Master of Divinity in Church Leadership

The MDiv in Church Leadership program will prepare you for pastoral ministry. It is designed for students who are pursuing ordination by a denomination with rigorous church leadership curricular expectations but which does not fall under any of the designated denominational concentrations (e.g., MDiv in Presbyterian Studies).

If you are seeking a ministerial position in a non-denominational congregation or ordination with flexible curricular requirements, the MDiv General Studies may be the better program for you.

This program may be a good fit for you if you plan to pursue:

• Ordained ministry in a local congregation
• Chaplaincy (with the addition of chaplaincy certification)
• Other ordained positions from denominations for which we do not have a denominational concentration

Concentration Learning Outcomes

In addition to achieving the core MDiv degree learning outcomes, a graduate of the MDiv in Church Leadership degree program will be able to:

• interpret a selected biblical passage from multiple historical and contemporary perspectives and using one or more critical methods, demonstrating understanding of the influence of their own situatedness on that interpretation;
• conduct a personal theological interpretation of a selected biblical text that demonstrates understanding of the influence of their own situatedness on that interpretation and that engages the situatedness of contemporary readers from a context different from their own;
• critically interpret, analyze and reflect on a selected Christian theological text or perspective in its historical context as well as through the lens of modern questions and challenges;
• articulate strategies for effective, professional, ethical, and compassionate pastoral and spiritual care to a diversity of persons;
• craft and deliver a sermon or public address that demonstrates effective speaking form/style and content based on a selected context; and
• achieve their self-defined practice of ministry goals that are appropriately based on the requirements of their denomination or other vocational path.

United’s MDiv at a Glance

• 72 credits
• Twenty-four 3-credit courses, including one field experience
• A final thesis or project is not required, but you can choose to complete a thesis as an elective course
• Can be completed in approximately three years if you take a full-time course load of 9 credits per trimester
• Most MDiv concentrations, including Church Leadership, can be completed entirely via distance learning; many courses can be taken completely asynchronously