Master of Divinity

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3 years ~ Full-time ~ 72 Credit Hours

The Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree is designed as a three-year program of preparation for ministry.  It is the normative degree to prepare persons for ordained ministry and can also be used for general pastoral and religious leadership in congregations and other settings.

The curriculum at Seminary of the Southwest follows a path focused on three areas of formation: being, knowing, and doing. The seminary’s foundational attention to academic excellence (knowing) is complemented by attention to character (being) and skill (doing). Each program seeks to produce well-rounded, thoughtful graduates who have become not only proficient in a field of study but wise and charitable in its practice.

Graduates of the Master of Divinity program at Seminary of the Southwest will display integral formation in these three areas:

• Being: Committed to mutuality in Christ and beloved community, students will embody their ministerial identity by displaying pastoral dispositions, developing spiritual disciplines, and practicing comprehensive wellness.
• Knowing: Committed to lifelong learning in community, students will be able to articulate and integrate knowledge of scripture, tradition, and cultural context in order to reflect theologically on the church’s life and witness.
• Doing: Committed to  practices that cultivate faith, wisdom, and belonging, students will develop skills for ministry and leadership to form people of faith for Christ’s mission in the world.

The seminary attempts to model the kind of Christian community that the Gospel demands: a hospitable shared life of prayer, worship, study, and work that witnesses to God’s glory and embodies God’s love for the world.

Seminary of the Southwest is proud to offer generous financial support for students preparing for ordained ministry.  Most students in the MDiv are eligible for a tuition grant covering 100% of tuition costs for the full three years of study.  Additionally, the Pastoral Leadership Initiative provides generous grants to cover housing, health insurance, and other expenses during your enrollment.  Finally, our merit-based Texas Pauli Murray Scholarship provides awards of up to $20,000 a year for students from historically excluded racial groups to lift up the next generation of leaders for the church.  Speak to an enrollment manager to learn more.  

Watch this short video to learn more