What is the difference between the Master of Divinity and the Master of Theology programs?
The standard seminary program in pastoral preparation is the Master of Divinity (M.Div.). In the first half of this century it was often called the Bachelor of Divinity. But even then those taking that course of study had already completed a bachelor’s degree program. The M.Div. is a three year, 96 semester hour graduate level program. It includes studies in the original languages, theology, Bible content, church history, homiletics, practical theology and more. The Master of Theology (Th.M.) degree is granted for advanced graduate study of one year, 32 semester hours, beyond the M.Div. The Th.M. is also very useful for pastors but is specifically designed for those preparing for academic service either as a teacher or church leader who will also serve in an academic setting. The Th.M. program also requires the completion of a scholarly thesis. Sometimes other degree names are given for similar work. Also, similar degree names are sometimes used for very dissimilar programs. That can b
