The Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree, is a longer professional degree with significant prerequisites. The MDiv Preparation Track is designed to both prepare students for the MDiv degree as well as guide students into selecting appropriate courses for that degree. Although the MDiv degree is not offered at Southern, students may take up to 36 credits at Southern and transfer these credits to another institution that does offer the MDiv degree.
Admission Requirements
In addition to submitting the appropriate application and application fee for graduate study, the candidate must submit the following materials or meet the following requirements in order to be accepted into the MDiv Preparation Track program:
Presentation of an official transcript with a completed bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. This transcript must include a minimum of 12 semester hours in religion, with an exception possible for experience in full-time ministry recognized by the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Other prerequisites may apply to the specific emphases.
A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.00. For an undergraduate GPA of 2.50 to 2.99, applicants may appeal to be admitted on a provisional basis.
Two recommendations. If the Seventh-day Adventist Church employs the applicant, one of these recommendations must be from the applicant's employing organization.
Candidates are to submit a written "Statement of Purpose" following the guidelines provided by the School of Religion.
For students for whom English is not their first language and they did not graduate from an English-medium college or university, an Internet-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 100 is required, which may be taken through Duolingo.
The Graduate Studies Committee of the School of Religion makes final decisions about acceptance into the program.
Select RELP (Religious Professional Studies) Electives (3 credits)
Select NTST (New Testament Studies), RELP (Religious Professional Studies), RELT (Religion and Theology), RELB (Biblical Studies), OTST (Old Testament Studies), RELG (Religious General Studies) Electives (3 credits)
Grand Total Credits: 36
Graduation Requirements
This does not result in a degree. Students will earn the prescribed credits for transfer to another institution for their Master of Divinity degree. This does not guarantee admission to the Master of Divinity degree at chosen institution.