A new partnership with North Carolina Wesleyan College will enable qualified undergraduates to take master’s level courses at Duke Divinity School beginning in 2022. The Duke Accelerated Pastoral Formation Program offers select juniors and seniors the option to begin coursework toward Duke’s Hybrid Master of Divinity (M.Div.) or Master of Arts in Christian Practice (M.A.C.P.) degree programs while completing their baccalaureate degree.

Funded by the generous support of the Kern Family Foundation, the Accelerated Program is designed to help students lower educational debt incurred in the preparation for ministry process and accelerate their timeline to engaging the field of ministry.

“We are excited to create an accelerated pathway to ministry with North Carolina Wesleyan College,” said Laceye Warner, associate dean for Wesleyan engagement and hybrid programs. “Thanks to the Kern Family Foundation Duke Divinity School can partner with undergraduate schools to reduce the time and cost of preparation for ministry. This is so important for the church’s work in the world.”

The Hybrid M.Div. and M.A.C.P. programs at Duke allow students to work in ministry contexts while pursuing their degree. Students serving in the ministry field are able to complete their program of study through a combination of weeklong intensives and synchronous online coursework.

Up to six graduate-level courses taken during the undergraduate period may be eligible to be counted toward future enrollment in Duke’s degree programs.

Said Jung Choi, senior director of Wesleyan Formation Initiatives, “Through Duke Divinity School’s partnership with North Carolina Wesleyan College, a United Methodist-affiliated liberal arts college, we will create innovative ways to serve students seeking careers in ministry, helping students discern their vocational calling and cultivate their pastoral leadership.”

Questions about the program can be directed to Jung Choi.