Master's Degree Programs
Contact: Admissions
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Purpose
The Master of Divinity prepares students to enter ministry as ordained religious leaders or as lay professional ministers. United’s program emphasizes Bible, theology, ethics, evangelism, preaching and worship, ministry formation, church history, pastoral care and church renewal. It meets the requirements for ordination in most major Protestant denominations.
Overview
Comprehensive in academic focus and process, the Master of Divinity program includes rigorous coursework in both academic and practical disciplines, along with the intentional worship and community life necessary for personal and professional development in ministry.
Credits Required
57 Hours Required Courses
21 Hours Electives
Assessment (non-credit requirements)
Curriculum
Online Student Orientation: Required program introducing Theological Education
Time for Degree Completion
3 years full time study
Admissions Requirements
Online Option
M.Div. with Church Renewal Concentration
How can we bring new life to struggling congregations? The Master of Divinity concentration in Church Renewal at United Theological Seminary equips students to address this very question. The basic conviction of this program is that all renewal – whether of individuals, churches, or the Church Universal – begins with the work of the Holy Spirit. Renewal is not just about numbers. It is about creating faithful, committed disciples of Jesus Christ. We are engaged therefore in a vital conversation with church leaders about ways in which we can come alongside the work of the Spirit in leading people into lives of faithfulness. Students in this program learn not only from our full-time faculty, but from clergy who have been leaders in renewal at the local-church level. The church needs dynamic, well-equipped leaders. At United Theological Seminary, our goal is to produce such leaders in service to Jesus Christ.
This concentration will enable students to provide leadership in a variety of areas related to the renewal of the church, including the renewal of worship, missions and evangelism, Christian initiation and formation, and media communications in an increasingly digital culture and world.
M.Div. with Care Giving Concentration
The Care Giving concentration provides a theological foundation for pastoral care giving ministry and incorporates human science theory and practical skills training appropriate for pastoral assessment and intervention.
M.Div. Concentration in Wesleyan and Methodist Studies
The M.Div. concentration in Wesleyan and Methodist Studies is designed for students who wish to go deeper in learning about the resources of this rich theological heritage. Students may engage with Wesley’s sermons and other writings, Wesleyan hymns, the EUB Heritage of the UMC, practices of Methodist class meetings, and movements centered around holiness and sanctification.
For the M.Div. with Wesleyan-Methodist Studies Concentration students may select any course focused within the Wesleyan tradition including but not limited to the list below:
Wesleyan-Methodist Studies Electives (9 sem. hrs.)
CH519 Methodists, Evangelicals, United Brethren and Women’s Ordination
CH603 John Wesley Seminar
CH605 Pietism
CH610 Evangelical United Brethren Seminar
CR515 Holiness, Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal Movements
DN509 United Methodist General Conference
ST638 Wesleyan Theology
PW510 United Methodist Worship*
Electives (12 sem. hrs.)
These courses are chosen by the student in consultation with her or his advisor. Students may wish to use these electives for courses required by their denomination.
*Courses used to fulfill M.Div. requirements will not also count as Church Renewal Concentration electives
United’s Flexible Residency Hybrid Master of Divinity degree offers the same quality of education as our traditional M.Div. with the added flexibility of August FLEX Residency Weeks as well as hybrid and online course offerings. It is designed especially for students in regions not readily served by a local seminary community and offers a hybrid model of distance theological education that aims to maximize the use of technology while also allowing the student to complete one-third of the degree in residence, as required for United Methodist ordination.
Requirements
Complete a minimum of one-third of the degree in residency on United’s campus through a combination of four mandatory two-week FLEX Residency Weeks and a Gathering Week residency each semester.
Enroll in Hybrid Contextual Ministries as soon as you begin your M.Div.
The degree program may also be completed over a longer period of time and may be a mixture of educational formats to fit your schedule. Schedules should be reviewed by your advisor.
Course Schedules
The course schedules below will allow you to complete the degree in three years. Courses may be taken at any time or in any order (subject to prerequisites), but course offerings are subject to change.
Residency
To complete the required one-third of the degree in residence, FLEX UMC students must attend mandatory FLEX Residency Weeks and Gathering Weeks, both held at United’s Dayton, OH, campus.
FLEX Residency Weeks
Two-week intensive sessions held each August beginning on Monday and ending on the second Friday.
FLEX Residency Week Schedule
Gathering Weeks
One week intensive session held each fall and spring.
Gathering Week Schedule
FLEX Residency Weeks and Gathering Weeks Allow FLEX Students To:
Complete Intensive courses
Participate in classroom instruction for hybrid courses
Complete intensive courses
Worship as a community
Gain preaching experience
Serve the sacraments
Build relationships with other students, clergy and professors
Develop as pastoral leaders
Fees for Gathering Weeks and FLEX Residency Weeks, in Addition to Tuition
Housing: We have negotiated lower prices at some of the hotels in our area. Please explore the Visitor Accommodation section of the website to make your room arrangements for the week or contact Student Life. If you prefer to stay at Salem Heights, please send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Meals and Incidentals:
Gathering Week = $120
FLEX Residency Weeks = $285
Transportation
United will provide transportation to and from the hotels in Englewood near I-70 and SR 48 for $20 per day. Please advise us if you need this service. Some hotels provide free transportation to and from the airport. Please arrange this with your hotel.
Contact: Janet Flanagan
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| 304.342.9222
Purpose
The In-Context Master of Divinity is designed for clergy and those preparing to enter full-time ministry as ordained religious leaders in geographical areas that are not otherwise readily served by a United Methodist Seminary.
The curriculum for the West Virginia program is structured by design and coursed schedule to meet the personal and professional needs and interests of those pursuing theological education while ministering to local churches. It meets the requirements for ordination in most major Protestant denominations.
Overview
Designed with the same rigor as the Dayton program, the In-Context curriculum is comprehensive in academic focus and process. Faculty and coursework are shared between the campus in Ohio and the West Virginia site, West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon, WV. Students participate in online coursework and have the opportunity to participate in the Distance Learning program by choosing online courses as part of their curriculum.
Credits Required
57 Hours Required Courses
21 Hours Electives
Assessment (non-credit requirements)
Curriculum
Online Student Orientation: Required program introducing Theological Education
Concentrations
Church Renewal
Care Giving
Time for Degree Completion
2.5 to 3 years full time study
Admissions Requirements
Purpose
The M.A. in Christian Ministries (M.A.C.M.) is designed to equip persons for leadership and service in various areas related to the Christian community’s public life and practice. It is designed for those preparing for the work of Deacon in The United Methodist Church; those who are seeking ordination in a denomination that requires a 45-semester hour seminary degree; those seeking to supplement existing professional specialties with theological studies; and laypersons who seek to serve the church with specific competencies.
Overview
The M.A.C.M is designed to develop the personal spiritual characteristics necessary for Christian ministry, provide a solid background in the theories undergirding Christian ministry, and to help students utilize them for the practice of ministry.
Credits Required
45 semester hours
Curriculum
30 semester hours of courses in basic theological studies
15 hours of electives
Experiences of personal and professional formation
Students may, if they wish, select an emphasis in Care Giving, Christian Education, Worship, Church Renewal or UM Deacon Studies.
Time for Degree Completion
2 years full-time study
Course schedules are developed to accommodate both full-time and part-time study. Working in a placement of more than twenty hours each week may extend the time it takes to complete the degree.
Admissions Requirements
Online Option
Purpose
The Master of Theological Studies degree program is designed for persons who wish to pursue the academic study of religion or to increase their religious understanding and their ministerial capacity to serve the Church and community.
Overview
The M.T.S. degree provides a solid basis in theological foundations including bible, theology, and church history, and introduces methodologies involved in the academic study of religion.
Credits Required
48 semester hours
Curriculum
Basic Theological Studies: 24 sem. hrs.
Concentration and Project: 18 sem. hrs.
M.T.S. Colloquy: 3 sem. hrs.
Electives: 15 sem. hrs.
Time for Degree Completion
Minimum: 2 to 3 years full time study
Admissions Requirements