Southern Seminary's Master of Divinity is the best way to prepare for ministry, and it is now more effective than ever.
Bible. Theology. Ministry.
Southern Seminary has introduced the new M.Div. in order to train, educate, and prepare students for a lifetime of faithfulness with even greater effectiveness. Your new M.Div. is simplified, personalized, and incentivized.
We have simplified our degree to make it 84 credit hours organized around three clarified areas of study: biblical studies, theological studies, and practical studies, with 21 credit hours of study in each area to form our M.Div. core.
We have personalized the M.Div. by providing you with 21 credit hours of electives to focus on the courses that will have the most significant impact on your ministry goals. You can organize these electives into Graduate Certificates as ways to earn additional credentials and specialize your study to more effectively prepare you for ministry faithfulness.
We have incentivized the residential M.Div. so that students pay only for the first 9 credit hours and can take up to 15 credit hours at no additional cost. That means you can take up to 36 credit hours for free, a tuition savings of up to 40%, on your way to completing your degree.
When you think of the Southern Seminary Master of Divinity, think
Simplified
Personalized
Incentivized
The simplified M.Div.
84 Credit Hours
a clarified M.Div. core of 21 Credit Hours in each Biblical Studies, Theological Studies, and Practical Studies combined with 21 Credit Hours of Electives.
Biblical Studies
21 Credit Hours
9 Language & Interpretation
6 Old Testament
6 New Testament
Theological Studies
21 Credit Hours
9 Theology
6 Church History
6 Ethics and Apologetics
Practical Studies
21 Credit Hours
9 Preaching & Public Ministry
6 Personal Ministry
6 Evangelistic Ministry
21 Credit Hours of Electives across all Disciplines
The personalized M.Div.
Use your 21 credit hours of electives to personalize your M.Div. to your ministry goals. The enhanced flexibility of Southern’s M.Div., combined with the ability to earn Graduate Certificates, enables you to specialize in areas that will equip you for a more effective ministry.
Click on a Graduate Certificate to learn more.
Students pursuing the Southern M.Div. may also seek multiple Graduate Certificates using their elective hours. Pending Commonwealth of Kentucky approval.
*Graduate Certificate available online.
**Standard and Advanced Graduate Certificate available online.
The incentivized M.Div.
Southern Seminary is committed to making your education even more affordable. By studying in person, you can save up to 40% in Tuition.
- Residential M.Div. students now only pay for the first 9 credit hours a semester and can take up to 15 hours at no additional cost.
- By taking two free classes a semester, you can earn up to 36 credit hours for free.
- Save up to 40% in tuition by completing your M.Div. in Louisville.
The Residential M.Div. Tuition Reduction may not be combined with other SBTS tuition reductions. If you have any questions regarding your expected tuition cost, please contact Admissions at admissions@sbts.edu.