Master of Divinity

Admission Requirements

A baccalaureate degree from a recognized university or college with a minimum GPA of 3.0 (‘B’). For full admission requirements, see the Admissions Requirements and Deadlines page.

Residency Requirement

41 credit hours

Curriculum Requirements

A minimum of 81 credit hours

Bible—15 credit hours, including:

• 3 credit hours focus on the Pentateuch
• 3 credit hours in either the Prophets, Psalms, or Wisdom Literature
• 3 credit hours focus on the Gospels
• 3 credit hours focus on an Epistle or book or collection of NT books other than the Gospels
• 3 credit hours in Biblical Languages

Theology, History of Christianity—15 credit hours, including:

• 3 credit hours History of Christianity survey
• 3 credit hours on Central Christian Teachings
• 3 credit hours on Christian Ethics

Practical Theology—9 credit hours from three of the following areas:

• Pastoral Care
• Mission and Evangelism
• Spiritual Formation
• Preaching
• Worship Arts

Ministry Formation—18 credit hours as follows:

• BTS-5330 Foundations for Christian Ministry
• BTS-5491 Vocation and Calling (1 credit hour)
• BTS-5492 Theological Reflection in Ministry (1 credit hour)
• BTS-5493 Discerning for Ministry (1 credit hour)

Field Education

• BTS-5920 Supervised Ministry Experience (9 credit hours)
• BTS-5930 Ministry in Context: Field Project

Electives—24 credit hours.

• 3 credit hours must come from outside of BTS and a maximum 9 credit hours may be taken outside of Biblical and Theological Studies.

Notes:

1. Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 (‘B’) to remain in the program and to graduate.

2. Courses offered by CMU faculty or by instructors visiting at CMU, whether on campus or online, will count toward the residency requirement. Courses taken by CMU/MBBS students from MBBS to meet the MB requirements of their programs will also count toward the residency requirement, to a maximum of nine credit hours.

3. Students may include up to 9 credit hours of introductory biblical languages within the electives of their program from the following list:

• LANG-5200 Elementary Biblical Hebrew I
• LANG-5210 Elementary Biblical Hebrew II
• LANG-5230 Elementary Biblical Greek I
• LANG-5240 Elementary Biblical Greek II

4. The student must consult with their MDiv advisor and program coordinator to select an elective outside of Biblical and Theological studies. If the course is normally delivered at the undergraduate level, the instructor will develop an appropriate syllabus that matches graduate expectations.

5. Students completing the joint CMU/MBBS Master of Divinity, must complete the following MBBS area requirements within the degree:

1. MB Convictions (3 credit hours)
2. One of: history, ecclesiology, or ethics (3 credit hours)
3. Biblical Theology (3 credit hours)
4. Denominational Ministry Discernment (0 credit hour)

• In conjunction with the 1 credit hour discernment that concludes the MDiv degree for all CMU students (BTS 5493), MB Seminary students are required to complete a discernment process to assist in the assessment of their pastoral and theological suitability for service in the Mennonite Brethren denomination. This process normally includes a written component and an interview by a panel (e.g. 2 MB Seminary profs and a leader from MBCM). Non-MB students studying with MB Seminary will be required to meet a ministry discernment requirement that will be focused on their particular denomination or tradition. In this case, the panel will include a corresponding denominational leader.