Our Master of Divinity (MDiv) program is a dynamic three-year curriculum combining coursework in the study of religion and the arts of religious leadership with significant field work in multiple settings, alongside ongoing participation in a cohort-based learning community that nurtures students’ intellectual, spiritual, professional and personal formation.

---

 

Program Overview

Rooted in the Divinity School’s historic commitment to the training of scholarly ministers, today’s program welcomes students of many traditions—Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Confucian, Christian and humanist—as they prepare for engagement in an ever-increasing variety of contexts alongside students anticipating ordination and traditional vocations in religious community leadership. Coursework in their traditions’ histories, languages and texts, their theologies, philosophies, and ethics, and anthropological studies of living communities deepen students’ understandings of their own commitments and those of the communities they will serve. MDiv-specific cohort courses offered throughout the three-year curriculum invite students to explore and experience the arts of religious leadership and practice in their own traditions and in others, building students’ knowledge and skills and expanding their religious imaginations to equip them for thoughtful and innovative public engagement in our increasingly diverse religious landscape.   

Situated in the heart of a major research university, within walking distance of five seminaries and surrounded by Chicago’s diverse neighborhoods, MDiv students may tailor their learning to their anticipated contexts with dual degree programs, interdisciplinary certificate programs, or additional denominational studies at neighboring schools. Whether or not they elect to pursue these compound programs, all MDiv students are encouraged to engage coursework offered by other University departments and professional schools to gain the multidisciplinary sensibilities requisite for skillful and adaptive religious leadership, community-building and meaning-making in complex and multivalent public spaces.

MDiv students may apply to one of three dual degree programs: 

• MDiv & Master of Public Policy (MPP) with the Irving B. Harris School of Public Policy Studies

• MDiv & Juris Doctor (JD) with The University of Chicago Law School

• MDiv & Master of Arts in Social Work and Social Welfare (MASW) with The University of Chicago Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice.

Students applying to dual degree programs must apply to both the Divinity School and the partner school (Harris, Law, or the Crown Family School).

Application Deadlines

Admission & Scholarship Information

Admission into the MDiv Program is offered on a yearly basis. All applicants are automatically considered for Divinity School scholarships. Scholarships are offered based on the strength of the application materials. Applicants wishing to ensure that they are considered for the full range of funding options should apply by the priority deadline. Scholarships are automatically renewable for the second and third years of the program. Students receive funding for summer language study at the University. MDiv students also receive additional funding when completing field placements. 

Tuition is charged on a quarterly basis. Please see the Bursar's fee schedule for tuition rates.

The Divinity School is committed to making graduate study affordable and accessible. In the last two years, the School has lowered tuition for the MDiv program while increasing funding opportunities for students. 

Required Application Materials

• Divinity School Application for Graduate Admission
• Candidate Statement reflecting intellectual influences and professional goals
• Academic Transcripts 
• 3 Letters of Recommendation
• Current Resume or CV
• Writing sample, at least 15 pages
• Application fee: $75 (waiver available)
• International students: TOEFL or IELTS score