Master of Divinity/Master of Social Work
Why This Program?
The M.Div./M.S.W. degree is designed to prepare individuals for positions of leadership and service in the social agencies of the church and the community at large. The program equips graduates for various forms of ministry and service in which clinical and administrative skills in social work and theology are critical.
Two integrative seminars are taken in the first and final year of study. These seminars enable the student to integrate theological, Biblical, theoretical, ethical, pastoral, social justice, empirical, and practical dimensions of social work.
The Master of Divinity/Master of Social Work program can be completed in four continuous years of full-time study. The dual degree leads to a Master of Divinity degree conferred by Duke University and a Master of Social Work degree conferred by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
View M.Div./M.S.W. program information on the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill website.
Our M.Div. students come from 40 states and 8 countries to pursue a variety of career paths. Some come to be ministers, church planters, and other leaders of the 21st century church. Others come to deepen their connection to Christian ministry in their nonprofit work, chaplaincy, teaching and writing, or any form their ministry takes. What they share is a desire for a program that is academically rigorous and unabashedly Christian. 57% of M.Div. graduates choose church-based ministry, while 43% choose positions in nonprofit organizations, chaplaincy, education, or further graduate work.
Practical Experiences
Duke Divinity is unique in its ability to provide funding for up to three field education internships (two placements are required for graduation). Learn how Field Education is nurturing the call of one M.Div./M.S.W. student, Allison Morgan.
Top Tier Faculty
Our faculty are at the pinnacle of their fields of study, and their work is at the cutting edge of research. Students benefit by studying directly with academics who are not only the best at what they do but dedicated to the church and to nurturing the next generation of pastors, thinkers, and doers of theology.
Houses of Study
Our houses of study help prepare you for service—and ordination—in the communities and denominations where you’ll serve. They include the Methodist/Wesleyan House of Studies, the Baptist House of Studies, the Anglican Episcopal House of Studies, the Presbyterian/Reformed House of Studies, the Office of Black Church Studies, and the Hispanic House of Studies.
Program Overview
Curriculum
The curriculum for our flagship degree program is designed to give students a solid foundation for wherever their calling takes them—be that ordination, lay ministry, nonprofit work, or a career in teaching. Our classes cover Old and New Testament, Church history, Christian theology, world Christianity, ministry, worship, preaching, Biblical languages, the Black Church, and a variety of electives. The M.S.W. program at UNC-Chapel Hill is ranked as one of the best in the nation and develops foundations in social welfare policy and service, social research, and social work practice. The M.Div./M.S.W. dual degree program enables students to think critically about faith and social work and get practical experience in both disciplines.
The Robertson Scholars Program (RSX) bus can be used for free transportation between both schools.
Those interested in dual-degree programs are required to pursue admission to each school independently, and upon successful admission to both programs, are enrolled as dual-degree students.
The core curriculum of each degree must be completed at each institution. A customized course of study allows students to start the program at either school, with slightly different paradigms governing the course of study in each case. Newly matriculating full-time students complete the first two years of the program at the Divinity School.
In addition to tuition/fees for 8 semesters of study, there are additional tuition charges for classes taken at Duke Divinity in the final year of study at UNC that are typically prepaid during the first two years of the program at Duke. This pre-payment supports courses in the final two years as well as administration of the overall program, and these funds are not refundable if a student were to withdraw from the program.
Efficiency of the dual degree requires strict adherence to course sequence and the curriculum as designed. The program cannot be shortened significantly by taking courses in summer session at either school.
View information sheet and frequently asked questions for M.Div./M.S.W. students (pdf).
Spiritual Formation
We form students for ministry in a variety of ways — through coursework, corporate worship, field education, service opportunities, houses of study, and denominational associations. Each first-year M.Div. student will have multiple options for intentional formation that will complement your academic work and field education opportunities. Students receive support and mentoring for vocational discernment and spiritual direction.
Graduation Requirements
M.Div.
- 20 Divinity School courses/60 credit hours (this number is reduced as part of the dual degree status)
- Two integrative electives unique to M.Div./M.S.W. curriculum
- Five true M.Div. electives (only one for Methodists, who have at least four judicatory requirements)
- Core and elective requirements are the same as M.Div. requirements
- Student portfolios (middler review and senior portfolio)
- Two approved units of field education
M.S.W. (U.N.C. Chapel Hill)
- 50 credit hours (split between foundation and concentration credits)
- Select between two concentrations: Direct Practice or Community Practice
- Four semester-long courses of approved field education (begin in third year)
Duke Divinity School currently offers nine certificates and concentrations that give students the opportunity to focus their coursework on a particular area of ministry or study:
Certificate in Anglican Studies
The certificate in Anglican Studies is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of those preparing for ministry—lay and especially ordained—in the Episcopal Church and other member churches of the Anglican Communion.
Certificate in Baptist Studies
The certificate in Baptist Studies is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of those preparing for ministry—ordained and lay—in the Baptist tradition.
Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry
The certificate in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry (GSTM) is designed to offer opportunities to women and men to study gender and sexuality in the life of the church, in the Christian tradition, and in contemporary culture.
Certificate in Missional Innovation
The certificate in Missional Innovation provides training in church planting and contextual evangelism for students interested in innovative forms of ministry.
Certificate in Prison Studies
The certificate in Prison Studies 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.
Certificate in Theology and the Arts
The certificate in Theology and the Arts provides firm grounding in the key theological loci and practices relevant to a lifetime’s engagement with the arts and the church, the university, and beyond.
Certificate in Theology, Medicine, and Culture
The certificate in Theology, Medicine, and Culture will prepare Duke Divinity students for robust theological and practical engagement with contemporary practices in medicine and healthcare.
Concentration in Christian Education
The concentration in Christian Education benefits persons seeking to practice as church educators, teachers, college chaplains, youth workers, or health care workers.
Concentration in Preaching
Through this concentration students will engage deeply 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.
Affording Duke
An education from Duke Divinity School is worth your investment and you do not have to figure out the finances alone.
All M.Div. students receive funding.
Duke Divinity School is investing in you, too. It is an investment in your education, the church, and our shared future. All M.Div. students receive some form of scholarship support from Duke Divinity School that will cover between 25% and 100% of tuition costs, and there is no separate application needed in order to be considered. The M.Div. program offers many fellowships that also provide tuition support. Many other internal and external scholarships, as well as federal financial aid in the form of work study and loans, make it possible for students to afford Duke Divinity. We are committed to ensuring that every student who hears the call to ministry can fund their education here. FAFSA should be completed for external aid. More information can be found in our Financial Aid section.
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 contexts that can provide up to $8,000 per placement. This funding is in addition to any scholarships, grants, or outside aid that a student receives, and can result in as much as $24,000 in additional support throughout the course of the M.Div. program.
In addition to earning a degree from Duke Divinity School, you also receive benefits that continue to impact your life long after you leave. Space is given for learning timeless ministry skills, the cultivation of holy friendships that will sustain you, and faculty who are mentors as your vocation unfolds. The overwhelming majority of our students say their investment is worth it.
Next Steps
Students interested in dual-degree programs are required to pursue admission to Duke Divinity and UNC School of Social Work independently, and upon successful admission to both programs, are enrolled as dual-degree students. Students who are enrolled in either program may apply to the dual degree program after they have started at either school. However, interested students should be aware that the annual application deadline for the M.S.W. at UNC will be January 14, 2020.
Duke Divinity School accepts applications from students with a demonstrated commitment to some form of ordained or lay ministry and a minimum GPA of 2.75 in a bachelor’s degree from a regionally-accredited college or university prior to the intended date of enrollment.
Apply to the M.S.W.
Visit the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Social Work website to learn more about UNC admissions. You will need to apply to UNC separately in order to enroll as a dual-degree student.
Resources
We’re available to answer any questions you might have. Please contact us at admissions@div.duke.edu or (919) 660-3436, or contact the program directors directly.
Duke Divinity School: Dr. Susan Dunlap, Director of the M.Div./M.S.W. Program: (919) 801-5968, sjd4@duke.edu
University of North Carolina School of Social Work: Dr. Travis Albritton, Program Coordinator: (919) 962-6432, travisalbritton@unc.edu
The resources below will also help you learn more about our programs.