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Master of Sacred Theology

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Information for International Students

International students have supplemental application requirements, such as submitting a TOEFL or IELTS score.

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Find your scholarly voice.
Change the world.
In one year.

The Master of Sacred Theology (STM) degree provides advanced study for:

  • Aspiring scholar-teachers preparing for doctoral studies
  • Scholars who wish to deepen their training or engage a new field
  • Ministers who want to enhance their competency in a specific area of study or professional practice
  • A fourth year of preparation for Christian ministry

The STM is an 24-credit degree designed for deepening knowledge, finding one’s scholarly voice and increasing professional competence.

The degree is designed to be completed in one year. Most students complete the degree in two to three semesters depending on the work on their extended paper.

Coursework

In the Master of Sacred Theology degree, students are required to take 24 elective credits of advanced study, 9 credits of which are in the student’s chosen area of study.

Students also complete an extended research paper, emerging from a course taken in the first semester. Students work closely with a faculty mentor to ensure the paper is of high quality and clearly demonstrates the student’s proficiency in the area of study.

Application Requirements

• Application Deadlines:
• Fall – July 15
• Spring – October 1 (International Students) & December 1 (Domestic Students)

• MDiv (or first graduate theological degree providing equivalent theological background, or its educational equivalent) from an accredited theological school.

• Transcripts for all academic study beyond secondary school.

• Academic writing sample demonstrating the applicant’s ability to do graduate level research and composition.

• Two letters of reference from persons qualified to evaluate the applicant’s intellectual competence and promise.

• Statement of purpose, composed by the applicant and explaining the reasons and goals for pursuing the STM degree.

• Although not required, applicants may request interviews with an admissions representative.

Our Faculty

Because the Theological School grants doctoral degrees, our faculty are well-positioned to help students prepare for advanced study and doctoral applications.

Theology and philosophy students work with Catherine Keller and Robert Corrington, who both have national reputations. Keller is a process eco-theologian, and Corrington is known for developing a philosophical system called ecstatic naturalism.

Students from South Korea or other international settings find that studying an extra year beyond their theological education makes them more competitive in the crowded U.S. doctoral program market.

MEET OUR FACULTY