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MASTER OF DIVINITY (M.Div.)

MASTER OF ARTS IN RELIGION (M.A.R.)

MASTER OF ARTS (M.A.)

CERTIFICATE IN CHRISTIAN STUDIES (CERT.)

MASTER OF DIVINITY (M.Div.)

MDIV DEGREE COMPLETION PLANNER FOR SCHEDULING ENTIRE PROGRAM OVER 4 YEARS

Requirements for the M.Div. and M.A.R. Degrees

Beginning the Program

Students entering the program are strongly advised to begin their work with the summer term Greek or Hebrew course unless they previously have completed the equivalent of the work in one of these languages. Students not needing to take one of these languages should begin in the first semester in order to finish their program in the designated time. Students will be permitted to begin their program in winter term or in second semester; however, by starting mid-year, students will usually need to extend the length of time for completion of the degree requirements.

Program Requirements

The following academic requirements apply to both Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Religion programs:

1. Twelve credit hours during a semester, or three credit hours during the winter term, is the minimum program for a full-time student. No student may take more than 20 credit hours during a semester without the permission of the faculty. Not more than five credit hours may be taken during the winter term.

2. Master of Arts in Religion students, and Master of Divinity students who have obtained credit for 24 hours of the curriculum or give evidence of possessing exceptional qualifications, may elect advanced level courses at another institution (Master of Theology and Doctor of Philosophy) for transfer to Redeemer. A student must apply for admission to such courses at another institution. These courses carry three hours of elective credit. Such students shall have maintained a general average of 3.20 or its equivalent for the preceding academic year, whether in this institution or elsewhere.

3. No student will be granted a degree who lacks the equivalent of the courses in the original languages of Scripture, or whose cumulative academic average at the completion of the program is lower than 1.80. A student who has completed requirements by the end of the winter term of the year of graduation may receive the degree in absentia.

4. Entering international students with a TOEFL score of between 570 and 640, and any students whom, during the course of studies, faculty members identify as having weak writing skills, are required to pass the course PT 031p or PT 033p English Writing Skills. See the course description for further requirements.

5. International students must be full- time each semester; see the Director of Admissions for the number of semesters allowed to complete the degree program. International students should always allow three years to complete an M.A.R. and four years to complete an M.Div. due to Greek and Hebrew requirements.

6. See academic requirements regarding Registration and Attendance, Withdrawal/ Reinstatement, and Academic Standing in the Academic Catalog.

7. Students who already possess a M. A. R. degree may receive an M. Div. by completing the following:

a. all of the course requirements for the M. Div. (many of which will have been met in the M. A. R. program);
b. the M. Div. Mentored Ministry requirements;
c. a total of at least 120 semester hours of academic work at the M.A.R./M.Div. level, not including Hebrew and Greek, or a total of at least 140 semester hours of academic work at the M.A.R./M.Div. level, including Hebrew and Greek.

Placement in Greek and Hebrew

Instruction in the Bible presupposes a knowledge of Greek and Hebrew, and students are strongly advised to acquire such knowledge during their college course. However, a student is not required to have previous training in Greek or Hebrew to begin the program. Those who have had Greek or Hebrew before entrance should contact the Registrar about taking the Greek or Hebrew placement exam. A total of at least 92 credit hours plus required Hebrew and Greek courses is required for the Master of Divinity degree.

M.Div. Requirements

The M.Div. degree at Redeemer Seminary follows the pattern of the M.Div. General Ministries Track shown in the Westminster Theological Seminary Academic Catalog, though the second and third year courses may be scheduled in different semesters than shown in the M.Div. General Ministries chart.

Master of Divinity

A student who holds a baccalaureate degree from an approved institution receives the degree of Master of Divinity (M.Div.) on the completion of the prescribed program of study. The purpose of this program is twofold: (1) to prepare men for the pastoral ministry and to equip them to meet ecclesiastical requirements for ordination (2) to train men and women for gospel ministries of a more specialized sort. Such ministries might include counseling, Christian education, youth work, college and university student ministries, and urban service.

Students planning to seek ordination for pastoral ministry should be aware that completion of the M.Div. degree in a General Ministries Track may not satisfy the requirements for ordination of certain denominations. This is particularly the case if the sequence of courses in preaching is not included. One should check with the appropriate denominational judicatory.

Successful completion of a program of Mentored Ministry is required for the degree. Students should contact the Mentored Ministry Office at the beginning of the second semester of their first year in order to arrange for completing their required four units of ministry.

Courses in the M.Div. sample schedule plan are arranged to provide for orderly progress within the work of each department and for coherence within each semester of study. All of the programs require at least three years of full-time study (16-17 hours per semester, plus winter term) for completion. Note that in order to complete the program in the minimum time, the student must begin with the summer term and complete the courses in sequence. (Students who cannot carry a full course load as indicated, because of employment or other reasons, usually must extend the length of their seminary program.)

The Registrar and Dean of Students are available for counsel concerning individual student needs.

Mentored Ministry

A biblical understanding of wisdom prevents us from separating knowing and doing, learning and practice. Wisdom unites the facets of knowledge, character, and skill. It results from academic learning and practical experience when accompanied by supervision and self-examination. Candidates for the M.Div. degree are therefore required to participate in mentored field experience in ministry. All arrangements for Mentored Ministry requirements are handled through the Mentored Ministry Office.

Requirements

The M.Div. academic curriculum (except the M.Div. -Counseling) includes the required two-hour course, PT 111 Orientation to Ministry. This course introduces Mentored Ministry and is a prerequisite for any approved field experience.

The M.Div. candidate must complete four units of Mentored Ministry to qualify for the degree. The four units must be completed before the end of December in the academic year the student expects to graduate. Several formats are available. The units may be taken concurrently with the academic year or during summer or year-long internships. It is strongly recommended that at least one unit be completed in a cultural setting different from the student’s own.

The M.Div. student must participate in at least two integration seminars. These are semester-long weekly sessions of one hour each in which no more than 12 students meet with faculty to analyze and discuss the actual ministry experience of the participants. The seminars are offered each semester and are not assigned academic credit. However, each student must participate in two seminars to complete the requirements of Mentored Ministry.

Each student must participate in a final evaluation/interview held during the final year. Fieldwork appraisals are a part of the final year evaluation. The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the student’s gifts, strengths, and weaknesses, as well as overall readiness for ministry. The resulting assessment in no way can jeopardize the granting of the M.Div. degree if the student completes all Mentored Ministry units and academic requirements.

Credit

One unit of Mentored Ministry credit is received for 100-120 hours of mentored field experience under an approved mentor. Units of Mentored Ministry are not assigned credit hours and no grades are given. Approval for any unit may be withheld by the Director of Mentored Ministry if ministry proposals are not fulfilled or if evaluations and other requirements are not completed by prescribed dates.

No credit may be given for ministry experience prior to matriculation at Redeemer. Transfer credit for up to two units of Mentored Ministry may be given to students who transfer from other seminaries with approved programs of mentored field experience.

M.Div. candidates are strongly encouraged to take Evangelism Explosion training for one unit of credit in the Mentored Ministry program. One unit of credit in the program also can be given for successful completion of the Sonship course available through World Harvest Mission. Also, one credit unit can be received by serving on campus as a Mentored Ministry Partner to incoming international students. At completion the student must submit a statement reflecting on the implications of this program for ministry in the church and in the world. The Mentored Ministry Office will seek to make such training accessible.

Time required to complete the M.Div. program

The M.Div. degree is designed as a fulltime three-year or four-year program. Three years is the minimum amount of time (without transfer credit) it will take to complete the degree. Frequently, students take four years to complete the degree, in order that they may take Greek and Hebrew in different years.

Students who are taking courses on a part-time basis should adjust their course work plans and time limits according to their individual needs.

Requirement List

Sample Semester Schedule

Master of Divinity General Ministries Track Total semester hours required: 92

(Hours in required Elements of Hebrew and Greek General Studies Emphasis (Suggested Three-Year Schedule) courses are not included in this 92 hours total.)

Preparing for Pastoral Ministry, Church Planting and Campus Ministry

Redeemer Seminary is also the location of the offices of the Southwest Church Planting Network, and seeks to prepare certain of its graduates for pastoral ministry, church planting and/or campus ministry through a variety of churches and organizations. A selection of these are listed below.

Presbyterian Church in America and Related Organizations

In 1998 the Southwest Church Planting Network (PCA) was formed to make expanding the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, a high priority in the Southwest. The Network is a Joint Subcommittee of four Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) Presbyteries - North Texas, South Texas, Houston Metro and Southwest. Together these represent the great Southwest: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Already this pioneering ministry on the frontier of the PCA includes 49 churches representing over 14,000 members. In the providence of God, this area is experiencing the kind of growth that calls for increased efforts in the fields which are ready for harvest. This area includes 4 of the 5 fastest growing cities of over a million in population. 

The mission of the Southwest Church Planting Network is to assist the four Presbyteries to strategically plant dynamic churches, true to the scriptures in the southwestern states of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

It is the vision of the Southwest Church Planting Network to plant more than 50 new churches and initiate RUF ministries at all of the major colleges in the Southwest by the year 2020.

For information on domestic church planting in the PCA,
visit Mission to North America

For information on foreign missions and church planting in the PCA,
visit Mission to the World

Orthodox Presbyterian Church Organizations

For information on church planting in the Orthodox Presbyterian Church (OPC),
visit the Committee on Home Missions and Church Extension

For information on foreign mission and church planting in the OPC,
visit the Committee on Foreign Missions

Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church Planting

For information on church planting in the ARP, visit Outreach North America

Evangelical Presbyterian Church

For information on serving with the EPC, visit the EPC website.

United Reformed Church

For information on serving with the URC, visit the URCNA website.

Christian Reformed Church

For information on serving with th CRC, visit the CRCNA website.

Reformed Church in America

For information on serving with the RCA, visit the RCA website.

The Anglican Church in North America

For information on serving with the ACNA, visit the ACNA website or the ACNA Assembly website.

The Acts 29 Network

The Mission of the Acts 29 Network is to band together Christian, Evangelical, Missional & Reformed churches, who, for the sake of Jesus and the gospel, plant churches across the United States and the world. Acts 29 is a network of pastors from around the nation and world whose dream is to help qualified leaders called by God to plant new churches and replant declining churches. For more information, visit Acts29network.org