The M.Div. Program
Introduction
The M.Div. program provides a sequence of studies that requires the student to (1) establish a breadth of competence in religious studies; (2) develop a thorough understanding of scriptural, historical, and theological foundations for ministry; and (3) integrate this classical program of learning with rigorous and reflective practice.
The program seeks to prepare religious leaders representative of a variety of faith traditions who are equipped to serve in diverse contexts, and who will continue to learn and grow lifelong in the practice of ministry.
The field education component of the program offers students rich opportunities for practical experience, in both congregational settings and alternative forms of ministry. Second-year students spend one year of supervised field education in a selected teaching congregation in the Chicago area, chosen to provide broad exposure to the life of a faith community and the various practices of ministry. An additional fieldwork component offers the opportunity for students to experience another year of fieldwork, a unit of hospital chaplaincy, campus ministry, community advocacy, or other specialized training in some aspect of ministry.
Three exercises in practical theological reflection--one in each year of the M.Div. program--provide a common structure for the work of all students in the program. These are the first year Theology in the Public Square course (taught in winter quarter) along with the Introduction to Ministry Studies (a year-long integration seminar); the second year Arts of Ministry sequence with the concurrent year-long Practicum; and the third year Senior Thesis Seminar culminating in the Senior Ministry Project presentation.
"Theology in the Public Square", taken by all first-year students, analyzes the historical and cultural contexts of contemporary religious communities and religious leadership, while in the Introduction to Ministry Studies (also known as Colloquium) students identify, examine and synthesize the components of practical theological reflection, the core of ministerial practice. Students are encouraged to think about their theological education as one oriented towards multiple "publics": the religious community, the academy, and wider society.
The Arts of Ministry sequence in Preaching, Worship, and Pastoral Care offers course work in practical theology. On the one hand, it relates these perennial features of ministry to the Divinity School's theological and cultural exploration of religious leadership and ritual. On the other hand, it relates this reflective awareness of religious practices to the concrete experiences of the second year field education settings.
The Senior Ministry Project consists of a thesis and public presentation that draw together the student's work in historical, systematic, and practical theology to arrive at an appropriate and intellectually plausible judgment about some aspect of religious thought or practice. The specific balance among historical, systematic, and practical theological resources will vary according to the student's interests and the faculty advisor with whom he or she works.
As students engage in these exercises of practical theological reflection and in fieldwork, they are also expected to extend their knowledge base in historical and theological studies with additional courses in bible and the history of Christianity (or selected courses appropriate to their own religious tradition) and to select an upper-level theology course for which they will produce a paper in constructive theology-- addressing a central theological question, reckoning with the position of a major thinker, and coming to a critical judgment of the question.
Program Requirements
The MDiv degree requires registration for three full years of scholastic residence, with the completion of a minimum of 28 courses distributed across the Divinity School's areas of study. As well as acquiring a broad foundational knowledge about religion, students are encouraged to anchor themselves more deeply in one of the school's discourses: historical studies, constructive studies, or religion and the human sciences.
These requirements are most often completed during the first year of study:
1) The masters-level introductory course, DVSC 30400 "Introduction to the Study of Religion" (required for all first-year masters students).
2) Theology in the Public Square (CHRM 30200)
3) Introduction to Hebrew Bible (BIBL 32400)
4) Introduction to New Testament (BIBL 32500)
5) Introduction to Theology (THEO 31600)
6) Participation in the weekly reflection seminar for first-year students, Introduction to Ministry Studies: Colloquium (CHRM 30500).
7) Acquisition of basic skills in either New Testament Greek or Biblical Hebrew, generally by completion of the two-quarter sequence of grammar instruction in fall and winter quarters, followed by a course in biblical exegesis employing the language. (Students from other religious traditions may arrange for study of other languages and texts by petition to the Committee on Ministry Studies, in consultation with the Director of Ministry Studies).
These requirements are most often completed during the second year of study:
8) The Arts of Ministry: a three quarter sequence including Preaching, Worship, and Pastoral Care (CHRM 35500, 35600, 35700)
9) Three quarters of field education in a religious community, including successful completion of the practicum course "Reflection on the Practice of Ministry (Practicum), which meets weekly across the entire second year.
10) One course, selected in consultation with the instructor and the Director of Ministry Studies, for which the student submits a constructive theological paper; to be completed before participation in the Senior Ministry Project seminar.
These requirements are most often completed during the third year of study:
11) Completion of an M.Div. Senior Ministry Project, including enrollment in the Senior Ministry Project seminar (CHRM 42500) in the winter quarter. The project consists of two parts:
- A thirty-five page thesis in practical theology
- The oral presentation of the project in an appropriate public forum that includes ministry students, members of the Committee on Ministry Studies, and wider audiences, as appropriate.
These requirements may be completed at anytime across the three years of MDiv residence:
12) At least two courses in the History of Christianity or History of Theological Ethics: HCHR 30100, 30200, 30300, 30400, 30700, 31000; or THEO 31100, 31200. (Other courses may also satisfy this requirement, upon the approval of the Director of Ministry Studies)
13) At least one course in History of Religions, Religion and Literature, Philosophy of Religions, Anthropology and Sociology of Religion, or Islamic Studies.
14) An additional unit of approved and supervised fieldwork.
M.Div. students may take up to four courses in the neighboring theological schools, ordinarily for purposes of meeting ordination requirements. Each course must be approved in advance by the Director of Ministry Studies and the Dean of Students in the Divinity School. In special circumstances, with the approval of the Director and the Committee on Ministry Studies, students may take up to two additional courses in these schools.
Application For Bi-Registration At The University Of Chicago (pdf)
Application For Bi-Registration At The Lutheran School Of Theology (pdf)
All M.Div. students are expected to maintain a grade average of at least B-. A student whose grade average falls below B- may be placed on academic probation or asked by the Committee on Ministry Studies to terminate his or her program of study.
Selected Courses
CHRM 30200 Theology in the Public Square
CHRM 30500 Introduction to the Study of Ministry: Colloquium.
CHRM 35500 The Arts of Ministry: Worship.
CHRM 35600 The Arts of Ministry: Preaching.
CHRM 35700 The Arts of Ministry: Pastoral Care.
CHRM 36000 Advanced Preaching Seminar: Biblical Interpretation and Preaching.
CHRM 36700 Advanced Pastoral Care Seminar: Is Forgiveness Possible?
CHRM 40600 The Practice of Ministry I + II (Practicum).
CHRM 41300 Nature in the Church.
CHRM 42500 Senior Thesis Seminar.
CHRM 43000 Dying in the Modern World. Boyd/Koogler
