placement of M.Div. students in 2024
Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
In keeping with the major function of SA国际传媒 to equip men for the Holy Ministry of Word and Sacrament in The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod, the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree is the normative route to certification for ordained ministry in congregations and other ministry settings.
states received new pastors in 2024
Admissions Standards
Eligibility
Admission to the M.Div. program ordinarily requires that the applicant be a member of a congregation of The LCMS or of a church body in fellowship with the Synod. An applicant is to have been involved actively as a communicant member in a Lutheran congregation for not less than two years prior to enrollment.
College Preparation
Applicants to the M.Div. program at SA国际传媒 ordinarily must possess a bachelor鈥檚 degree from an accredited college聽or university, with a cumulative grade-point average of 2.5 or higher聽(on a 4.0 scale).
Pre-Seminary Preparation
The Concordia University System conducts pre-seminary programs that offer sound preparation for theological study at the聽post-baccalaureate level. The pre-seminary curriculum 鈥渆ncompasses biblical knowledge, biblical language competency聽and understanding of Lutheran doctrine; competency in communication skills in reading, writing, speaking and listening; skills in聽critical thinking and philosophical inquiry; acquisition of a global聽perspective; 鈥 understanding of and appreciation for the Lutheran聽ethos, identity and ethic; and helping the student to perceive, proclaim, teach and live out the centrality of the Gospel of Jesus Christ聽for the whole of life鈥 (Concordia University System Pre-Seminary聽Mission Statement). Accordingly, SA国际传媒 strongly supports and encourages these programs as a preferred route to pre-seminary preparation.
For more information, review the聽Academic Catalog听补苍诲听Entry Level Competency Exam听谤别辩耻颈谤别尘别苍迟蝉.
Curriculum
The M.Div. curriculum is designed so that it can be completed in four years (three years of academic residence, one year of vicarage). Competency in Bible content and Christian doctrine must be demonstrated before enrolling in any other courses.
Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Credit Distribution
| PERSONAL AND PASTORAL FORMATION | 13.5 HOURS |
|---|---|
| PRA506 Introduction to Pastoral Ministry | 3 hours |
| Personal and Pastoral Formation Labs | 3 hours |
| Residential Field Education (noncredit) | |
| Vicarage | 7.5 hours |
| EXEGETICAL THEOLOGY | 24 HOURS |
|---|---|
| EXE507 Interpreting and Communicating the Word | 3 hours |
| EXE522 Synoptic Gospels | 2.5 hours |
| EXE525 Pauline Epistles | 2.5 hours |
| EXE508 Old Testament I | 2.5 hours |
| EXE509 Old Testament II | 2.5 hours |
| EXE510 Old Testament III | 2.5 hours |
| EXE528 Gospel of John | 2.5 hours |
| EXE5031-EXE5036 OT and NT Reading Labs | 6 hours |
| BIBLICAL LANGUAGES (Pre-Seminary) | 11 HOURS |
|---|---|
| Greek* | 6 hours |
| Hebrew | 5 hours |
*Greek is only offered as a Summer Term course and should be taken during the Summer Term before Year 1.
| PRACTICAL THEOLOGY | 23 HOURS |
|---|---|
| PRA507 The Pastor and Church in Mission | 1.5 hours |
| PRA511 Homiletics | 3 hours |
| PRA512 Worship and the Word | 3 hours |
| PRA513 Teaching the Faith | 3 hours |
| PRA514 Pastoral Care and the Word | 3 hours |
| PRA515 Reading and Preaching the Word | 3 hours |
| PRA516 Introduction to Pastoral Leadership | 2 hours |
| PRA517 Pastoral Leadership and Theology | 3 hours |
| PRA52X Post-vicarage preaching elective | 1.5 hours |
| HISTORICAL THEOLOGY | 12 HOURS |
|---|---|
| HIS507 Introduction to Historical Theology | 3 hours |
| HIS508 The Reformation and the Lutheran Church | 3 hours |
| HIS5XX Historical elective | 1.5 hours |
| HIS5XX Historical elective | 1.5 hours |
| HIS559 Historical Lutheranism in America | 3 hours |
| SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY | 13.5 HOURS |
|---|---|
| SYS507 Introduction to Systematic Theology | 3 hours |
| SYS511 Creeds and Confessions | 3 hours |
| SYS512 Systematics I | 3 hours |
| SYS513 Church and World | 3 hours |
| SYS514 Systematics II | 1.5 hours |
| FREE ELECTIVES | 12 HOURS |
|---|
| TOTAL CREDIT HOURS FOR M.DIV. | 98 HOURS |
|---|
Credit Distribution
Please see Pages 30-33 of the Academic Catalog.
Resident Field Education
The Resident Field Education program consists of:
- pre-vicarage and post-vicarage congregational field education
- institutional field education
- cross-cultural field education
- evangelism (during vicarage experience)
- course-related work
Congregational field education begins with assignment by the聽director of Resident Field Education to a congregation in the St. Louis聽area. The student is placed under the supervision of the pastor of聽that particular congregation. The program is designed to give the聽student experience with the role and functions of the pastor of a聽congregation.
During his first year of studies, the student completes the institutional and cross-cultural modules of Resident Field Education,聽being assigned to a specific module for a term. Each module requires approximately half of the student鈥檚 field education time. The聽student will maintain as much Sunday contact as possible with his聽field education congregation.
Resident Field Education normally should involve a maximum of聽eight hours per week for first-year students and 10 hours per week for second-year and post-vicarage students. Participation is limited聽to Sunday morning and an average of one other time period per聽week.
Orientation seminars for the various modules are conducted at聽the beginning of the academic year. Time spent in Orientation counts聽toward meeting Resident Field Education time requirements. Field聽education also is correlated with courses such as PRA506 Introduction to Pastoral Ministry, PRA507 Introduction to Practical Theology, PRA512 Worship and the Word and PRA511 Homiletics.
For more information, contact the Residential Field Education office at 314-505-7113 or聽[email protected].
Vicarage
A vicarage 鈥渋s required of all Seminary students before graduation, ordinarily in the second year before graduation鈥 (2016 Handbook of The Lutheran Church鈥擬issouri Synod, Bylaw 2.8.1 d)
The vicarage consists of one year (12 months) of in-service education, normally in a parish situation. The Evangelism Module of Resident Field Education takes place during the vicarage year. To begin vicarage, a student must have taken all the courses that are specific pre-vicarage requirements, and a minimum cumulative curriculum GPA of 2.35 is required to receive a vicarage assignment.
Vicars are considered students at SA国际传媒 during the course of the vicarage. Periodic reports are made by the student and the supervising pastor to the Director of Vicarage and Deaconess Internships. A total of 7.5 credit hours is granted to the student upon successful completion of the vicarage.