology/Masters-Degrees/Master-of-Divinity-Degree-Outline-Fall-2014/">"Master of Divinity (MDiv) Degree Outline"</a>. <i>Fuller Theological Seminary</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/chapter-1-the-changing-religious-composition-of-the-u-s/pr_15-05-12_rls_chapter1-03/">"Fifteen Largest Protestant Denominations"</a>. <i>Pew Research Center Religion & Public Life</i>. Pew Research Center. May 7, 2015<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ats.edu/uploads/resources/institutional-data/annual-data-tables/2014-2015-annual-data-tables.pdf">"2014 - 2015 Annual Data Tables"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>The Association of Theological Schools</i>. Table 2.16 Church/Denominational Affiliation of Students Currently Enrolled, 2014 United States. p. 54<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite web}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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<li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation book cs1"><i>The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church</i> (2012 ed.). Section IX ¶335: The United Methodist Publishing House. 2012. p. 260. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-426-71812-0</bdi>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite book}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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<li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation book cs1"><i>The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church</i> (2012 ed.). Section VII ¶330: The United Methodist Publishing House. 2012. p. 248. <a href="ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <bdi>978-1-426-71812-0</bdi>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite book}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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<li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">  Maddix. (2016). Master of Divinity Degree Programs. In The SAGE Encyclopedia of Online Education (pp. 722–725).</span>

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<li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="CITEREFPost2022" class="citation news cs1">Post, Kathryn (December 2, 2022). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://religionnews.com/2022/12/02/theological-schools-report-continued-drop-in-master-of-divinity-degrees/">"Theological schools report continued drop in master of divinity degrees"</a>. <i>Religion News Service</i><span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">December 3,</span> 2022</span>.</cite></span>

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<li id="cite_note-auto-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-auto_11-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-auto_11-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite id="Table_2.12-B_Head_Count_Enrollment_by_Race_or_Ethnic_Group,_Degree,_and_Gender,_2014_United_States" class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ats.edu/uploads/resources/institutional-data/annual-data-tables/2014-2015-annual-data-tables.pdf">"2014 - 2015 Annual Data Tables"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>The Association of Theological Schools</i>. Table 2.12-B Head Count Enrollment by Race or Ethnic Group, Degree, and Gender, 2014 United States. p. 37<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">September 17,</span> 2015</span>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite web}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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<li id="cite_note-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-12">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.ats.edu/files/galleries/2022-2023_Annual_Data_Tables.pdf">"2022 - 2023 Annual Data Tables"</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. <i>The Association of Theological Schools</i>. Table 4.1 Average Tuition and Fees Charged for Selected Degree Programs by Full-Time Equivalent Enrollment. p. 83<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">August 22,</span> 2023</span>.</cite><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">{{cite web}}</code>: CS1 maint: location (link)</span></span>

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