A timely update to our Master of Divinity

Our churches are at their best when leaders hold to timeless theological convictions: beliefs and attitudes built upon an unchanging God and the gospel He delivered. Yet they're in for a messy collision if they don't integrate their beliefs with effective ministry practice. And there's the threat of burnout for those whose approaches to ministry aren't geared for the challenge of daily cultural flux. In other words, seminaries have a critical role to play in shaping Christian leaders who last.

Every decade challenges church leaders to respond to new realities. The growing gap between Church and culture, mediocrity in ministry, and a waning relevance of the Church demands leaders who can reverse those trends. So Western is again refining its approach to training. That process started with our faculty asking a powerful question: "How do we redefine our MDiv so our graduates endure in ministry over the next forty years of flux?" They asked a second one as well: "How do we keep the costs of training from hindering these leaders?"

The faculty first wrestled with these questions themselves. More importantly, they took the questions before focus groups of current students and graduates, as well as local ministry leaders. They were encouraged to hear a call for uncompromised quality combined with careful and creative streamlining, rather than adding more ministry courses or shortening programs. In light of the high stakes of Christian ministry, they urged faculty not to take any shortcuts.

With their newfound lessons in mind, faculty set to work on our MDiv, crafting it into the refined form you see on this page.

Designers of the New MDiv Curriculum

Our commitment to excellence has not changed over the years. We've streamlined the MDiv curriculum from 90 to 82 credits by eliminating areas of content repetition, while some studies have moved into more appropriate places—like building Bible interpretation directly into Bible survey classes. We've added entirely new courses, and ministry praxis courses have changed shape to reduce expense and duration, especially if you are already serving in ministry. And all 12 credits of elective space remain untouched so you can specialize your training as you see fit.

Master of Divinity - Open Track

Foundational Studies

Biblical Studies

Theological Studies

Ministerial Studies

Open Electives

Total: 82 Credits

New Specialization Options Include:

As they set to work on drafting udpated curriculum for the MDiv program, the faculty acknowledged a sobering trend: an increasing number of new students come to seminary missing an understanding of the cover-to-cover narrative of the Bible. This trend reinforces what has been called an epidemic of "biblical illiteracy" in the Church, which we've covered extensively in a recent issue of Western Magazine. Ignorance of Scripture turns into ignorance of God's character and His mission, and causes us to act in ways that subvert or counter His leading.

In an effort to grow biblical literacy in our students and in the congregations they serve, we've added the course Understanding Biblical Theology to the program while also injecting a biblical theology emphasis into our three core Bible survey courses.

Think about biblical theology this way: One divine author (God) worked through diverse human authors to write the inspired texts of Scripture that progressively and collectively reveal a unified and cohesive story. Biblical theology then seeks out the unique contribution that each book of the Bible, Old Testament and New, makes to this overarching narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration. Each genre and subplot points to and culminates in Christ. When you learn how these individual parts are woven into a cohesive whole, it forms a framework for gospel-centrality. This framework not only changes the way you read scripture and relate to God personally, but also transforms the way you see the world and your place in it as a minister of the gospel. And speaking of ministry...

When it comes to forming leaders who thrive, we'll do what we do best and let the Church do what it does best. That means we'll bring the classroom while the Church brings the laboratory.

Our former Mentored Field Ministry experience has become the Ministry Formation sequence. In this process, you'll form a mentoring team within your own ministry setting, while also joining Ministry Formation groups that work through case studies formed from students' greatest challenges in serving. What used to require four semesters of real-world ministry work has now become variable in length, based on your history of ministry experience. This is particularly helpful if you are already serving in ministry and may not need as much time to gain experience.

The Candidacy Process

The Church has no need of leaders who got good grades in seminary but aren't ready for vocational ministry. To that end, MDiv students must achieve what we call Degree Candidacy before they can graduate. This process requires you to submit a portfolio of ministry experiences after completing half of your studies, combined with an assessment by your mentoring team as well as select faculty. Only if you advance to candidacy and complete all your courses can you graduate with our promise of ministry readiness.

We've always focused on learning for the sake of doing. Think of this update as our next-generation renewal of that commitment to integration.

While the Master of Divinity is the cornerstone of pastoral preparation, several other degree programs at Western Seminary offer right-sized education for other strategic church-based or parachurch ministry roles. The M.A. (Biblical and Theological Studies) and the M.A. in Ministry and Leadership each share a curricular core with our updated MDiv, and so as we roll out improvements to that program, the same benefits of reduced cost and time in training spread to the other programs as well.

The M.A. in Global Leadership also benefits from the updated content of the many courses it shares with the MDiv program, though the total number of credits required to complete that program are not reduced.

For all the rewards and joys of vocational Christian ministry, there are plenty of financial challenges as well. This update to the MDiv program helps to ensure that the benefits of pastoral training far outweigh (and outlast) its costs. By reducing the total credit count of the MDiv to 82 credits, you'll save an estimated $5000 in tuition, books, and fees. You'll also spend an average of 1-2 fewer semesters in training, depending upon the number of courses you take each term. And you'll have the option to purchase a customized Logos Bible Software package at a tremendous discount, so you have the greatest Bible study tools at your disposal, long after graduation.

No matter which of three updated degree programs you enroll in, you'll benefit from the same savings.

• Calculate what financial aid and expenses you might expect at Western Seminary
• Estimate how much time it takes to fit seminary into life
• Explore scholarships or awards that might cut your costs

"Classical pastoral wisdom for contemporary ministry has been our mantra. Doing this with excellence requires that we deliver it in the most effective and efficient way. I believe our re-tooled MDiv accomplishes this."

Dr. John Johnson
MDiv Program Director, Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology and Leadership

Tying seminary training to ministry practice means we've got to deliver theological education in ways and places that let students learn without leaving their ministry context behind. The MDiv—as well as the MA(BTS) and MA/ML—are each available through our Online Campus, as well as on campus in Portland, San Jose, and Sacramento. Many courses for each degree can also be completed at our Seattle Teaching Site. If you prefer to blend online and on campus studies, our Hybrid courses bring together the best of both worlds.

Our obsession with accessibility in training makes seminary possible for students all around the world, in places like these:

(Map markers indicate postal codes, not exact addresses)

When can I apply for admission to the updated MDiv or other redesigned programs?

Can I receive credit for previous studies I've done in Bible and theology?

If I'm already a student, will I complete my current curriculum or the updated?

Will courses I've already taken still have a place in the updated programs?

How will these changes benefit me (even if I'm not enrolled in any of these three programs)?

I have enough credits to graduate with the updated curriculum. Can I graduate now?

Are the updated programs accessible online as well as on campus?

What are these zero-credit Ministry Leadership Formation courses?

 MORE INFO FOR CURRENT STUDENTS