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MASTER OF DIVINITY

At Shepherds Theological Seminary, the Master of Divinity (MDiv) is our flagship degree. Universally recognized as the gold-standard for vocational ministry, the MDiv is designed to prepare pastors, ministers, chaplains, global workers, and other Christian workers for a life of effective servant leadership. The degree combines an in-depth academic study of Bible Exposition, Old Testament, New Testament, Biblical Languages, and Theology, with practical training in pastoral ministry, expository preaching, teaching, biblical counseling, and discipleship. A student in the MDiv program can choose to focus in one of several concentrations to further customize their degree.

92

Credit Hours

11

Unique Concentrations

12

Concentration Credits

4

Avg. Years to Complete

CORE CURRICULUM

Required in all Master of Divinity concentrations

RS 500Research and Writing1
BC 501Foundations of Biblical Counseling2
BE 501Old Testament Studies I: Pentateuch and Former Prophets3
BE 502Old Testament Studies II: Latter Prophets and Writings3
BE 504Introduction to Biblical Hermeneutics3
BE 511New Testament Studies I: Matthew to Acts3
BE 512New Testament Studies II: Romans to Revelation3
BE 513History & Geography of Israel*3
BE 613Life of Christ3
BE 617Exposition of Romans2
HT 500Historical Theology3
NT 550Elementary Greek Grammar I3
NT 551Elementary Greek Grammar II3
NT 650Biblical Greek Exegesis I3
NT 651Biblical Greek Exegesis II3
OT 550Biblical Hebrew I3
OT 551Biblical Hebrew II3
OT 650Biblical Hebrew Exegesis3
PT 506Introduction to Creative Bible Teaching2
PT 515Apologetics, Evangelism, & Discipleship3
PT 581/582Ministry Preparation for Men/Women2
PT 782Mentored Apprenticeship3
TH 501Systematic Theology I3
TH 502Systematic Theology II3
TH 503Systematic Theology III3
TH 601Systematic Theology IV3
TH 609Christian Ethics2
ElecOpen Electives (typically 2-3 courses)6
Total MDiv Core80
* Those unable to attend the trip to Israel can take open electives in place of this requirement.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Concentrations

Pastoral/Church Ministry

BE 619Exposition of 1 Timothy and Titus2
PT 602Pastoral Theology2
PT 604Ordination Preparation*1
PT 605Theology of Leadership2
PT 701Expository Preaching3
PT 704Church Administration2
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
* Men who are already ordained are not required to take PT 604 and gain 1 unit of open elective. Men who are seeking to go into the pastorate and are not already ordained are required to take PT 604.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Church Planting

BE 619Exposition of 1 Timothy and Titus2
ME 504Church Planting2
PT 604Ordination Preparation*1
PT 605Theology of Leadership2
PT 701Expository Preaching**3
PT 704Church Administration2
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
* Men who are already ordained and women in this concentration are not required to take PT 604 and gain 1 unit of open elective. Men who are seeking to go into the pastorate and are not already ordained are required to take PT 604.
** Women in this concentration will take PT 607 Communication Skills in place of PT 701 and gain 1 unit of open elective.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Biblical Archaeology

AR 510Archaeological Method and Theory2
AR 515Introduction to Biblical Archaeology2
AR 610Archaeological Fieldwork I2
AR 615Archaeological Fieldwork II*2
BE 710Greco-Roman & Jewish Backgrounds3
OT 710Ancient Near Eastern History3
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
* Not required but can be taken as an open elective.

 

For more information, check out our Department of Biblical Archaeology.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY0%

ARCHAEOLOGY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Biblical Counseling

BC 502Foundations of Biblical Marriage2
BC 506Biblical Soul Care2
BC 515Counseling Skills and Methodology2
BC 607Comparison of Counseling Models2
BC 610Crisis Counseling2
BC 615Contemporary Issues in Counseling2
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

BIBLICAL COUNSELING0%

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Chaplaincy

BC 610Crisis Counseling2
BC 615Contemporary Issues in Counseling2
PT 602Pastoral Theology*2
PT 603Chaplaincy Ministry2
PT 604Ordination Preparation**1
PT 701Expository Preaching***3
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
* Women in this concentration will take PT 605 Theology of Leadership in place of PT 602.
** Men who are already ordained and women in this concentration are not required to take PT 604 and gain 1 unit of open elective. Men who are seeking to go into the chaplaincy and are not already ordained are required to take PT 604.
*** Women in this concentration will take PT 607 Communication Skills in place of PT 701 and gain 1 unit of open elective.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

BIBLICAL COUNSELING0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Advanced Biblical Languages

NT 752 / OT 752Advanced Greek Reading or Advanced Hebrew Reading3
Any 9 units of the following:
NT 720New Testament Textual Criticism3
NT 752Advanced Greek Reading3
OT 702Old Testament Textual Criticism3
OT 705Septuagint3
OT 752Advanced Hebrew Reading3
ElecAny 600+ Level Greek/Hebrew Exegesis Course3
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Advanced Biblical Studies

BE 705Advanced Hermeneutics3
Any 9 units of the following:
NT 725Contemporary Issues and Debates in NT Studies3
NT 752Advanced Greek Reading3
OT 752Advanced Hebrew Reading3
TH 702Seminar on the Church & Israel3
TH 706Philosophy and Christian Epistemology3
TH 725Contemporary Theological Movements3
BE ElecAny Bible Exposition Course3
HT/TH ElecAny 600+ Level HT/TH Course3
NT/OT ElecAny 600+ Level Greek/Hebrew Exegesis Course3
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Bible Exposition

BE ElecAny 12 units of Bible Exposition Courses12
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Historical or Systematic Theology

HT/TH ElecAny 12 units of HT/TH Courses (Courses cannot already be part of the core requirement, and you must have at least 2 courses in your primary focus)12
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Women’s Ministry

BC 506Biblical Soul Care2
CE 512Learning Theology and Philosophy of Education2
PT 507Engaging Women in Ministry2
PT 607Communication Skills for Ministry2
PT 608Women's Ministry in the Church2
TH 510 or TH 715Biblical Theology of Womanhood or Biblical Manhood & Womanhood*2-3
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
* Students who elect to take TH 715 lose 1 unit from their open electives.

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL THEOLOGY0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Christian Education

CE 510Principles of Leadership Development2
CE 511History and Philosophy of Christian Education2
CE 512Learning Theory and Philosophy of Instruction2
CE 610Curriculum and Instructional Design2
CE 611Contemporary Issues in Christian Education2
PT 607Communication Skills for Ministry2
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92

BIBLE + THEOLOGY0%

BIBLICAL LANGUAGES0%

PRACTICAL MINISTRY0%

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION0%

OTHER REQUIRED COURSES0%

Interdisciplinary

ElecAny 12 units of Courses from the MDiv Concentrations12
Total Concentration Credits12
Total MDiv Credits92
No time is better than the present to apply!