Program Overview
The Southeastern University Master of Divinity degree provides a comprehensive level of understanding of the theological commitments and praxis of the church for the purpose of preparing students for ministry in professional settings. This includes, but is not limited to, pastoral work, missionary work, and chaplaincy in various fields. Students will receive a strong foundation in the various theological disciplines from a Pentecostal perspective, will learn to interact critically with affirming and opposing theoretical constructs, and will participate in engaged practice and reflection upon those commitments within various ministerial areas. The degree will also provide foundational preparation for students desiring to pursue doctoral education in certain disciplines.
Through this program students will:
1.0 - Biblical Knowledge - Apply biblical interpretation and proclamation in light of social-cultural contexts, ancient and contemporary.
2.0 - Spiritual and Theological Formation - Formulate personal and communal spirituality informed by historic Christian theology and spiritual practices, emphasizing pentecostal theology-spirituality.
3.0 - Advanced Biblical Studies- Demonstrate a knowledge of the critical methodologies utilized in academic biblical studies by reviewing the literature of the discipline.
4.0 - Theological Studies - Demonstrate a developed knowledge of Christian theologies, emphasizing pentecostalism.
5.0 - Ministry Competencies - Exhibit competencies that enable effective service in vocational ministries.
Career Options
Upon completion of the Master of Arts in Ministerial Leadership, career opportunities include, but are not limited to:
Program Sequence
Total Credits - 72 credit hours with seven components:
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Core Courses (21 hours)
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Biblical Studies Courses (12 hours)
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Theological and Historical Studies Courses (18 hours)
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Christian Formation Courses (6 hours)
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Leadership and Ministry Practices Courses (6 hours)
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Counseling and Pastoral Care Courses (6 hours)
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Supervised Ministry Experience Course (3 hours)
Program Length: 2-4 years
Full-time students (6 credit hours per semester)
Part-time students (3 credit hours per semester)
Program Delivery
Entrance Requirements
All of the components listed below are required and will be utilized by the Graduate Program Coordinator and School of Divinity Chair in making an admittance decision. However, failure to meet one of these standards may not immediately disqualify a candidate depending upon the strength of their other components. Applicants are considered on a case-by-case basis, and the decision of the School of Divinity Chair is final.
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Regionally accredited undergraduate degree with at least a 3.0 GPA
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One Academic or Professional Reference
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One Christian Character Reference
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Academic writing sample of at least five pages indicative of writing and research ability to interact with scholarly sources in a critical manner or a statement of purpose paper with a response to a prompt
Transfer Credit
Graduate-level credits may be accepted if they were earned from an accredited university (Regional and/or Association of Theological Schools Accreditation), less than 8 years old, and relevant to coursework at SEU.
The School of Divinity Chair will evaluate and award transfer credit on a case-by-case basis. No transient credit (future courses are taken at another university) will be allowed without prior approval.
Residency Requirement
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Online - No residency requirement
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Evening - Classes meet on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday evenings on Lakeland Campus
Satisfactory Progress
The minimum GPA requirement is 3.0. Grades of less than C- will not be counted toward degree completion.
Supervised Ministry Experience Requirement
Students enrolled in the Master of Divinity program have the option of engaging in CPE or Graduate Practicum that provides valuable experience engaging in an extended, rigorous writing project for those students who desire to pursue further doctoral studies.
Advanced Standing
In compliance with the Standards of Accreditation of the Association of Theological Schools and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges, Southeastern University now grants up to 18 credit hours of advanced standing with credit (ATS definition) and waiving of degree requirements (SACS definition) for the Master of Divinity degree for students who can document achieved learning of some of the program’s objectives through their undergraduate coursework or vocational ministerial experience. Student learning is assessed to ascertain completion of objectives through the following means:
1. Undergraduate religion (Christian ministry, Bible, missions, and theology) courses completed through regionally or ABHE accredited institutions with a B or higher can be used for advanced
standing with credit and waiving of requirements with two qualifying undergraduate courses substituting for a graduate course in the same discipline (four letter course code). Applicants
who graduated from their undergraduate degrees more than eight years before applying for advanced standing must write an essay that demonstrates how they have maintained
proficiency in ministry and biblical and theological studies through their own reading, research, courses, seminars, and other forms of ongoing education.
2. Students without an earned, accredited undergraduate religion degree but with significant vocational ministry experience may obtain advanced standing with credit by completing exams
or essays for specific courses.
3. Students who have already completed a Master of Arts degree through Southeastern University’s School of Divinity who also meet the criteria of Paragraphs 1 or 2 above may also receive advanced standing and waiver of requirements toward an MDiv in place of up to six classes they have not yet taken.
4. MA graduates from other institutions are not eligible to apply those graduate credits in combination with advanced standing towards an SEU MDiv degree. However, they can apply the same qualifying learning described in Paragraphs 1 and 2 toward advanced standing without for credit to obtain MDiv equivalency for entrance to the Doctor of Ministry degree program.
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