Program Overview
The M.Div. empowers you for all kinds of ministry professions, from congregational leadership to chaplaincy to faith-based nonprofit work. At Hazelip you will continue in your calling of Kingdom work. Expect to mature in your discipleship with Jesus, learn practices that will nourish a spirituality for sustaining your ministry, and develop the pastoral skills relevant to the people you intend to serve.
We have two options for the M.Div., cohort-based or part-time. Regardless of which path you choose, you can expect excellent relationships with our accessible faculty, a learning community with diverse backgrounds, and a continued emphasis on theological training explicitly for the purposes of ministry leadership in all its forms.
Admissions Requirements
- Application with $50 nonrefundable application fee
- Three letters of recommendation: one from a college or university administrator or professor, one from a professional supervisor/employer and one from a church leader or minister
- Official Transcripts emailed to gradadmissions@lipscomb.edu or mailed to Graduate Admissions (1 University Park Dr., Nashville, TN 37204)
- Bachelor's degree
- Undergraduate or Graduate GPA of at least 2.75
- Completed health form
- 750-1000-word essay discussing the applicant's religious heritage, career goals and how Hazelip School of Theology might contribute to the achievement of those pursuits
International Students
International students are required to be proficient in written and oral English before enrolling. A score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) of approximately 570 on the paper-based test, or 80 on the iBT. An IELTS exam with an overall band score of 6.5 is the minimal accepted for admittance. For more information see International Students admissions policy.
Courses
Our full-time cohort model has a unique curriculum focused on the integration of various theological disciplines with real contexts of ministry. Each semester the sequence of courses weaves together Scripture, theology, and ministry and requires you to be embedded in a ministry setting as you work through the learning. This integration helps you really understand the connections between theology and communities of faith. You’ll finish the program with clearer professional practices that are biblically and theologically informed, skills that will adapt to the issues you will encounter in your future work.
With the part-time traditional model, you’ll gain the same comprehensive learning but with greater flexibility in how you construct the experience. With 15 hours of elective space, you can customize your learning to particular interests you have, whether that’s in Scripture, theology, or specialized ministry skills. With varying delivery formats for the classes, you will be able to access a quality Hazelip education even if you are not in the immediate region of Lipscomb University.
All 2020 summer courses will be held online.
Tuition & Aid
Program tuition is currently $525 per credit hour.
Our Faculty
Meet our key faculty.
Career Paths
Chaplaincy
Serve others in their seasons of need as a chaplain in a variety of settings, including the military, hospitals, hospice, and universities.
Christian Publishing
Play a substantive role in the publishing industry where you can use your critical thinking skills and honed communication abilities
Nonprofit Work
Lead organizations in their faith-centered mission as they do good in culture and work to improve the lives of others in your community.
Ministers
Provide pastoral leadership in various aspects of congregational ministry.
Private Christian School Teachers (K-12)
Instruct students in Bible and other spiritual formation classes common to these settings.
