Master of Divinity

For graduate-level theological institutions, the Master of Divinity (MDiv, magister divinitatis in Latin) is the first professional degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is the most common academic degree in seminaries and divinity schools (e.g. in 2014 nearly 44 percent of all US students in schools accredited by the Association of Theological Schools were enrolled in an MDiv program).^[1][2]

In many Christian denominations and in some other religions, the degree is the standard prerequisite for ordination or licensing to professional ministry. At accredited seminaries in the United States, this degree requires between 72 and 106 credit hours of study (72 being the minimum determined by academic accrediting agencies, and 106 being on the upper end of certain schools that wish to ensure a broader study of the related disciplines.) After the completion of the Master of Divinity degree, students can continue further and get their professional Doctor of Ministry degree, which, by ATS standards, is an earned research-based degree. This is why the Master of Divinity is considered a terminal degree to become a pastor or minister, with the Ph.D. only being used for academic purposes and the Doctor of Ministry degree related more to the practical theology of ministry. A Doctor of Divinity in the United States is an honorary degree.