Coursework
- Course Requirements
- Anglican Studies Emphasis
- Biblical Studies Emphasis
- Biblical Languages
- Advanced Standing
- Transfer Units
- Additional Degree Requirements
- Frequently Asked Questions
Course Requirements
The Master of Divinity Program requires 90 units of coursework comprising 20 units of biblical studies, 20 units of theology and ethics, 20 units of ministry studies, 10 units in the professional block, 4 units of a biblical language (which may by waived for students who have completed a year of undergraduate Hebrew or Greek), and 16-20 units of electives.
| Biblical Language Requirement | 4 units | |
|---|---|---|
| Students who have completed one year of undergraduate Hebrew or Greek with a grade of B or better may waive this requirement. The requirement may be filled with either GBBL 500 Elements of Greek Exegesis, GBBL 530, GBBL 540 Hebrew I, II, or GBBL 510, GBBL 520 New Testament Greek I, II. | ||
| Biblical Studies Core | 20 units | |
| GBBL 511 | Seminar in Biblical Interpretation* | 4 |
| GBBL 512 | The Gospels' Witness to Christ | 4 |
| GBBL 521 | People of God | 4 |
| GBBL 531 | Kingdom of God** | 4 |
| GBBL 532 | Paul the Apostle and Theologian | 4 |
| *GBBL 511 is offered as 511A and 511B at some centers. **Students may substitute GBBL 631 by petition to the department chair. |
||
| Theology and Ethics Core | 20 units | |
| GTHE 504 | God, Creation, and Humanity | 4 |
| GTHE 513 | History of the Modern Church | 4 |
| GTHE 514 | Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church | 4 |
| GTHE 615 | Church and Society | 4 |
| One of the following: | ||
| GTHE 503 | History of the Early and Medieval Church | 4 |
| GTHE 505 | Christian Ethics | 4 |
| Ministry Core | 20 units | |
| GMIN 507 | Preaching and Worship | 4 |
| GMIN 516 | Dynamics of Christian Formation | 4 |
| GMIN 518 | Pastoral Servant Leadership | 4 |
| GMIN 547 | Foundations for Ministry Life | 4 |
| GMIN 548 | Pastoral Counseling | 4 |
| Professional Block Field Education | 6 units | |
| GMIN 569 | Field Education in Ministry* | 1 |
| *Repeated for total of six units | ||
| Philosophy of Ministry Requirement | 4 units | |
| GMIN 618 | Philosophy of Ministry** | 4 |
| **An oral exam is taken in GMIN 618. | ||
| Electives | 16-20 units | |
| If a student takes GBBL 500, only 16 elective units are required. | ||
| APU graduate courses outside the School of Theology are allowed as electives for the M.Div. Program, provided they can be demonstrated by petition to the appropriate chair and the associate dean to apply to the preparation for pastoral ministry. Courses approved for elective credit must be graduate level and the content must substantially promote the student’s achievement of one or more of the goals of the M.Div. Program. | ||
| Total | 90 units | |
Anglican Studies Emphasis
The Master of Divinity Program with an emphasis in Anglican Studies requires 90 units of coursework comprising 20 units of biblical studies, 20 units of theology and ethics, 12 units of ministry studies, 10 units in the professional block, 24 units in Anglican studies, 0-4 units of a biblical language (which may be waived for students who have completed a year of undergraduate Hebrew or Greek), and 0-4 units of electives. This emphasis will meet the academic requirements for ordination within the Anglican Communion.
| Biblical Language Requirement | 4 units | |
|---|---|---|
| Students who have completed one year of undergraduate Hebrew or Greek with a grade of B or better may waive this requirement. The requirement may be filled with either GBBL 500 Elements of Greek Exegesis, GBBL 530, GBBL 540 Hebrew I, II, or GBBL 510, GBBL 520 New Testament Greek I, II. | ||
| Biblical Studies Core | 20 units | |
| GBBL 511 | Seminar in Biblical Interpretation* | 4 |
| GBBL 512 | The Gospels' Witness to Christ | 4 |
| GBBL 521 | People of God | 4 |
| GBBL 531 | Kingdom of God | 4 |
| GBBL 532 | Paul the Apostle and Theologian | 4 |
| *GBBL 511 is offered as 511A and 511B at some centers. | ||
| Theology and Ethics Core | 20 units | |
| GTHE 504 | God, Creation, and Humanity | 4 |
| GTHE 513 | History of the Modern Church | 4 |
| GTHE 514 | Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church | 4 |
| GTHE 615 | Church and Society | 4 |
| GTHE 503 | History of the Early and Medieval Church | 4 |
| Ministry Core | 12 units | |
| GMIN 507 | Preaching and Worship | 4 |
| GMIN 547 | Foundations for Ministry Life | 4 |
| GMIN 548 | Pastoral Counseling | 4 |
| Professional Block Field Education | 6 units | |
| GMIN 569 | Field Education in Ministry* | 1 |
| *Repeated for total of six units | ||
| Philosophy of Ministry Requirement | 4 units | |
| GMIN 618 | Philosophy of Ministry** | 4 |
| **An oral exam is taken in GMIN 618. | ||
| Anglican Studies Emphasis | 24 units | |
| GMIN 517 | Preaching and Liturgy in the Anglican Tradition | 4 |
| GMIN 536 | Ascetical Spirituality | 4 |
| GMIN 537 | Anglican Parish Ministry | 4 |
| GTHE 515 | Anglican Ethics and Moral Theology | 4 |
| GTHE 533 | Anglican Church History | 4 |
| GTHE 543 | History of Worship and Liturgy | 4 |
| Electives | 0-4 units | |
| If a student takes GBBL 500, no elective units are required. | ||
| APU graduate courses outside the School of Theology are allowed as electives for the M.Div. Program, provided they can be demonstrated by petition to the appropriate chair and the associate dean to apply to the preparation for pastoral ministry. Courses approved for elective credit must be graduate level and the content must substantially promote the student’s achievement of one or more of the goals of the M.Div. Program. | ||
| Total | 90 units | |
Biblical Studies Emphasis
| Biblical Language Requirement | 8 units | |
|---|---|---|
| GBBL 510 | New Testament Greek I | 4 |
| GBBL 520 | New Testament Greek II | 4 |
| - or - | ||
| GBBL 530 | Hebrew I | 4 |
| GBBL 540 | Hebrew II | 4 |
| Biblical Studies Core | 20 units | |
| GBBL 511 | Seminar in Biblical Interpretation* | 4 |
| GBBL 512 | The Gospels' Witness to Christ | 4 |
| GBBL 521 | People of God | 4 |
| GBBL 531 | Kingdom of God** | 4 |
| GBBL 532 | Paul the Apostle and Theologian | 4 |
| *GBBL 511 is offered as 511A and 511B at some centers. **Students may substitute GBBL 631 Community of God by petition to the department chair. |
||
| Theology and Ethics Core | 20 units | |
| GTHE 504 | God, Creation, and Humanity | 4 |
| GTHE 513 | History of the Modern Church | 4 |
| GTHE 514 | Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and the Church | 4 |
| GTHE 615 | Church and Society | 4 |
| One of the following: | ||
| GTHE 503 | History of the Early and Medieval Church | 4 |
| GTHE 505 | Christian Ethics | 4 |
| Ministry Core | 20 units | |
| GMIN 507 | Preaching and Worship | 4 |
| GMIN 516 | Dynamics of Christian Formation | 4 |
| GMIN 518 | Pastoral Servant Leadership | 4 |
| GMIN 547 | Foundations for Ministry Life | 4 |
| GMIN 548 | Pastoral Counseling | 4 |
| Professional Block Field Education | 6 units | |
| GMIN 569 | Field Education in Ministry* | 1 |
| *Repeated for total of six units | ||
| Philosophy of Ministry Requirement | 4 units | |
| GMIN 618 | Philosophy of Ministry* | 4 |
| *An oral exam is taken in GMIN 618. | ||
| Biblical Studies Emphasis | 12 units | |
| Select three of the following: | ||
| GBBL 522 | The Gospel of Mark | 4 |
| GBBL 552 | Epistle to the Romans | 4 |
| GBBL 561 | Psalms as Resource for Ministry | 4 |
| GBBL 562 | Biblical Foundations of Worship | 4 |
| GBBL 591 | Isaiah | 4 |
| GBBL 611 | Old Testament Seminar | 4 |
| GBBL 612 | New Testament Seminar | 4 |
| GBBL 621 | Jeremiah | 4 |
| GBBL 622 | The Church of the First Century | 4 |
| GBBL 631 | Community of God | 4 |
| GBBL 632 | The New Testament World | 4 |
| GBBL 641 | Theological Themes of the Old Testament | 4 |
| GBBL 651 | Scripture and Canon | 4 |
| Note: A second biblical language can also be used to fulfill the biblical studies emphasis. | ||
| Total | 90 units | |
Biblical Languages
Master of Divinity (M.Div.) students are required to obtain competence in at least one biblical language for use as an exegetical tool in the study of the Bible. This requirement may be met by the course GBBL 500 (Elements of Greek Exegesis); by transcript evidence of one year of biblical Greek or Hebrew at the undergraduate level; or by GBBL 510, GBBL 520 or GBBL 530, GBBL 540.
It is strongly recommended, however, that students who anticipate further graduate study in theology complete a full-year course in biblical Greek and/or Hebrew. To obtain full benefit from courses in biblical studies, students should enroll in the biblical language course, as well as in GBBL 511 (Seminar in Biblical Interpretation), as early as possible in their academic program.
Advanced Standing
- M.Div. students may petition for up to 15 units of advanced standing from upper-division undergraduate work in religion.
- The number of core courses in any department that may be replaced by advanced standing is limited to two.
- M.A.P.S. students may petition for up to 10 units of advanced standing from upper-division undergraduate work in religion.
- M.A.T.S. students may petition for up to 10 units of advanced standing on the basis of undergraduate biblical language study or upper-division undergraduate coursework in religion.
- M.A.Y.M. students may petition for up to eight units of advanced standing from undergraduate work in religion.
- Prior to formal admission, the Request for Advanced Standing Petition form should be completed.
- All advanced standing examinations are administered in a proctored setting twice a year: the second Friday of October and March.
- Students must pass examinations for advanced standing within 12 months of their admission date. The cost for the exam is $50 per unit. If the student passes the exam(s), then he/she will not be required to pay full tuition for those units.
- A student may repeat advanced standing examinations one time without further charge.
- Courses in which a grade of B-or lower was earned may not be used for advanced standing.
- Students admitted under the exceptional category may not petition for advanced standing units.
- Undergraduate work must be from an accredited college or university.
Transfer Units
A student may petition for up to 45 units for the M.Div., less any advanced standing units (e.g., 30 units transfer and 15 units advanced standing or any other combination totaling 45 units for the M.Div.), 30 units for the M.A.P.S. and M.A.T.S., and up to 24 units for M.A.Y.M., less any advanced standing units, from other regionally or ATS-accredited graduate degree programs. Units transferred are limited to one-third of an earned master’s degree. A minimum of 45 units for the M.Div., 30 units for the M.A.P.S. and M.A.T.S., and 24 units for the M.A.Y.M., must be completed at C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology.
Additional Degree Requirements
Advancement to Candidacy
In order to advance toward the Master of Divinity degree, the student must attain candidacy by completing 60 units of coursework with a grade-point average of 2.7 or better, including GBBL 500 Elements of Greek Exegesis or a year of Greek or Hebrew, GBBL 511 Seminar in Biblical Interpretation, and 3 units of field education. In addition, students must comply with the following requirements:
- A satisfactory evaluation by the professor of field education and field ministry supervisors
- A satisfactory evaluation of the student’s spiritual and personal growth and skills for ministry development by the faculty
- Approval for candidacy by C.P. Haggard Graduate School of Theology faculty (The faculty may act to grant candidacy and permission to continue studies, or deny candidacy and recommend that the student be dropped from the program.)
All students in the Master of Divinity Program must devote at least 12 hours per week, for the duration of the degree program, to the practice of some form of supervised ministry in an approved church or parachurch field ministry center.
In order to graduate, a student must maintain a 2.7 grade-point average and pass an oral exam during the final semester of study in conjunction with the Philosophy of Ministry requirement.
Time Limit
The Master of Divinity must be completed within 10 years from the date of admission. APU coursework completed more than 10 years prior to completion of degree requirements is not acceptable toward the degree.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many units do I take each quarter/semester?
While there are no minimum or maximum unit requirements, 9 units is considered a full-time schedule.
How long is a semester?
Semesters generally run for 15 weeks.
How many hours does each class session require?
Both once a week classes, which last for 4 hours and 15 minutes, and twice a week classes, which run for 2 hours each, are available.
How many students will there be in my classes?
Most classes will average between 15-18 students.
How many evenings per week do I attend classes?
Classes usually meet once a week, but some are offered twice a week.
Does this program require a thesis, dissertation, or capstone project?
A student’s philosophy of ministry will serve as their master’s thesis.
