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Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program

The Divinity Program is a three-year professional program designed for students who are preparing for church leadership or for any number of specialized ministries including youth ministry, campus ministry, interfaith ministry, pastoral care and social justice ministries. In addition to gaining a grasp of the essence of Christian faith and practice from biblical, historical and theological perspectives, Divinity students will gain competencies in the tasks of ministry, which include preaching, evangelism, pastoral counseling, public relations, management of church resources, and leadership. Students choosing to enroll only part-time will require an extended time frame to graduate.

The Master of Divinity program may be taken entirely online or it may be taken in-person on campus.

Entering students who are preparing for the ministry are encouraged to apply directly into the M.Div. Program. M.R.E. students in good standing may request to transfer and apply credits earned in the R.E. Program toward Divinity program requirements.

Graduation Requirements

To be awarded the M.Div. degree, students must fulfill the following requirements:

– 80 credit hours
– A minimum grade point average of 2.50
– Mid Program Review
– One unit Clinical Pastoral Education

The following course requirements apply to all students in the Divinity Program. Courses listed are for 3 credits unless otherwise noted.

Theological Curriculum:

SCR 5131 Hebrew Bible

SCR 5141 New Testament Foundations

One Old Testament exegetical course

One New Testament exegetical course

LTR 5131 History of Christianity I

LTR 5132 History of Christianity II

LTR 5141 World Religions

THE 5131 Systematic Theology

THE 5141 Ethics and Social Justice

THE 5151 Topics in Apologetics in the 21st Century 

Ministry Curriculum:

EDU 5101, EDU 5111, EDU 5112 or EDU 5121 a Religious Education core course

MIN 5102 Worship and Liturgy

MIN 5104 Homiletics prerequisite: either SCR 5131 Hebrew Bible or SCR 5141 New Testament Foundations

MIN 5106 Ecumenism and Interfaith

MIN 5107 Leadership and Congregational Development

PAS 5101 Pastoral Care and Counseling

EDU 5311 Spiritual Formation

MIN 5803 Integration Colloquy (1 credit)

Field Education:

MIN 5192  Clinical Pastoral Education (4 credits)


Clinical Pastoral Education:

M.Div. students are required to complete one unit of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) during their Seminary program. Each unit is 400 hours, usually in a hospital setting. CPE may be taken in the summer or during the semester. Students are admitted for their first unit of CPE normally after a minimum of one year of theological education. Students seeking to become a licensed chaplain will find CPE to be a key element of their experience. Please note that certification as a chaplain is not provided by HJI (see below under Professional Chaplaincy).

Students will consult with the Field Education Director in planning their CPE work.  Students can obtain additional information about CPE by visiting the website of the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education at www.acpe.edu.

Field Education:

In addition to CPE, students may take other Field Education credits.  The Office of Field Education supports the HJI commitment to professional ministry and personal spiritual formation by providing students with diverse supervised field opportunities. These provide an opportunity to further integrate theological heritage with classroom learning and practical experience through a process of action-reflection, to arrive at new insight about themselves and their future vocations.

Field Education in the United States is especially valuable for international students, providing them with unparalleled cultural and language immersion opportunities.  Both campuses are in close proximity to Christian churches, Muslim mosques, Hindu and Buddhist temples, Jewish synagogues and Sikh gurdwaras, allowing students easy access to the living faith traditions of the world. The incredible resource of New York City also offers students the opportunity to pursue field education in non-governmental organizations affiliated with the United Nations, interfaith organizations, or mega-churches.    

Ordination:

HJI provides courses to satisfy the requirements for ordination in various denominations, such as courses in church polity or history of a specific denomination. Students pursuing ordination are encouraged to consult with their respective faith groups about specific ordination requirements and work with their academic advisor to plan their Seminary program.

Professional Chaplaincy:

Professional chaplains are typically endorsed by a denomination or faith group, board certified by the Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), and work in hospitals, prisons or in the military. Employment is usually full-time although part-time positions are often available.

Students wishing to pursue careers as professional chaplains are advised to take MIN 5101 Ministerial Leadership during their first year, either PAS 5311 Pastoral Care and Counseling or PAS 5312 Theories and Techniques of Counseling during their second year, and an additional pastoral or family ministry course such as PAS 5315 Practicum in Counseling, PAS 5501 Marriage and Family Counseling, PAS 5316 Dealing with Challenging Relationships, or PAS 5512 Family Therapy Concepts and Methods during the third year.

To obtain board certification by APC, a student must complete four units of CPE at an accredited center. Students who successfully complete one unit of CPE during the first two years of their Seminary program may apply in their third year for a paid 12-month residency at select CPE sites beginning the September following their graduation from HJI. Upon completion of a residency program, students will have the four units of CPE required for board certification.

Students who are permanent residents or citizens of the United States, meet military eligibility requirements, and are interested in military chaplaincy may be eligible for the chaplain candidate program in one of the Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force). Chaplain candidates receive tuition reimbursement and many paid training opportunities while completing their degree. Students wishing to pursue this track are advised to take PAS 5722 The Healing Journey: Trauma and Restorative Justice and PAS 5723 Moral Injury and War.

Students wishing to pursue a career as a prison chaplain must typically complete one unit of CPE and an additional prison-based placement. For more information on various chaplaincy vocations, visit www. acpe.edu.

Combined Degrees:

Students may enroll in any of the Master programs sequentially, but only 24 credits may be transferred to the second degree. Students should, therefore, plan a total of three to four years of study to complete both programs. A student will be awarded only one degree at any one commencement ceremony.

The limit of 24 transferable credits is waived for M.R.E. and M.A. in Religious Studies graduates who have worked in the field for at least three years after graduation and who wish to earn the M.Div. degree. These graduates may apply 48 of their M.A. in Religious Studies or 50 of their M.R.E. credits towards the M.Div. degree.