Requirements
Below are the admission standards for each of the School of Divinity's degree programs. For specific information about the degree programs themselves, please visit the Academics section of the School of Divinity web site.
| Master of Arts | Master of Divinity | |
| Doctor of Ministry | Doctor of Philosophy | Pastors' Lifelong Learning Program |
Master of Arts (M.A.) and Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
Admission to the Master of Arts or Master of Divinity degree programs requires a completed four-year bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited, post-secondary institution or an institution accredited via approved Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) listed accrediting bodies. Applicants with a bachelor's degree from a non-regionally accredited institution will be considered on an individual basis. Applicants may have a bachelor's degree in any field.
The following criteria are considered of applicants to the School of Divinity's graduate-level programs:
- High intellectual achievement and scholarship as evidenced by college transcripts and the applicant's writing sample
- Spiritual maturity and integrity of character
- Personal goals consistent with the mission of Regent University
The School of Divinity encourages applications from men and women of all Christian church traditions, denominations and national and ethnic origins. Read more about our mission, core values, statement of faith and distinctives in the 'About Us' section.
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Applicants to the Doctor of Ministry program normally must have a completed Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree from an ATS accredited, graduate institution. Ordination is desirable. Applicants from non ATS accredited schools will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Note: Those interested in the program who have a Master of Arts but no M.Div. may wish to consider the Advanced Courses in Theological Studies (A.C.T.S.) as a prerequisite for application. D.Min. students may only enter the program during the fall semester.
The School of Divinity encourages applications from men and women of all Christian church traditions, denominations and national and ethnic origins. Read more about our mission, core values, statement of faith and distinctives in the 'About Us' section.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
Admission to the Doctor of Philosophy degree program normally requires a completed M.Div. degree from an ATS accredited, graduate institution, or a first graduate theological degree providing equivalent theological background, or its educational equivalent (ordinarily a seminary/theological master's degree [e.g., M.A., MRE, MACE] enhanced by additional credits in biblical, theological/historical and pastoral/practical studies, with a total of 72 credit hours). Normally a GPA of 3.50 on a 4.00 grading scale in previous graduate work is required.
Students will be required to competently use the language(s) in which relevant primary texts are written, as well as those in which there is important secondary material during both their course of studies and their dissertation research. This includes at least one ancient and one or more modern languages.
The School of Divinity encourages applications from men and women of all Christian church traditions, denominations and national and ethnic origins. Read more about our mission, core values, statement of faith and distinctives in the 'About Us' section.
Pastors' Lifelong Learning Program
The Pastors' Lifelong Learning Program is designed for full-time, paid, pastoral staff members serving in a church. To be eligible, pastors must have a four-year degree from an accredited undergraduate institution. More details for the Pastors' Lifelong Learning Program »