MDIV at WakeDiv
Wake Forest University School of Divinity offers a learning community that benefits from the rich histories and traditions of Christianity while also welcoming the exploration and understanding of 21st-century concerns and challenges shaping our world. We equip students to engage in the changing social and religious landscape of our times and to gain awareness and practical experience addressing the leading issues facing churches in their local and global contexts.
Plan of Study and Requirements
Want to know more about courses? You can view past course schedules and new course descriptions on our Academic Resources page. Selected course descriptions are also available in the Academic Bulletin.
| Course ID | Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Bible Courses: 12 hours | ||
| BIB 521 | Old Testament Interpretation I | 3 hours |
| BIB 522 | Old Testament Interpretation II | 3 hours |
| BIB 541 | Introduction to New Testament | 3 hours |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| BIB 542 | Interpreting New Testament Letters | 3 hours |
| BIB 543 | Interpreting New Testament Gospels | 3 hours |
| Biblical Studies Elective | 3 hours | |
| Course ID | Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| HIS 501 | History of Christianity I | 3 hours |
| HIS 502 | History of Christianity II | 3 hours |
| THS 501 | Christian Theology | 3 hours |
| Theology Elective | 3 hours | |
| Choose one of the following: | ||
| THS 521 | Foundation of Christian Ethics | 3 hours |
| THS 522 | History of Theological Ethics | 3 hours |
View Historical Studies and Theological Studies Course Descriptions
| Course ID | Course Name | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Art of Ministry | ||
| MIN 501 | Art of Ministry I | 2 hours |
| MIN 602A, B | Internship Reflection | 3 hours |
| MIN 705 | Third Year Capstone | 1 hour |
| Required Ministerial Studies Electives* | ||
| Proclamation*: 3 hours | ||
| Relational Care*: 3 hours | ||
| Community Building*: 3 hours | ||
| Formation*: 3 hours | ||
| General Electives | ||
| For the remaining 28 hours of the degree program, students may choose from a broad selection of courses in the School of Divinity or approved in the University. *,** | ||
| *Courses fulfilling these requirements are offered each semester. **During this course of study, students must complete courses that satisfy the five area requirements: | ||
Area requirements enable emerging religious leaders to respond to changing patterns of religious life. Each semester courses from across the curriculum are designated to meet area requirements on the course schedule. Students can choose from a variety of graduate level courses offered in the School of Divinity and in other schools and departments of the University that meet the requirements of the five areas:
Cross-Cultural Connections (CC)
- Students will travel outside of the Piedmont or the student’s home region in order to connect with the religious, social, ecological, and spiritual environment of a particular place.
Gender and Sexuality (GS)
- Students will attend to the intersectionality of gender, sexuality, and other constructs, and explore the impact of these identities on Christian practices.
Race and Class (RC)
- Students will critically examine human histories, institutions, organizations, and practices conditioning experiences of race and economic well-being.
Religious Pluralism (RP)
- Students will engage diverse voices within other religious traditions and reflect on the theological implications of religious pluralism.
Science, Health, and Ecological Well-Being (SE)
- Students will explore holistic and interdependent conceptions of flourishing through attending to the intersections of ecology, sustainability, and creaturely interdependence.
Students may apply one independent study course toward requirements 1-4. Some three-credit courses may fulfill more than one area. No more than two one-credit courses may count toward these requirements.
For the remaining 28 hours of the degree program, students may choose from a broad selection of courses in the School of Divinity or from approved courses from the University.
Accreditation Info
Wake Forest University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Wake Forest University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website https://www.sacscoc.org.
Wake Forest University School of Divinity is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada, and the following degree programs are approved: Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry.
Dual Degree Options
Wake Divinity offers dual degrees pairing the Master of Divinity with the following graduate-level degrees.
Master of Divinity and the MA in Bioethics
The Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Bioethics dual degree program facilitates an interdisciplinary conversation between theology and bioethics.
Bioethics is both a theoretical enterprise and a practical competence. It is fundamentally multidisciplinary, addressing universal questions within the social and cultural contexts in which they arise. The dual degree addresses ethical, social, and policy issues of importance for biotechnology, health care, biomedical research, and public health.