Expand Your Knowledge and Skills
We offer certificates, courses, certifications, and other programs for alumni, Christian leaders, and professionals
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Church Administration Certification

Online Practical Training & Theological Grounding

If you’re a pastor who feels more comfortable preaching a sermon on Leviticus than crafting a budget, you may have found yourself saying “No one ever taught me how to run a church.” If you’re a lay leader wondering how to apply your management experience to the ministry team you’re leading, you may have found yourself saying something similar: “No one ever taught me how to run a church.” Our church administration courses can help you get up to speed. Divinity alumni can take the courses for free.

Featured Programs

Our programs include self-paced online learning and in-person conferences, workshops, certificate programs, and more.
Christian Virtues for Spiritual Growth
This four-week self-paced online course taught by Stanley Hauerwas examines the meaning and significance of four key virtues and their importance in cultivating a virtuous life.
Summer Institute for Reconciliation
Wed, May 15 - Fri, May 17, 2024
The Summer Institute for Reconciliation is rooted in Duke Divinity School’s conviction that reconciliation is at the heart of the gospel and centers on content with a biblical vision of reconciliation that inspires a movement of transformed communities and relationships.
Study Leave for Ministry Professionals
This flexible program allows participants to immerse themselves in learning and renewal through self-directed study, worship, and prayer on the Duke campus. Participants select their topic, and Duke Divinity School provides the resources needed for a relaxing and productive week.
Certificate in Conflict Transformation and Reconciliation
This certificate provides an opportunity for pastors and other church leaders seeking theological and practical skills to foster reconciliation in their congregations and communities.

Upcoming Events

We also offer a full calendar of events at Duke Divinity School. Join us for lectures, workshops, worship, and more.
Tue, Apr 2, 2024 | 7 - 9pm | Online (Zoom)

Institute of the Americas for Transformation and Reconciliation

The Institute of the Americas offers an opportunity for interdisciplinary theological and contextual formation around transformation and reconciliation.

Wed, Apr 3, 2024 | 12:45 - 1:45pm | Goodson Chapel at Duke Divinity School

Theology, Art, and the Whole Brain: A Conversation with Dr. Iain McGilchrist and Dr. Jeremy Begbie

Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts (DITA) hosts psychiatrist, neuroscience researcher, philosopher, and literary scholar Iain McGilchrist for a public dialogue with DITA director Dr. Jeremy Begbie

Thu, Apr 11, 2024 | 4 - 5:30pm | Duke Divinity School Bovender Terrace (across from Zweli's)

J. Alfred Smith Papers Reception

Upcoming Programs

Join us for guided learning opportunities, including synchronous online programs, in-person programs, and hybrid learning programs.

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Course of Study

The online Course of Study is an alternate educational route for persons seeking to serve as licensed local pastors in United Methodist congregations.

Learn More about course of study
Convocation on the rural church gathering with people sitting around tables in discussion, featuring a women in a white shirt listening intently

Convocation on the Rural Church

Join us Aug. 5-7, 2024 for the Convocation on the Rural Church, an opportunity for UMC pastors serving rural churches in the North Carolina to discuss issues that are important in transforming rural churches and communities and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Learn More about rural convocation
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Convocation & Pastors' School

The annual Convocation & Pastors’ School, taking place Oct. 13-15, 2024, is an intensive multi-day conference that offers lectures, worship, alumni gatherings, and seminars for Christian leaders of all traditions.

Learn More about CPS

Ongoing Opportunities

Join us for self-paced online courses. Many are free to Duke Divinity School alumni.

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Church Administration 1

This four-week online course explains the importance of a theological approach to church administration and why viewing it as a church practice with theological goals of discipleship, formation, witness, and worship matters.

Learn More about church admin 1
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Church Administration 2

In this second course in the Duke Divinity+ Church Administration Specialization series for church pastors and lay leaders, you will learn how to approach strategic management theologically as strategic stewardship for your church.

Learn More about church admin 2
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Cultivating a Scriptural Imagination

How can Scripture expand our capacity to envision God’s presence in our time, and how can examples from Methodist history help us recognize these new possibilities? Through this course, experience a deeper grounding in the distinctive elements of Methodism.

Learn More about Cultivating a Scriptural Imagination

Duke Divinity+

Digital Courses and Certificates

Divinity+ is a new program for Duke Divinity alumni and other practitioners seeking to expand and refresh their knowledge and skills through non-degree digital courses and certificates. Divinity+ courses nurture vocational renewal, theological imagination, and practical resources for ministerial leaders and Christian professionals. 

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