Master of Divinity

The purpose of the Master of Divinity (MDIV) degree program is to prepare men and women for effective ministry as pastors, evangelists, missionaries, chaplains, counselors, or other ministries. The student is seen as an active learner who is growing while developing his or her own unique gifts and style for ministry.

The MDIV program is structured to give each student a balanced exposure to theological studies in three years. The program also provides for exibility in preparation according to personal calling and needs. A faculty advisor assists the student in selecting the courses most appropriate to the individual’s stage of development, interests, and emerging goals in ministry.

The MDIV degree requires the successful completion of 74 or 80 semester hours (depending on language requirements such as Hebrew or Greek) with a GPA of 2.0 or above on a 4-point scale. Up to 37/40 credit hours of work may be accepted by transfer of courses (from accredited schools with a grade of C or better) upon the approval of the Vice President for Academics.

MASTER OF DIVINITY LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon graduation, students will be able to:

• • Pentecostal Scholarship: demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary for the ongoing integration of theological study with life and ministry.

  • Formation: demonstrate an established testimony of personal and ministerial formation that bears evidence of commitment to live under the lordship of Jesus Christ.

  • Pentecostal Worship: articulate, practice, and lead others to practice Pentecostal Worship.

  • Holy Witness: articulate, practice, and lead others to practice Holy Witness.

  • Covenant Community: articulate, practice, and lead others to practice Covenant Community.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

BIBLICAL LANGUAGE

The ability to use Greek or Hebrew for biblical exegesis is required. If the applicant has not had six hours of undergraduate study in one of the biblical languages, it is recommended that these courses be taken as early as possible (preferably, the summer before the student's first Fall semester). In order to be exempted from the six hour biblical language requirement, the student must complete a Course Waiver/Substitution Form located in the PTS Forms Site.

PORTFOLIO AND CAPSTONE

Prior to graduation, Master of Divinity students must present a portfolio that demonstrates successful attainment of each of the degree program desired outcomes. In keeping with the Seminary's commitment to prepare persons for ministry in today’s world, these portfolios are to be constructed in digital form. Students are expected to compile their portfolios as they progress through the program. The portfolio will be reviewed by the student’s faculty advisor at the time of the mid-program review. During the student’s final semester, the portfolio will be incorporated into the student’s capstone experience, which will include a public review of the portfolio.

During the student’s final semester prior to graduation, he or she will enroll in the Master of Divinity Capstone Course. This course will guide the student in the final preparation and public presentation of the portfolio.

ASSESSMENT

An extensive program of assessment of the student’s readiness for ministry is integrated into the Master of Divinity degree program. This program of assessment is designed (1) to assist the student in recognizing his or her personal ministry gifts and callings, (2) to assist the student in personal formation as a Christian minister, and (3) to guide the student into successful attainment of the degree program outcomes.

At the beginning of the Seminary experience students are assessed through an evaluation of their application for admission and various assessment instruments which are designed to indicate intellectual abilities and to assess psychological readiness for ministry. In addition, students are assessed for their need for supervised ministry. During the first semester other inventories are administered in conjunction with the Pentecostal Foundations for Christian Ministry and Study course to assist in this process.

MID-PROGRAM REVIEW

Near the midpoint of the degree program (during the third semester as a full-time student or during the semester following the completion of twenty-four hours) a student must complete a mid-program review. This review will be conducted with the faculty advisor and will focus on the student’s progress toward the five core outcomes of the degree. Specifically, the review will assess the student’s degree program portfolio as the primary indicator of progress toward graduation. Failure to demonstrate acceptable progress toward degree completion may result in referral to the Ministerial Development Committee for additional assessment and the formation of a personalized plan of study.

FINAL PROGRAM REVIEW

During the student’s final semester, he or she must complete an end-of-program review. This final review will be integrated into a capstone experience and will be comprised of two components. First, the student will defend his or her portfolio with his or her faculty advisor in order to assess the achievement of the degree program outcomes. Second, the student will make a public presentation of his or her portfolio along with other capstone requirements.

MINISTRY SUPERVISION AND INTERNSHIP

Successful completion of the Master of Divinity degree program requires the student to demonstrate the integration of knowledge and skills with both personal development and the practice of ministry. Supervised ministry experiences are essential to this process. Students should keep in mind that the purpose of these experiences is personal formation for ministry through experiences of ministerial activities and skill development. To this end, the Master of Divinity program requires the successful completion of a ministry internship. Students may elect or be required to also complete a practicum in a specialized area of ministry.

During the second academic year, or after completion of 39 hours, Master of Divinity students are required to meet with the Ministerial Development Committee to review and evaluate the student's seminary and ministry experiences. This meeting follows shortly after the mid-program review with the faculty advisor and will include a summary review of the student’s developing portfolio. The primary purposes of this meeting with the committee are to identify an acceptable internship for the student and to give direction to the student for the successful attainment of the degree outcomes. Prior to the meeting, the student will, in writing, project plans for the successful completion of the degree, including an internship that expands his or her ministerial development and affords appropriate supervision in the integration of ministry activity with personal formation. The committee may prescribe a curricular course of study including designated supervised ministry experiences. It is the responsibility of the student to schedule this meeting through the Office of Ministerial Development. The Office of Ministerial Development shall provide the requisite forms for the meeting.

A student who feels there are reasons to be exempted from an internship may, with the approval of his or her faculty advisor and Community of Faith leader, apply to the Ministerial Development Committee for an exemption from an internship.

To view more information about Master of Divinity required courses, click here.

To view more information about Master of Divinity concentrations, click here.

To view more information about Master of Divinity typical course sequence, click here.