Program Snapshot

84	Credit Hours	28 Classes
3	Years to Complete
$310	Per Credit Hour	Learn more
On Campus or Online Learn More
	Next Start Date	December 2

Explore M.Div. Options

Southern Seminary's Master of Divinity is the best way to prepare for ministry. Our M.Div. will equip you to know the Bible, deepen your theology, and serve Christ, wherever he may call you.

You will learn from a faculty who lead as scholars in the academy and serve as ministers in the church. Our faculty equips students with the knowledge, skill, and character necessary for effective public, personal, and evangelistic ministry.

The M.Div. is for pastors and missionaries, counselors and educators, worship leaders and ministers, and all who aspire to a lifetime of faithfulness.

3 Reasons to Study the M.Div.

at Southern Seminary

Our Trusted Faculty

Southern’s world-renowned faculty are brilliant scholars, experienced pastors, and seasoned theologians with hundreds of years of experience teaching and preparing ministers of the gospel. Among all the considerations for selecting ministry training, one stands above the rest: choose a faculty.

Comprehensive and Effective Curriculum

Southern Seminary’s M.Div. program is comprehensive and effective, providing you with the knowledge and skills you need for a faithful and impactful ministry. With 63 hours devoted to core of Bible, theology & ministry studies, Southern prepares you to be the theologically prepared pastor, leader, counselor, or teacher the Church needs.

Our Confessional Community

Southern Seminary is a community of faith and learning, and with over 13,000 graduates in the last 30 years, the Southern community is unlike any other. You will build relationships that will support and encourage you as a student and throughout your lifetime of faithful ministry.

The simplified M.Div.

Biblical Studies

21 Credit Hours

9 Language & Interpretation

6 Old Testament

6 New Testament

Theological Studies

21 Credit Hours

9 Theology

6 Church History

6 Ethics and Apologetics

Practical Studies

21 Credit Hours

9 Preaching & Public Ministry

6 Personal Ministry

6 Evangelistic Ministry

21 Credit Hours of Electives across all Disciplines

These 21 hours may be used to pursue Graduate Certificates or electives of interest

view the full M.Div. curriculum

Graduate Certificates

Students pursuing the Southern M.Div. may also seek multiple Graduate Certificates using their elective hours.

Click on a Graduate Certificate to learn more.

*Graduate Certificate available online.

**Standard and Advanced Graduate Certificate available online.

Advanced Master of Divinity

Students with a robust selection of bible or theology courses in their bachelor’s program, or graduates of Boyce College are invited to consider the Advanced M.Div.

Learn more

MDiv + MBA Program

Obtain a valuable ministry and marketplace degree through a transfer agreement with Southern Seminary and Union University.

Learn more

Study in Louisville and Save

Residential M.Div. students now pay only for the first 9 hours per semester and may take up to 15 hours at no additional cost. Students can now save up to 40% on tuition by completing their courses in person.

The Residential M.Div. Tuition Reduction may not be combined with other SBTS tuition reductions. If you have any questions regarding your expected tuition cost, please contact Admissions at admissions@sbts.edu.

Calculate Your Tuition

Prepared to Lead

Southern’s M.Div. provides the foundation for ministry.

View upcoming courses, course descriptions, and faculty on our Public Course List.

view public course list

Biblical Studies
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
22400	Beginning Greek	3
20400	Beginning Hebrew	3
22100	Biblical Hermeneutics¹ or	3
22440	Introduction to Greek Exegesis: 1 John¹ or
20440	Introduction to Hebrew Exegesis: Ruth¹
20200	Introduction to the Old Testament I	3
20220	Introduction to the Old Testament II	3
22200	Introduction to the New Testament I	3
22220	Introduction to the New Testament II	3
Total		21

Theological Studies
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
27060	Systematic Theology I: Theological Prolegomena, and the Nature and Works of God	3
27070	Systematic Theology II: Christ, Salvation, and the Holy Spirit	3
27080	Systematic Theology III: Baptist Theology of Scripture and the Church, and Eschatology	3
25100	Introduction to Church History I	3
25120	Introduction to Church History II	3
29250	Survey of Christian Ethics	3
28700	Christian Apologetics	3
Total		21

Practical Studies
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
30000	Christian Preaching² or	3
45400	Christian Teaching
30020	Preaching Practicum² or	3
40200	Introduction to Biblical Worship
40080	Christian Leadership	3
34300	Biblical Counseling & Personal Ministry of the Word	3
40301	Pastoral Ministry⁶ or	3
45260	Discipleship Ministry
32100	Personal Evangelism & Devotion	3
32960	Introduction to Missiology	3
Total		21

Electives
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
	Electives Across All Disciplines³	21
Total		21

Cooperative Program
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
42490	The Cooperative Program⁴	0
Total		0

Total Master of Divinity: 84

Students will choose between 22100, 22440, and 20440. Note that elementary language must be taken before a syntax.
30000, 30020, and 40301 are reserved for men.
Students may pursue Graduate Certificates using elective hours.
The Cooperative Program Course is a (one-time) non-curricular requirement. Students should enroll in the class during their first year of study.
Students will complete the Supervised Ministry Experience (SME) requirement as a part of the 40301 Pastoral Ministry or 45260 Discipleship Ministry course. See the FAQs for more information.
See notes 2 and 5.

Learning Outcomes

Southern’s M.Div. prepares you for a lifetime of faithfulness by equipping you with the knowledge, skills, and character to serve the church and advance the gospel around the world.

Students will be able to demonstrate a growing, Christlike character and a sense of God’s calling to ministry.
Students will be able to understand the Christian worldview and have a global vision for fulfilling the Great Commission.
Students will be able to demonstrate significant knowledge of the Bible, interpret Scripture’s original meaning, and apply Scripture to contemporary situations.
Students will be able to display a biblical vision for ministry and lead with humble authority.
Students will be able to preach/teach Scripture clearly and passionately so as to engage the mind and move the heart.

Frequently Asked Questions

Have questions? Our dedicated team of admissions counselors is here to help every step of the way. Here are some answers to common questions.

Professors dressed in graduation robes walking into chapel for Convocation

Southern’s M.Div. is the gold standard in theological education including courses in theology, history, evangelism, preaching/teaching, and more.

In addition, students pursuing the M.Div. can complete one or multiple Graduate Certificates that will prepare graduates for specialized areas of local church or para-church ministry.

Students with an accredited bachelor’s degree (in any field/major) are eligible to apply for the Southern M.Div.* It is not required that applicants have an academic background in biblical or ministry studies.

Click here to learn more or start your application.

*The Advanced M.Div. has differing admissions requirements.

Graduate Certificates allow you to pursue specialized ministry training en route to your M.Div.* utilizing elective hours (it will not increase the length of the degree).

Standard Graduate Certificates are 9 credit hours. Advanced Graduate Certificates are 18 credit hours.

Earned certificates will appear on a student’s transcript upon graduation.

*Students who already hold a M.Div. may pursue stand-alone Graduate Certificates.

The Southern M.Div. allows students 21 hours of unrestricted electives.

Students who pursue one Graduate Certificate will utilize 9 of these 21 elective hours. Students who pursue 2 Graduate Certificates will utilize 18 of 21 elective hours.

Note that an Advanced Graduate Certificate will utilize 18 of 21 elective hours.

Yes. Students with previous divinity credit may be able to transfer their credit into programs at Southern Seminary. See our Transfer Credit page for more information.

Only masters-level credit may transfer into the M.Div.

Transfer credit cannot count towards Graduate Certificates.

Yes. Students who have an accredited Bachelor’s degree in bible, theology, or Christian ministry may qualify for:

The Supervised Ministry Experience (SME) requires students to engage in 40 hours of supervised ministry in a local church/ministry or missions context. All Master’s level students complete this requirement as a part of the 40301 Pastoral Ministry or 45260 Discipleship Ministry course. For more information consult the SME Handbook or contact Dr. Colin McCulloch at cmcculloch@sbts.edu.

In their own words

“During my time at Southern Seminary, I learned how to study the Bible, how to apply it accurately, and how to preach it with passion. I also grew as a ministry leader, learning valuable leadership principles that I still rely on today. Southern equipped me for life and ministry in ways that no other place could, and I am forever grateful.”

Corey Abney

In their own words

“Southern Seminary deepened my love for God and His Word, equipping me to radiate the Gospel’s transformative power with compassion and conviction, enriching my teaching to point others to the glories of Christ.”

Anna Kinde

In their own words

“My pastor, who graduated from Southern Seminary, spoke so highly of Southern and of how he was trained theologically – and that’s what I wanted too. My time at Southern developed in me strong disciplines for study, a deeper theology, and a greater depth in my ability to study the Bible.”

Brandon Sutton

In their own words

“I have used every class I had ever taken at Southern in my ministry as a military chaplain: from hermeneutics to homiletics, from counseling to intercultural communication, missions, evangelism, and all the rest. While nothing can ultimately prepare us for the spiritual warfare that rages in this world (Eph 6:12), Southern Seminary equipped me for the upward call in Christ Jesus (Phil 3:14), pointing me to the fact that his grace is sufficient, his power is made perfect in weakness (2 Cor 12:9).”

Major Jeremy Caskey
United States Air Force

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