Duke Divinity School now offers 18 certificates that can be earned within degree programs. These unique programs give students the opportunity for in-depth theological exploration of critical issues facing the church and society.
Degree-based certificates help students focus their studies on their passions and truly customize their degree based on their interests and career goals.
Certificate in Anglican Studies
The Certificate in Anglican Studies is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of students preparing for Anglican/Episcopal ministry, lay and especially ordained.
Rev. Zoe Cordes Selbin, M.Div. '23, says, "The Certificate in Anglican Studies has added immense value to my education, with a robust spiritual formation that has shaped, challenged, and greatly strengthened my faith, and classes that have trained me in the theology and history of the Anglican Communion."
Certificate in Baptist Studies
The Certificate in Baptist Studies is designed to serve the academic and formational requirements of residential M.Div. students preparing for ministry—ordained and lay—in the Baptist tradition.
Students who declare their interest in the certificate are assigned a Baptist advisor. To receive the certificate, they must complete courses in Baptist Studies, and they have the opportunity to participate in a spiritual formation group that focuses on Baptist identity and formation.
Certificate in Black Church Studies
The Certificate in Black Church Studies aims to help strengthen the body of Christ through critical reflection, dialogue, and practice for those who are interested in the intersection of race, faith, and Christian witness, particularly in the tradition of Black churches.
Justice Hill, M.Div. ’25, says, “I chose to pursue the Certificate in Black Church studies because I plan to lead in a Black church and knew that this certificate would support me as I carry the heaviness and complexities of the Black church setting.
"The certificate allows students to understand the diversity of the Black church, dive into the academic program, but also in the courses the Spirit of God is never lost in translation but brought to the forefront.”
"Congregational or denominational leaders and ordination councils report that students who have received the formation required by the Baptist Certificate have an excellent grasp of the distinctive theological and procedural ways that Baptist congregations operate."
Certificate in Catholic Studies
The Certificate in Catholic Studies is the newest certificate at Duke Divinity School. It is open to Residential M.Div. and M.T.S. students, and engages students in the study of the global Catholic experience, practices, and teachings over the centuries and in the present.
Through the certificate, students participate in both spiritual and intellectual formation within a cohort, helping prepare them for further Catholic studies and engagement or lay ecclesial ministry in the Catholic church.
Certificate in Chaplaincy
The Certificate in Chaplaincy is designed to prepare students for vocational chaplaincy in a variety of contexts, including health care, hospice, prison, higher education, military, and more.
Rev. Carly Sawyer, M.Div. ‘18, says, "I absolutely love my work as a hospital chaplain. I have the privilege of being invited into folks' lives on their worst days, and I do not take that honor lightly. I also love being part of the healthcare team and working alongside physicians, nurses, and social workers to provide well-rounded holistic care to our patients."
Certificate in Christian Education
The Certificate in Christian Education, available to M.A. in Christian Practice and M.Div. students, benefits persons seeking to practice as church educators, teachers, college chaplains, youth workers, community organizers, or health care workers.
Erin Stratton, M.Div. ’24, says, “I wanted to explore adult education, specifically how to ensure that the average American Christian who comes to church on Sunday morning and then goes about their week has access to deeply formational educational opportunities so that they can always be learning, growing, and maturing in their faith walk.”
Stratton says her certificate courses have made her more intentional with her actions and questions. “In Dr. Edie's introductory course, for example, we learned about enculturation and passive learning, the idea that people are always being taught and taking in information regardless of whether or not you intended to teach them. We all learn from everything around us!”
"Duke Divinity School has a long history of ecumenism and of outreach to the Catholic church. Here students, Catholic or non-Catholic, can find a vibrant center of Catholic intellectual life, encompassing early church, medieval and early modern thought, as well as strong philosophical and ethical offerings, and theology through the arts."
Certificate in Faith, Food, and Environmental Justice
The Certificate in Faith, Food, and Environmental Justice is for students 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.
Katie Mangum, M.Div. ’24, says, “Responding to the climate crisis, seeking environmental justice, reshaping our food systems, healing our relationship with the land—all of that is deeply spiritual work, and I was excited to find an M.Div. program that would help prepare me for a vocation at the intersection of ministry and all those important environmental issues.”
She says that the Certificate in Food, Faith, and Environmental Justice allowed her to explore environmental issues through an interdisciplinary lens and connect with others looking to do the same.
Certificate in Faith-based Organizing, Advocacy, and Social Transformation
The Certificate in Faith-based Organizing, Advocacy, and Social Transformation is for students 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.
Hunter Greene, M.Div. '22, says, "The certificate provided a great paradigm to ensure that I could explore my political, economic, and social interests from a theological perspective rooted in scripture and the diverse voices found throughout the church’s history."
Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry
The Certificate in Gender, Sexuality, Theology, and Ministry 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.
Apriel Biggs, M.Div. '25, says, “Duke Divinity offers a rich selection of courses within the GSTM framework. I’ve cultivated a new lens to see intersections of gender with race, ethnicity, class, and sexuality while being an active part of those committed to creating lasting change in the world.”
“The certificate is vital for students seeking to make a transformative difference in their communities and churches. It gives students the means through which to discover their vocations as agents of change, to find the practical resources, skills, and networks of relationships, and to cultivate the theological imagination needed to envision and articulate such change.”
Certificate in Latinx Studies
The Certificate in Latinx Studies is designed to provide theological and ministerial formation to students preparing for ministry with Hispanic/Latinx churches and communities in the U.S.
Jonathan Avendano, M.Div. ’24, says, “The courses of study and academic programming that these certificates have to offer have been immensely transformative and inspiring, each in their own unique ways.
"Continuing in spiritual formation alongside fellow health-care professionals in TMC, future Anglican/Episcopal ministers in AEHS, and my Latino/a brothers and sisters here at the Divinity School, I am beginning to understand more fully just how powerful this vocation can be—to be the hands and feet of Christ in the world."
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 churches.
Takudzwa Chikepe, M.Div. ’24, says, "Through this program, I have gained a profound understanding of my beliefs and have begun envisioning innovative pathways for Methodism’s relevance in the 22nd century. Each certificate underscores Duke Divinity's deliberate commitment to identify, nurture, and ordain outstanding leaders for the Church and the world.”
Certificate in Missional Innovation
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.
Director of the certificate Colin Yuckman says, "The Missional Innovation certificate helps to focus questions around new emerging realities and connect students with leading thinkers and practitioners in areas of ecclesial revitalization, missional imagination, and church planting."
"The Latinx Certificate has great value to Latinx and non-Latinx students who recognize the centrality of Hispanic cultures in the U.S. as bearers of the Christian tradition and prophetic role of crying out for justice. The certificate situates the Divinity more centrally and ecumenically in the Church as Pentecost and in the service of the poor and marginalized."
Certificate in Preaching
Through the Certificate in Preaching, 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. The certificate will not only be valuable for students planning to enter parish ministry, but also for students considering advanced work in homiletics.
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.
Craig Glover Hines, M.Div. ’23, says, “I’ve had a close proximity to the incarcerated all my life. The Prison Studies certificate gave me an opportunity to recognize the power in proximity [and] Black Church studies provides a different language of expression and learning for those who come from a history of being hated but are committed to carving out a legacy of love.”
Hines says, “I learned that coming close to those in prison provides a different view of truth and that closeness has not only deepened my capacity for ministry, it has also steadily clarified my vocational calling. Most importantly, it has gifted me with an even greater connection to Jesus Christ and the cross he carried for those with their backs against the wall."
Certificate in Reflective and Faithful Teaching
The Certificate in Reflective and Faithful Teaching (CRAFT) fosters the ongoing development of Th.D. students as theological educators.
Sarah Neff, Th.D., is the student coordinator for the Certificate in Reflective and Faithful Teaching (CRAFT). She says, “As a doctoral student who hopes to work in classrooms for my career, I aspire not only to build my own scholarship but equally to become a very good teacher. The skills and support I gain in the CRAFT program have not only equipped me to be a thoughtful teacher but also increased my marketability as I look towards this vocation beyond the walls of Duke.”
"Preaching the gospel still matters for the life of the church. As P.T. Forsyth once said, 'with it’s preaching, Christianity stands or falls.' In every class, you will get to practice preaching and receive instructor and peer feedback. Practice does not make perfect, but it will make you a better preacher."
Certificate in Theology and the Arts
The Certificate in Theology and the Arts offers 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.
Nicole Kallsen, M.Div. '25, says, "As a Christian dancer and academic, Duke Divinity’s education encourages me to integrate my faith with my art. My time in the classroom discussing the role of the Holy Spirit in creation directly shapes how I move in the studio.
"This certificate has given me space to explore questions of embodiment, expression, and performance. Duke Divinity’s strong theological backbone enables me to move and play within creedal orthodoxy – both artistically and academically. "
Certificate in Theology, Medicine, and Culture
The Certificate in Theology, Medicine, and Culture combines scholarship and coursework with practical experience and community engagement to prepare students for robust theological and practical engagement with contemporary practices of medicine, community, and public health.
The certificate will be of special interest to students who plan to work in parish-based settings and who wish to develop further competence and confidence engaging questions of suffering, illness, and the role of medicine; those who are interested in serving as chaplains in a health care setting; those who are trained or are pursuing training in the clinical disciplines (e.g., medicine, psychology, nursing, and social work); and those who intend further study in bioethics or in pastoral theology.
Certificate in Worship
The Certificate in Worship prepares Duke Divinity students to engage in practical formation and theoretical reflection on the worship of God in Christian congregations.
Daeho Kang, M.Div. ’23, says, “My worship certificate experience had it all, from the general survey of worship history to witnessing mesmerizing convergence of God’s grace and human longing for God’s presence among us. I can definitely say that I am more equipped than before to worship with God’s community.”
Degree-based certificates help students to focus their studies on their passions and to truly customize their degree based on their interests and career goals.