Methodist House of Studies
Methodist House provides opportunities for United Methodist and other Pan-Methodist students (AME, AMEZ, CME, Nazarene, Free Methodist, and Wesleyan) to gather for fellowship and formation. The house hosts worship, seminars, social events, and other Methodist enrichment events that help support students who are pursuing ordination or ministry in other forms.
Methodist House alumni are leaders in the Methodist church both in U.S. and around the world. Our graduates are pastors, chaplains, youth ministers, lay leaders, professors, church planters, and more.
Scholarships and Fellowships
The Divinity School offers a number of scholarships for students pursuing ordination in the UMC, as well as students who have a calling for leadership in rural North Carolina. In addition, students may be eligible for support from their home conferences. Entering M.Div. students with a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA from their undergraduate or graduate program who also have begun the candidacy process in the UMC will be considered for scholarships ranging up to 100% of tuition per year. Some of the full-tuition scholarships are connected to the Hispanic House of Studies and the Thriving Rural Communities initiative and include specialized field education opportunities.
In addition, individual Methodist M.Div. students receive thousands of dollars in support from their home conferences, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, the Ministerial Education Fund, and the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Those who are in the candidacy process before seminary begins benefit the most from these support opportunities.
United Methodists also have the opportunity to serve churches full time as M.Div. students over four years at Duke Divinity School. These placements are appointed by either the North Carolina or Western North Carolina Conferences. Student pastors may qualify for tuition assistance of up to $8,000 through The Duke Endowment in addition to earning a salary and a housing stipend.
Ordained United Methodist Faculty
Our faculty is widely regarded as one of the world’s strongest. Their excellence in teaching, research, publication, and service has made the Divinity School an international center for research and publication in the theological disciplines and the practice of ministry. While they represent nearly all major Christian traditions, we have the strongest faculty you’ll find anywhere in Methodist history, doctrine, and polity. Students are advised and taught by the people who wrote the texts used in classes at seminaries everywhere. Students seeking ordination are advised by Methodist faculty, who are in most cases also ordained clergy. That means advisors will understand the ordination process and share their students' commitment to the life of the church.
Hands-On Learning in Methodist Contexts
Our M.Div. program requires completion of two internships through our field education program, which provides invaluable contextual learning experiences in real-world ministries, such as a congregation or other setting. The Duke Endowment funds student placements in United Methodist churches and agencies.
Certificate in Methodist/Wesleyan Studies
The Certificate in Methodist/Wesleyan Studies is for pan-Methodist/Wesleyan students who wish to engage in robust and intentional training in Wesleyan theology and spiritual practice in preparation for leadership positions in Methodist and Wesleyan organizations and churches.
Preparing for the Ordination Process
As one of only 13 recognized UMC seminaries, Duke Divinity offers abundant resources to provide a rich theological education as well as preparation for ordination as an elder or a deacon in the United Methodist Church.
Academic Programs
Our classes in United Methodist and Wesleyan studies at Duke Divinity School help United Methodist students fulfill requirements for ordination and provide all students with the opportunity for study in Wesleyan traditions.
Academic Advising for United Methodist Students
Duke Divinity School assigns incoming United Methodist students to United Methodist faculty advisors. This helps ensure that these students will be fully aware of disciplinary and other requirements for ordination. We have also developed specific United Methodist versions of our curricular paradigms (see the Divinity Bulletin) that include these required courses. Students are advised to check with their Annual Conference Board of Ordained Ministry to learn requirements specific to their conference beyond those defined in the Book of Discipline.
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church (¶ 324) mandates that all seeking ordination in the UMC take courses at the seminary level in “Old Testament; New Testament; theology; church history; mission of the church in the world; evangelism; worship/liturgy; and United Methodist doctrine, polity and history.” In United Methodist History, Doctrine, and Polity at Duke Divinity School, these three required topics are covered in an integrated two-semester series:
- PARISH 707 or 777 — Wesleyan Foundations for Mission, Practice, and Belief
- PARISH 708 or 778 — United Methodism: Mission, Practice, Belief
The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church also requires that candidates for ordination in all conferences take coursework in Mission, Evangelism, and Worship. Several courses in the Duke Divinity School curriculum can meet these requirements, with the following designed specifically toward this end.
- PARSIH 710 or 759 — Missio Ecclesiae: God’s Mission of Empowerment
- PARISH 770 — Forming Disciples in Wesleyan Tradition
- PARISH 780 — The Missional Church and Evangelism
- LTS 760 — Christian Worship
Some Annual Conferences of The United Methodist Church require academic areas of preparation for ordination beyond the requirements in the Book of Discipline. These are most typically in the areas of preaching, pastoral care, Christian Education and Clinical Pastoral Education. Some annual conferences require at least one course in Black Church Studies and/or Women’s Studies, for example:
- PARISH 779 — Women and Evangelism
There are courses in the Duke Divinity School curriculum to meet all of these requirements. For conferences that require a second course in preaching, preference is given to:
- PARISH 768 — Preaching in the Wesleyan Theological Tradition
- CHURHST 809 — Life and Times of the Wesleys
- HISTTHEO 950 — Theology of John Wesley
- AMXTIAN 800 — Studies in American Methodism
- AMXTIAN 804/LTS 805 — Worship in the Wesleyan Tradition
- XTIANTHE 824 — John Wesley, Methodism, and Ecumenism
- XTIANTHE 854 — Contemporary Methodist Theology
- PARISH 801 — Evangelism and Leadership
- CHURMIN 705 — Advanced Spiritual Formation: Wesleyan Discipleship Group
Methodist House Events
Join us for lectures, discussions, and other events at the Methodist House.
Spiritual Formation
Intentional spiritual formation is central to our commitment to helping students cultivate a life of worship, study, and service. All first-year M.Div. students are placed in small groups that meet weekly to share concerns and pray together. Students in these groups represent a variety of religious traditions, to ensure all students experience Christian practices of prayer and devotion other than their own. Students also have dedicated time away from studying to attend two weekend retreats.
Lifelong Connections
At Duke, we have the largest group of students seeking Methodist ordination of any official United Methodist seminary. Journeying together, our students learn from each other and form connections both formal and informal that they will carry into ministry. Our graduates find they have a supportive community for work after graduation and a sounding board for all future endeavors. Our alumni are active at every level of the United Methodist Church, serving as pastors, deacons, superintendents, and bishops around the country and throughout the world.
Commissioning Workshop
To get ready for the first official comprehensive review in the ordination process, Duke Divinity staff and faculty partner with clergy representatives from several United Methodist Annual Conferences in a daylong workshop to provide insight into the commissioning process.
United Methodist Full Connection Seminar
Completion of the M.Div. is only one step in the ordination process, and our commitment to our students' success continues after graduation. This seminar is a theological workshop designed to help United Methodists seeking full connection prepare for their board interviews and written examinations. Participants are invited to join their colleagues in worship, study, and preparation for ordained ministry.
Thriving Rural Communities
Rural congregations have distinctive needs and opportunities for doing God’s work. Our Thriving Rural Communities initiative—a joint effort by Duke Divinity School, The Duke Endowment, and the United Methodist Annual Conferences of North Carolina—develops programs that meet those needs by strengthening lay and clergy leadership in North Carolina rural settings.
Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition
The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition provides curricular and extracurricular offerings in Methodist and Wesleyan Studies. Here, you’ll find educational outreach programs and access to outstanding research resources. These resources include a collection of rare books, archives, and general holdings on Wesleyan and Methodist topics. A special Summer Wesley Seminar enables participants to spend a month working in these collections and consulting with our faculty. The Center for Studies in the Wesleyan Tradition is also charged with staffing, supervising, and enriching our offerings in Methodist and Wesleyan studies.
Methodist Student Organizations
Among the many student organizations available at Duke Divinity, several are specifically oriented toward the concerns of UMC students. Deacons at Duke meets several times each semester to discuss common concerns and issues related to becoming a United Methodist deacon and the ordination track. African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Connection provides educational support, networking, spiritual well-being, and a sense of community for students who are members of the AME denomination.