Harvard Divinity School

Harvard Divinity School is a nonsectarian school of religious and theological studies that educates students both in the pursuit of the academic study of religion and in preparation for leadership in religious, governmental, and a wide range of service organizations.

HDS offers four degree programs: a Master of Divinity (MDiv) known for its multireligious approach and a curriculum that marries intellectual rigor with real world leadership training; a Master of Theological Studies (MTS) distinguished both by the diversity and by the interdisciplinary nature of its areas of focus; a Master of Religion and Public Life (MRPL) designed for experienced professionals who wish to develop in-depth knowledge of the complex ways religion influences public life related to their career areas; and a Master of Theology (ThM) for students who seek to gain additional competence for the ministry beyond that provided by the master of divinity degree.

Master of Divinity (MDiv):

Recognizing that the world is a religiously plural place, MDiv students of many faith communities, as well as students who are not religious, study side by side in order to foster a greater understanding of interreligious dialogue and work. The uniqueness of the HDS MDiv experience lies in the belief that to be a learned minister it is imperative both to study one's own religious tradition and to be exposed to others. MDiv students at HDS learn to let the knowledge gained in one's setting—a classroom or hospital or congregation, for example—inform and enhance the knowledge gained in another. Graduating MDiv students leave HDS with a toolkit that prepares them to serve within a religious community, to explore the spiritually formative dimension of intellectual work, to evaluate and act on the needs and questions of religious communities and beyond, and to speak with both a pastoral and a public voice.

This three-year full-time degree program is for those preparing for ordained or lay ministry and leadership in congregations and other religious communities, ministries in social service, hospital and prison chaplaincy, interfaith ministry on college campuses, and teaching and scholarship, as well as a range of other service-oriented leadership roles. Ministry is broadly defined at HDS, and there are a number of students in the program who do not identify with a particular religious tradition. Students in the MDiv program learn to work at the intersections of the academic study of religion and the practices of religious communities, the past and the present, classroom study and field study, and the convictions and practices of their own religious tradition and the convictions and practices of traditions other than their own.

Master of Theological Studies (MTS):

The MTS program is a two-year full-time degree that enables students to explore deeply and broadly the languages, literatures, thought, institutions, practices, normative claims, and structures of a variety of theological fields and religious traditions. It also enables students to think critically, with sophistication and self-awareness, about the scholarly study of these concepts and traditions. Eighteen areas of focus allow for diverse educational interests and vocational goals; in addition, students have the opportunity to design their own area in consultation with their advisor and the curriculum committee chair. The program may be preparatory work for a doctoral program in religion or related discipline, or as a means to approach another field or profession, such as law, journalism, public policy, education, arts, or medicine, from a perspective enriched by theological study.

The MTS degree provides knowledge of a wide range of academic disciplines related to the study of religion. The School expects graduates to articulate deep understanding of at least one major religious tradition, demonstrate broad familiarity with other religious traditions, theories, and methodological approaches, and be able to explain the ways that knowledge of religion is shaped by other human and societal factors. The course requirements for the MTS are extremely flexible.

Master of Religion and Public Life (MRPL):

Religions have functioned throughout human history to inspire and justify the full range of human agency, both for good and for ill. The widespread failure to understand the power of religion in human experience fuels bigotry and prejudice, leads to conflicts and crises, and hinders cooperative endeavors. To mitigate these consequences, there is an urgent need to promote a more sophisticated understanding of religion in public life.

The Master of Religion and Public Life (MRPL) is a one-year graduate degree program designed for experienced professionals who wish to develop in-depth knowledge of the complex ways religion influences public life related to their career areas. The MRPL degree provides an opportunity for mid-career journalists, government officials, humanitarian aid workers, educators, artists, health care professionals, lawyers, and other practitioners to become leaders in their fields who can help foster a better public understanding of religion and address the religious dimensions of some of the most difficult issues of our time. 

Master of Theology (ThM):

The ThM program affords an opportunity for students who have received the master of divinity degree or its equivalent (three years of graduate theological study) to pursue advanced theological studies for one year. The program is especially recommended for students who seek to gain additional competence for the ministry beyond that provided by the master of divinity degree. It is equally appropriate for those who, after some years in ministry, teaching, or another field, wish to return to a theological institution to clarify their thinking, to prepare themselves for new tasks, or to acquire further competence in a specific area of study.

This one-year program offers 18 areas of focus, and includes course work, a language requirement, and an oral examination requirement. It is strongly recommended that applicants to the ThM have prior knowledge of the language they plan to use to meet the language requirement.