Congregations Curriculum
The Congregations track is designed for students pursuing congregational leadership positions and UMC deacon ordination.
Spiritual Formation
Deepen Your Practice and Discern Your Vocation
The thread that runs through the M.A. program is spiritual formation. Each new cohort of students is assigned a mentor that will direct their spiritual formation until graduation. You will deepen your own spiritual practices by cultivating habits and rhythms for sustaining a lifetime of Christian service. You will also have time, space, and mentoring to discern your future vocation.
Building Community
Cohort Model Allows Relationships to Form
Community is a signature of our M.A. program, and the first interaction that students have with their peers in the M.A. program is an intensive study period. Relationships form quickly as students wrestle with the biblical and theological frameworks shared in class. Though students come from diverse backgrounds and positions of Christian service, their cohort of peers in the M.A. becomes a touchstone throughout their degree.
Fulfill Deacon’s Requirements
United Methodist Certification
The M.A. degree is designed to meet the course requirements for United Methodists seeking certification studies (in, for example, children’s or youth ministry) and fulfills the Basic Graduate Theological Studies requirements for ordination as a deacon. Stay in close conversation with your conference officials to ensure your requirements are met.
Hybrid Format
Flexibility Without Sacrificing Holistic Learning
The hybrid learning environment offers M.A. students the best of both worlds. Six one-week intensive residential sessions scheduled over the course of two years take place at Duke Divinity School’s campus in Durham, N.C. Students also participate in online learning that includes scheduled online classes (using Zoom) and self-paced learning. In this way, students are able to remain in their current locations while also engaging in rigorous theological reflection.
Certificates
Duke Divinity School offers certificates and concentrations that give students the opportunity to focus their coursework on a particular area of ministry or study. The following certificates can be earned in the M.A. program:
The Certificate in Black Church Studies can be earned within the M.Div., M.T.S., Th.M., and M.A. degrees and aims to help strengthen the body of Christ through critical reflection, dialogue, and practice at the intersection of race, faith, and Christian witness in the tradition of Black churches.
The Certificate in Faith-based Organizing, Advocacy, and Social Transformation is for students in the M.Div. (residential and hybrid), M.T.S., or M.A. programs seeking to engage in campaigning and advocacy work, community organizing, community development, and related forms of social, political, and economic witness from a Christian basis.
The Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry can be earned alongside the M.Div. (residential and hybrid), M.T.S., Th.D., and M.A. and enables students to make the study of gender, sexuality, theology, and ministry a core component of their theological education. It fosters a collaborative environment for teaching, research, service learning, and dialogue.
The Certificate in Methodist/Wesleyan Studies is for pan-Methodist/Wesleyan students in the M.Div., M.T.S., and M.A. programs who wish to engage in robust and intentional training in Wesleyan theology and spiritual practice in preparation for leadership positions in Methodist and Wesleyan churches.
The Certificate in Missional Innovation can be earned within the M.Div. (hybrid and residential) and M.A. in Christian Practice degrees and is intended to provide training in contextual evangelism and church planting for students interested in innovative forms of ministry.
The Certificate in Theology and the Arts offers M.Div., M.T.S., Th.M., and M.A. students firm grounding in the key theological loci and practices relevant to a lifetime’s engagement with the arts in the church, the university, and beyond.
The Certificate in Theology, Medicine, and Culture combines scholarship and coursework with practical experience and community engagement to prepare students in the M.Div. , M.T.S., Th.M., and M.A. programs for robust theological and practical engagement with contemporary practices of medicine, community, and public health.
The Certificate in Worship prepares Duke Divinity students in the M.Div., M.T.S., and M.A. programs to engage in practical formation and theoretical reflection on the worship of God in Christian congregations.
Lifelong Dividends
In addition to earning a degree from Duke Divinity School, you also receive benefits that continue to impact your life long after you leave. You will gain insights to launch a new vocation or transform the way you see your current context. Space is given for the cultivation of holy friendships that will sustain you. The overwhelming majority of our students say their investment is worth it.
Learn More
We’re available to answer any questions you might have. Please contact us at admissions@div.duke.edu or (919) 660-3436. The resources below will also help you learn more about our programs
Whether you are interested in a full-time, residential graduate program, or one that allows you to pursue a degree while you remain in ministry full-time, Duke Divinity School offers a program to fit your goals.
We are committed to making sure a Duke Divinity degree is affordable. We award scholarships and grants to 99% of our students, and offer fellowships that cover full tuition.
Regardless of your stage in the discernment process, we invite you to review the following information to learn more about your next steps.