Pittsburgh Theological Seminary’s Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree is a professional program that prepares individuals for ordained ministry and general pastoral and religious leadership in congregations and other settings. Wondering what you can do with an M.Div. degree? Read about the ministries of our students and alums.

Students in the Master of Divinity (M.Div.) program benefit from contextual learning through Field Education and a required cross-cultural experience. During the year-long Field Ed course and ministry placement students integrate coursework and firsthand experience with the Church’s mission in the world at hospitals, nonprofits, special agencies, and churches in urban, suburban, and rural locations.

Coursework offers deep integration between classical theological disciplines and the missional nature of ministry. The program provides venues and tools for vocational discernment and for formation in the Christian tradition. Throughout the program, historical and current contexts contribute to theological reflection. The January and Summer Terms offer students flexibility to explore electives, deepen their writing skills, learn more about their own faith tradition and others, plus experience a cross-cultural mission trip. In addition to other courses, students take two classes in spiritual formation their first year, two semesters of field education during the second year, and up to six electives as a senior.

About the M.Div. Program

  • With the largest theological library in the tri-state area and a low student-to-faculty ratio that enables close interaction with dedicated scholars and teachers, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary offers unmatched resources for students to research and explore on their journey to a rewarding and fulfilling career.
  • Our 81 semester- credit-hour program can be taken either part or full time with day and evening classes available.
  • Students who graduate from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary pursue a wide variety of creative ministries in the Church, parachurch, and professional settings.

Careers for M.Div. Grads

In addition to ordained pastoral ministry in both new and historic congregations, graduates of our M.Div. program have gone on to pursue further graduate degrees at seminaries. Others have become chaplains in military, hospital, hospice, and prison settings. Still others have managed non-profit organizations, become church planters, and explored other entrepreneurial work. Some have used their degree in lay ministries and others have become denominational leaders. Additional grads have become mission workers. Our M.Div. students feel called to serve God in many ways!

M.Div. Certificates and Joint Degrees

In addition to the M.Div. degree, students can also pursue an emphasis in church planting, graduate certificate in urban ministry, or combine the M.Div. with another professional degree in the areas of social work, public policy, and law.

M.Div. Program Requirements

  • 81 semester credit hours providing coherent progression through the curriculum and connections between required courses
  • Biblical language or English Bible exegesis courses; two biblical languages for Presbyterian Church (USA) students
  • Year-long Field Education course and placement
  • Cross-cultural experience
  • Meetings each semester with the seminary’s Vocation Director for vocation discernment and formation

"One of the great strengths of this seminary is that even though we have world-class faculty, they still have a real heart for the work of the church. Many of them have actively served the church so they're able to really help us to see everything we're doing in the classroom in context of what we will be doing as we work out our callings to God's kingdom." - Laura Blank '13

Master's Degrees

Pittsburgh Seminary Blog

Trusting God in the Middle of Uncertainty

July 31, 2018

  I live in San Sebastián, Puerto Rico. On Sept. 20, 2017, Hurricane María struck our island as the strongest cyclone in modern history with winds up to 175 mph and rainfall measuring up to 37.9 inches. My mother is the executive director of El Guacio, Puerto Rico’s only Presbyterian camp. Here, we passed the storm.   Each of the events that occurred in the camp resulted in great stories of faith and resilience. Power, water, and communications completely fell a few hours in. When we were able to come outside, we saw we were trapped beneath many feet of branches. With help of the community, it took two days [...]

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Is It Christian Enough? Watching “A Wrinkle in Time” with My Daughter

June 4, 2018

My eight-year-old daughter and I left the theater and walked into the bright afternoon sun holding hands. We’d just seen A Wrinkle in Time. That’s a pretty good way for a dad to finish a movie about a daughter who travels billions of light years to rescue her less-than-perfect father from the clutches of evil. As she clenched my hand, she asked, “Dad, would you say that was a movie about self-discovery?” “That was part of it. What do you think Meg discovered?” “That who she is is who she was meant to be.” Pretty good, I thought. “And who she is is worthy—and capable—of love, right?” She just squeezed [...]

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