Inside the MDiv
Learn how the MDiv gives you the practical experience and theological grounding to go wherever your call takes you.
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I feel called to faith-based organizing through the church. Given my non-traditional calling I assumed Duke Divinity would not offer much formation for me, but I’m grateful to say Duke continues to equip me for my call. Through the Thriving Communities Fellowship, Grad Engage (through the Kenan Institute for Ethics), and field education, I’ve gained plenty of practical formation in community organizing. In the classroom, I’ve gotten plenty of theory that complements and guides my praxis.
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Each year, students are jumping in—ready to learn, grapple with big topics, and say yes to God.
As Duke Divinity student J Sterrett reminds us, even the small moments here can lead to big transformation.
Learn how Duke Divinity School forms students for ministry that reaches beyond the walls of the institution and the church.
Hear how the M.Div. made a difference in the call of one student, Zoe Cordes Selbin.
Through contextual learning in churches and organizations across the country and world, students practice the skills of ministry, discern God’s call on their life and vocation, and reflect theologically with an experienced supervisor.
Black Church Studies and Latinx Studies Fellowship
Full-Tuition Scholarships for Residential MDiv Students
In addition to receiving full-tuition scholarships, Black Church Studies and Latinx Studies fellows participate in signature programming tailored to their vocational aims, including mentoring, cohort-based professional formation and events, and the ability to earn the Certificate in Black Church Studies or the Certificate in Latinx Studies. Fellows are also eligible to receive stipends totaling up to $40,000 through participation in internships offered by the Office of Field Education in Latinx or Black church contexts.
Interdisciplinary Opportunities
Creative Connections
Within Divinity courses, students have opportunities for in-depth exploration of critical theological issues that face contemporary society. For instance, you can take a class with Project TURN, in which incarcerated men and women study alongside Duke Divinity School students; engage connections between food and faith with Professor Norman Wirzba; discover the intersections of theology and the arts with DITA; explore connections between Christianity and medicine with practicing physicians and theologians. Students can take two classes outside of Divinity School course offerings, taking advantage of our position at the center of a premier research institution with 10 graduate and professional schools.
Intellectual Diversity in the Classroom
One of the particular strengths of Duke Divinity School is the diversity of our students and professors. Our community comes from many different backgrounds and more than 50 denominations. As students and faculty learn from each other, challenge one another, and grow together, our Christian witness and theological training is enriched and deepened, making us more effective in our ministries in a changing church.
Luke Olsen, M.Div. '20, talks about the strength of diversity in the classes at Duke Divinity School.
Academic Support at Duke Divinity
Helping You Succeed
The Center for Writing and Academic Support provides services for writers of all abilities. In addition, we offer the RISE pre-orientation workshop to introduce the fundamentals of theological thought and writing; ongoing academic support workshops throughout the year; and tutors who are available to work with students one-on-one.
Certificates
Duke Divinity School offers certificates that you can earn alongside your degree and give you the opportunity to focus your coursework on a particular area of ministry or study:
The Certificate in Anglican Studies can be earned within the M.Div., Th.M, and M.T.S. programs and is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of students preparing for Anglican/Episcopal ministry, lay and especially ordained.
The Certificate in Baptist Studies is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of M.Div. students, residential and hybrid, who are preparing for ministry—ordained and lay—in the Baptist tradition.
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 Catholic Studies, open to M.Div. (residential and hybrid) and M.T.S. students, engages students in the study of the global Catholic experience, practices, and teachings over the centuries and in the present.
The Certificate in Chaplaincy is available to students in the residential M.Div., Th.M., M.T.S. programs and is designed to prepare them for vocational chaplaincy in a variety of contexts, including health care, hospice, prison, higher education, military, and more.
The Certificate in Faith, Food, and Environmental Justice is for students in the residential M.Div. and M.T.S. degrees seeking training and preparation for engaging faithfully in environmental justice work, agricultural production, healthy food access and food systems, creation care ministries, land use issues, policy advocacy, and environmental management.
The Certificate in Faith-Rooted Advocacy and Conflict Transformation (CFACT) is for students in the M.Div. (residential and hybrid), M.T.S., or M.A. programs discerning vocations in advocacy, public witness, peacebuilding, and reconciliation.
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 Latinx Studies is available to students in the residential and hybrid M.Div. and M.T.S. degrees and is designed to provide theological and ministerial formation to students preparing for ministry with Hispanic/Latinx churches and communities in the U.S.
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 Preaching is available to M.Div. students and encourages deep engagement with both the theory and practice of preaching. The goal is to prepare students to be more faithful and effective preachers, as well as to equip students for ongoing critical reflection and growth in their preaching ministry.
The Certificate in Prison Studies is available in the residential M.Div., M.T.S, and Th.D programs and provides students with the opportunity to engage specifically with people in prison and the system that imprisons them in the context of theological education and formation for 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.
Dual Degree Options
You can expand your academic preparation and earn another degree alongside your MDiv while saving time completing both.
A dual-degree program for leadership and service in nonprofits, government, and the community
A dual-degree program for leadership and service in social agencies of the church and community
Field Education Funding
Paid Placements
Duke Divinity is unique in its ability to provide funding for up to three field education internships (two placements are required for graduation). The Office of Field Education pairs students with dynamic ministry placements that can provide up to $10,000 per internship. This funding is in addition to any scholarships, grants, or outside aid that a student receives, and can result in as much as $40,000 in additional support throughout the course of the M.Div. program.
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’ll have space for learning timeless ministry skills, cultivating holy friendships that will sustain you, and forming relationships with faculty who can serve as mentors as your vocation unfolds. 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.
Learn about our approach to spiritual and ministerial formation, which provides both vocational training grounded in the teachings of Jesus and the real-world experience you need to be an innovative leader in the church and the world.
Durham, N.C., has been named one of the top 10 places to live by U.S. News and World Report. And as a student at Duke Divinity School, you can also take advantage of everything that Duke University has to offer.
The heart of any great theological school is its faculty, and at Duke Divinity School you'll be immersed in robust theological inquiry with one of the world's strongest divinity school faculties.