Programs of Study
The Divinity School offers several programs in professional theological education. Each is designed with a threefold intent: (1) to foster and demand serious consideration by students of the essential historical substance of Christian faith and tradition; (2) to explore ways of thinking sensitively and constructively about theological issues and the practical, moral, social, and ecclesiastical problems of today’s world; and (3) to provide training and experience promoting the development of effective leadership in the Christian community for the well-being of the persons and societies it serves. Toward these ends a range of opportunities is made available—through instruction, study and research, worship, community-wide reflection, field placements, and informal contacts—to encourage the personal, intellectual, religious, and vocational maturity of each student.
In its programs of study, the Divinity School takes seriously the diversity of its student body. Differences in preparation for theological education are met by a flexibility of curricular requirements to permit students to work at levels commensurate with their individual achievements and capabilities. Differences in interests are met by the breadth and depth of curricular offerings provided in the Divinity School and through other branches of Yale University. Differences in vocational clarity and goals are met by the diversity of curricular options, by exposure to a wide variety of possibilities in field education, and by numerous opportunities to supplement formal programs with noncurricular resources and activities.
Organization of the Curriculum
The curriculum is divided into five main academic areas, along with supervised ministries, the scope and purposes of which may be described briefly as follows:
Area I—Biblical Studies Old Testament, New Testament, and cognate studies.
Area II—Theological Studies Theological studies and Christian ethics.
Area III—Historical Studies Studies in the historical substance of Christian faith and tradition.
Area IV—Ministerial Studies Studies in the work of the church and the various forms of its ministry in the world.
Area V—Comparative and Cultural Studies Studies in religion, philosophy, the arts, personality, and society, including social ethics.
Supervised Ministries Field education, together with theological reflection, in church, social, educational, or clinical ministries.
Degree Requirements
Program for the M.Div. Degree
Requirements
The degree of Master of Divinity (M.Div.) certifies completion of a program of theological studies designed primarily, although not exclusively, to prepare the candidate for ordination to the Christian ministry. The requirements reflect the intention of the School to provide an education that is theologically informed, professionally competent, academically rigorous, and oriented to the life of the church.
Only elementary instruction in Latin, classical and biblical Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ugaritic, and Coptic, which are necessary for reading original texts of the Judeo-Christian tradition, will be accepted for elective credit. Exceptions may be made for students in M.A.R. concentrations for which study of certain other languages is essential. Approval from the academic dean is required. Normally the limit for elementary languages will be twelve hours and further credit will be given only for biblical intermediate languages.
The minimum requirement for the M.Div. degree is the successful completion of seventy-two credit hours, and a three-year residence with the following exceptions:
- 1. Students with heavy responsibilities outside of school are strongly advised to reduce their course load, but the total program of study for the M.Div. degree shall not be expanded beyond six years.
- 2. The residence requirement of three years may be reduced when credits, up to a maximum of twenty-four hours, are transferred. In order to receive the M.Div. degree, students who transfer credits must complete at least two years of resident work at this School, one of which must be the final year.
Students are encouraged to elect courses in other schools or departments of the University. Any student who takes more than nine hours in another school or department of the University comes under the regulations for interdisciplinary study; see Interdisciplinary Study, in chapter on Other Curricular Considerations.
Minimum requirements for graduation include the following distribution of courses in the curriculum:
- Area I Twelve credit hours distributed between Old Testament and New Testament. Elementary Hebrew and Greek do not meet this requirement, but are counted toward the total number of hours needed for graduation.
- Area II Twelve credit hours including at least one course in Theological Studies and one in Christian Ethics. Only three hours toward the Area II requirement may be counted for work listed under Denominational Courses.
- Area III Nine credit hours in Historical Studies, six of which must include REL 700a and REL 700b. Only three hours of Denominational History courses may be counted toward the Area III requirement.
- Area IV Twelve credit hours, including REL 912a.
- Area V Nine credit hours. (The three credit hours of Ethical Studies may be taken in this area rather than Area II.)
- Supervised Ministries Three credit hours.
Assessment Requirement
The M.Div. is a professional degree program, and students are expected to grow in their understanding of their own place in the community of faith, to understand the cultural realities and social settings within which religious communities live and carry out their missions, to grow in emotional maturity, personal faith, moral integrity, and social concern, and to gain capacities for growth in the practice of ministry. It is expected that students engaged in such learning will, during the course of the degree program, gain clarity about their own place in professional ministry—ordained or unordained—within the church or in the broader society.
In order to measure progress toward these goals, M.Div. students—beginning with the class that entered in 2007—are required to participate in a program assessing their progress. Each student builds a portfolio of work that includes significant academic projects, creative projects, and brief essays reflecting on the goals outlined above. This portfolio is developed with the support of faculty advisers and the assistant dean for ministerial studies and assessment. In addition to regular conferences with an assigned academic adviser, students are also required to participate in a midterm evaluation, based on the M.Div. portfolio. That evaluation will normally include the faculty adviser, the assistant dean for ministerial studies and assessment or the director of ministry at Berkeley, and several other professionals acquainted with the student’s work and focus. A written review of that evaluation will be included in the portfolio.
Additional Requirements
Every M.Div. student is required to take one course (three term hours) in a non-Christian religion or one course in the relationship between Christianity and other religions.
All M.Div. students are additionally required to complete a sixteen-hour seminar on preventing ministerial misconduct. This seminar is a prerequisite for both the Part-Time Internship with Practicum and Leadership in Public Ministry.
No course may be counted toward meeting the requirements simultaneously in more than one area or toward meeting more than one of the distributional requirements within a single area.
For students with special and clear vocational plans, the Professional Studies Committee may approve a course of study that differs from the indicated area minimum requirements.
The first year of study should provide general orientation in the various areas of theological education. Toward that end, each first-year student should be present for the orientation program.
Requirements of Supervised Ministries
Students who enroll in the M.Div. program must complete a supervised ministry as part of their degree requirements. Students may elect to meet this requirement in several ways. See Supervised Ministries, in chapter on Other Curricular Considerations. For definitive information about requirements and policies regarding supervised ministries, please consult the Office of Supervised Ministries literature.
Program for the M.A.R. Degree
The degree of Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.) certifies either completion of a comprehensive program of study in preparation for one of the many forms of lay ministry or service, or completion of one of the concentrated programs of advanced study described below.
Only elementary instruction in Latin, classical and biblical Greek, Hebrew, Aramaic, Ugaritic, and Coptic, which are necessary for reading original texts of the Judeo-Christian tradition, will be accepted for elective credit. Exceptions may be made for students in M.A.R. concentrations for which study of certain other languages is essential. Approval from the academic dean is required. Normally the limit for elementary languages will be twelve hours and further credit will be given only for biblical intermediate languages.
The minimum requirement for the M.A.R. degree is the successful completion of forty-eight credit hours and a two-year residence with the following exceptions:
- 1. Students with heavy responsibilities outside of school are strongly advised to reduce their course load, but the total program of study for the M.A.R. degree shall not be expanded beyond four years.
- 2. The residence requirement of two years may be reduced when credits, up to a maximum of twelve hours, are transferred. In order to receive the M.A.R. degree, students who transfer credits must complete at least three terms of resident work at this School, one of which must be the final term.
Students are encouraged to elect courses in other schools and departments of the University. Any student who takes more than nine hours in another school or department of the University comes under the regulations for interdisciplinary; see Interdisciplinary Study, in chapter on Other Curricular Considerations.
Students awarded the M.A.R. degree who continue their studies for the M.Div. degree will not be awarded both degrees for less than four full academic years of study.
Ordinarily the Divinity School will not recommend any student for ordination on the basis of the M.A.R. degree. An exception may be made if requirements for the M.Div. degree have been met but the M.A.R. is elected in preference.
Comprehensive Program
Minimum requirements of the comprehensive M.A.R. program include the following distribution of courses in the curriculum:
- Area I Twelve credit hours. Elementary Hebrew and Greek do not meet this requirement, but are counted toward the total number of hours needed for graduation.
- Area II Nine credit hours.
- Area III Six credit hours.
- Area IV Six credit hours.
- Area V Three credit hours.
- Elective Twelve credit hours.
No course may be counted toward meeting the distributional requirements simultaneously in more than one area. The distributional requirements of the M.A.R. degree are sufficiently flexible that students can devote a significant part of the program to specialized interests.
Concentrated Program
The concentrated M.A.R. program offers the opportunity to pursue advanced work in one of the disciplines of theological study. A minimum of thirty-six credit hours will be devoted to the planned program. The student may choose to use some or all of the remaining twelve credit hours for further concentration. A project, thesis, or major seminar paper is required in some of the programs. In cases where an M.A.R. project is required, the course registration number and title are REL 899, M.A.R. Project. The faculty member who is supervising the project will determine area credit.
The faculty limits the number of applicants accepted into the concentrated programs and reviews the progress of each upon completion of the first term. If progress is not satisfactory, the student becomes responsible for fulfilling the requirements of the comprehensive program.
Programs permitting concentration are offered in Asian Religions; Bible or Judaic Studies; Black Religion in the African Diaspora; Ethics; the History of Christianity; Liturgical Studies; Philosophical Theology and Philosophy of Religion; Religion and the Arts; Theology; Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; and World Christianity/Missions.
Concentration in Asian Religions requires twelve hours of language study and twelve hours of study in Asian religions. The biblical courses, Old Testament and New Testament Interpretation, are required of all candidates as are three hours of ethics, three hours of history, and three hours of philosophy of religion. There are nine hours of electives. At least half of a candidate’s course work must be Yale Divinity School courses.
The concentrated program in Bible requires study of both biblical languages. Twelve credit hours are required in the language chosen for primary emphasis, at least six of which must be in exegesis courses. Six credit hours are required in the secondary language. The foundation courses, Old Testament Interpretation and New Testament Interpretation, or their equivalent, are required. Six credit hours, selected in consultation with an adviser, are taken in the disciplines of Area II or Area III of the curriculum.
The M.A.R. in Judaic Studies at Yale Divinity School is concentrated on the Second Temple and Rabbinic periods (approximately 500 B.C.E. to 500 C.E.). This program is a cooperative one that brings together students and faculty from the Divinity School and from the Department of Religious Studies. The period in question covers the later stages of the Hebrew Bible and the formative period of both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. The centuries between the last books of the Hebrew canon (early second century B.C.E.) and the emergence of both Rabbinic Judaism and Christianity (by the second century C.E.) are especially crucial for the development of both traditions. This program then overlaps the M.A.R. in Bible but is distinguished by its emphasis on non-canonical Jewish material and on the early rabbinic tradition.
The concentration in Black Religion in the African Diaspora is an interdisciplinary program based in the Divinity School curriculum and encourages students to take courses pertinent to African American religious studies in other departments of the University. At least eighteen credit hours must be taken in courses focusing on Black religion, with one course in at least four areas of the curriculum. In addition, six credit hours of foundational study are required in Bible and twelve in history and theology. Although not required, up to six hours of credit may be given for a major paper or project.
Individual programs are planned for each of the students concentrating in Ethics. Ordinarily six credit hours of Bible and twelve in history and theology are required. At least eighteen credit hours must be taken in ethics, and it is possible to plan the program so that primary emphasis is placed on either theological ethics or social ethics. Although not required, up to six hours of credit may be given for a major paper or project. Courses may be taken in other departments of the University (for example, in philosophy, history, political science, sociology) or in another professional school.
The program in the History of Christianity permits concentration in Historical studies with a sequence of courses totaling eighteen credit hours selected for this purpose. Three of these credit hours will be a core course in sources and methods taken by all students, normally in their first semester. An individual program is formulated for each candidate, within these guidelines.
Concentration in Liturgical Studies requires eighteen credit hours of study in the major area, including the introductory core course of the program, REL 782, Foundations of Christian Worship. Students must take nine credit hours of limited electives in liturgical studies, three with an historical focus, three with a theological focus, and three with a strong methodological or practical component. The remaining six credits may be taken as electives, but students are strongly encouraged to seek out a course in their own denominational worship tradition. The remaining thirty credits required for the M.A.R. with a concentration in liturgical studies will be taken in the various areas of study of the Divinity School and Institute of Sacred Music (ISM) curricula, according to a student’s academic interests and professional goals and in consultation with faculty in the area of concentration.
Individual programs are planned for each of the students concentrating in Philosophical Theology and Philosophy of Religion. Eighteen credit hours are required in biblical studies and systematic, historical, or liberation theology, with at least six in each of the two areas. At least eighteen hours must be taken in philosophical theology or philosophy of religion. Courses in the social sciences and in historical and philosophical study of religion may be taken in other departments of the University, especially in religious studies and philosophy.
Students in the Religion and the Arts concentration elect one of three tracks: Literature, Visual Arts, or Music. The emphasis in each track is on history, criticism, and analysis of past and present practice. Each requires twenty-one credits in the area of concentration: in visual arts or music, twelve of these credits must be taken with ISM faculty; in literature, six must be taken with ISM faculty. In addition, at least fifteen credits shall be devoted to general theological studies: six credits in Area I, six credits in Area II, and three credits in Area III. Twelve credits of electives may be taken from anywhere in the University, though the number of electives allowed in studio art, creative writing, or musical performance is at the discretion of the adviser and requires the permission of the instructor. In total, one-half of the student’s course load must be Divinity School credits. An undergraduate major in the field of concentration or its equivalent is required.
The program in Theology permits concentration in theological studies with a sequence of courses totaling eighteen credit hours selected for this purpose. Suggested concentrations are systematic, historical, or liberation theology. The biblical courses, Old Testament Interpretation and New Testament Interpretation, or their equivalent, are required of all candidates, as are six credit hours in the history of Christian theology. Individual programs are designed utilizing these guidelines.
An interdisciplinary program in the context of the Divinity School curriculum is planned for students concentrating in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. At least eighteen credit hours must be taken in feminist studies, with one course in at least four areas of the curriculum. In addition, six credit hours of foundation study are required in Bible and twelve in history and theology. Although not required, up to six hours of credit may be given for a major paper or project. Students may take courses pertinent to women’s studies in other departments of the University.
The concentration in World Christianity/Missions is designed for students who are interested in the historical expansion of Christianity and/or who wish to spend a period of time working with churches and organizations in other countries or who wish to pursue graduate studies in a relevant field. Students are required to take a range of courses dealing with Christianity in its historical, biblical, and theological dimensions as well as Christianity’s interface with culture and with other religions. Students may opt either for Missions or for World Christianity as their emphasis within the concentration. Twelve credits hours are required in the core curriculum of each emphasis. For either emphasis, six credit hours in foundational courses in Biblical Studies are required as are six credit hours of work in theology and/or ethics and six credit hours in the history of Christianity. There are six credit hours of electives. If a student opts for the Missions emphasis, he/she will take a minimum of six credit hours in one of four geographic area studies programs of the University (Latin American, African, East Asian, or Southeast Asian Studies) as well as six credit hours in World Christianity. Relevant courses in the other departments of the University may also be included after consultation with the adviser. For those emphasizing World Christianity within the concentration, six credit hours in Missions are required as well as six credit hours in World Religions. Students may also opt for a major research writing project as part of their course requirement in consultation with their adviser.
Extended Degree Program
An extended degree program is offered for selected students in the concentrated M.A.R. programs. This allows students to take additional courses during a third academic year in the program.
No more than fifteen students will be admitted to this program each year. An application for admission to the extended degree program must include both a statement explaining why the student wishes to extend a concentrated M.A.R. program and a letter of recommendation from at least one faculty member in the field in which the degree program is concentrated. Applicants will be selected by a committee appointed by the academic dean; the committee shall consist of one faculty member from each teaching group related to a concentrated M.A.R. program.
Applications for admission to the extended concentrated M.A.R. program are due by October 15 of the third term of a student’s concentrated M.A.R. program. Admission decisions will be announced by November 1 of that term.
Program for the S.T.M. Degree
Graduates of theological schools of recognized standing who have obtained the B.D. or M.Div. degree or the equivalent may be admitted to a program of studies leading to the Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree.
The work for this degree may be regarded as a fourth year of preparation for the Christian ministry. It may be used for advanced training for a specialized form of Christian service such as a college or university ministry; chaplaincy in industry, institutions, and the armed services; urban or inner-city ministry; ecumenical leadership; the directing of continuing education; home missions; foreign missions; or ministry to the elderly. The S.T.M. program may also be used as a year of specialized work in one of the theological disciplines or as preparation for doctoral studies. The schedule of courses may involve offerings in other schools or departments of the University. Elementary courses in biblical languages, Latin, or in contemporary foreign languages may not be credited toward S.T.M. degree requirements. Such courses can, however, be recorded on student transcripts.
Each candidate is required to plan, submit for approval, and pursue an integrated program designed to serve one of the purposes stated above, and a minimum of three-fourths of the courses taken must be related to a designated field of concentration. However, candidates who use the program as a general preparation for ministry may request a waiver of the normal requirements that there be a specific area of concentration and that the written project be related to this field.
A candidate for the S.T.M. degree must complete the equivalent of at least twenty-four credit hours of graduate study beyond the B.D., M.Div., or equivalent degree. Only course work graded High Pass or above is credited toward the S.T.M. degree. A thesis, major paper in a regular course, or other acceptable project in the selected field of study is required. The option of a Credit/No Credit grade does not apply to the S.T.M. degree.
The work for the degree may be undertaken in one year, or distributed over two, three, or four years; it must be completed within four years after matriculation. In the case of students who wish to extend their studies, nine credit hours is the minimum course load that can be regarded as a full-time program of study. Normally no work taken prior to matriculation will be counted toward the degree nor will credit be transferred from other schools unless approval to utilize a course to be taken elsewhere has been given in advance. Students will not receive financial aid for course work beyond the requirements. International students are permitted to take three terms to complete their S.T.M. degree.
An extended paper, an independent thesis, or a project in the candidate’s area of concentration is required for the S.T.M. degree. Extended papers are written in conjunction with the regular requirements for courses credited toward the S.T.M. degree. Candidates who choose to write theses or pursue projects must register for one or two semesters of REL 999, S.T.M. Thesis or Project, three credit hours per term. Projects are restricted to programs focusing on some aspect of ministerial practice. Candidates must present a proposal stipulating which of these three options they intend to pursue. The proposal must be approved in advance by the academic adviser, the adviser chosen to direct the thesis or project, and the director of S.T.M. studies. Normally the adviser who directs the thesis or project will also serve as academic adviser. A thesis, project, or extended paper must demonstrate independent research and critical inquiry.
The length of manuscripts submitted to satisfy the S.T.M. thesis or project requirement will vary, depending on the subject matter. In conceptual fields a one-term thesis or project report will normally be 50–60 pages long; a two-term thesis or project report, 100–120 pages. In text-based fields shorter theses may be more appropriate. Candidates must submit a completed thesis or project report by the specified deadlines set for an academic year. Two copies are required, one for the faculty adviser and a second for an additional faculty reader. Candidates producing a thesis must also provide a third copy for the Divinity Library. If both faculty readers judge a thesis or project to be distinguished or of exceptional quality, such distinction will be recorded on the candidate’s transcript.
After an S.T.M. thesis has been approved by faculty readers, and prior to 5 p.m., May 10, 2010, a candidate must provide one correct copy to be microfilmed for the Divinity Library. This copy must be presented to the Registrar’s Office unbound and in final form. It must have a title page, be free of typographical errors, and employ an acceptable literary style, including standard forms for references. (Recommended manuals include the MLA Style Sheet; The Chicago Manual of Style; Kate Turabian, A Manual for Writers of Term Papers; The Random House Handbook; or The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient, Near Eastern, Biblical, and Early Christian Studies.) Candidates will receive a form in regard to microfilming and copyright, to be submitted to the library with the final copy of the thesis.
An extended paper is written in conjunction with regular requirements for a course in which a candidate is currently enrolled or which the candidate has previously completed. An extended paper should normally exceed the usual requirement for a term paper by one third to fifty percent. The manuscript submitted will be evaluated only by the instructor of the course, and the only grade recorded will be the grade for the course. As a rule, extended papers will not be deposited in the library. However, an instructor may recommend the submission and microfilming of a paper of exceptional quality. The final decision on this matter will involve the judgments of a second reader and the director of S.T.M. studies.
Nondegree Students
Persons who desire to take courses at the Divinity School not leading to a degree may apply to be nondegree students. Normally, these students are persons pursuing graduate work at another institution who need to take a specific Divinity School course, or are persons with graduate theological degrees who wish to take a course for professional development. Upon application, students will be given the opportunity to explain how their course of study relates to the nature, purpose, and educational resources of the school (see Nondegree Programs, in chapter on Admission). Nondegree students can be admitted to Yale Divinity School for one academic year during which they may take up to four courses. Upon request to the associate dean of admissions, and with the approval of the dean of academic affairs, an individual’s nondegree status may be extended for an additional year. Nondegree students may not request reading courses or directed studies programs. University courses outside the Divinity School are not available to them. A few specified courses at the Divinity School may not be open to nondegree students when the nature or size of the course requires that it be restricted to degree candidates. Nondegree students must adhere to the same policies and regulations of the School as degree students.
Successful completion of a course is noted on the student’s transcript, and transcripts will be mailed to other institutions upon request. If the student desires to enroll for a degree, the regular admission procedure must be followed. After admission as a degree candidate, students may petition the Professional Studies Committee for an evaluation of the work they did as nondegree students. The maximum number of courses that can be accepted from work done as a nondegree student at the Divinity School is eight courses toward the M.Div. or the M.A.R. (concentrated or comprehensive) degree requirements and four courses toward the S.T.M. degree.
Yale Institute of Sacred Music
The Yale Institute of Sacred Music, an interdisciplinary graduate center, educates leaders who foster, explore, and study engagement with the sacred through music, worship, and the arts in Christian communities, diverse religious traditions, and public life. Partnering with the Yale School of Music and Yale Divinity School, as well as other academic and professional units at Yale, the Institute prepares its students for careers in church music and other sacred music, pastoral ministry, performance, and scholarship. The Institute’s curriculum integrates the study and practice of religion with that of music and the arts. With a core focus on Christian sacred music, the ISM builds bridges among disciplines and vocations and makes creative space for scholarship, performance, and practice.
The Institute was established in 1973 by a gift from the Irwin-Sweeney-Miller Foundation of Columbus, Indiana. The chairman of the board of the foundation, Mrs. Robert S. Tangeman, described the Institute as a place where “the function of music and the arts in Christianity will receive new strength through the preparation and training of individual musicians, ministers, and teachers who understand their calling in broad Christian terms and not exclusively within the limits of their disciplines.”
The Institute of Sacred Music is a vibrant community of 100 students, faculty, and staff. Students admitted to the Institute are also admitted to either the Yale School of Music or Yale Divinity School (or both), from which they receive their degrees. Students pursuing music degrees receive rigorous conservatory training in choral conducting, organ, or voice, and will typically go on to careers in church music, public performance, or teaching. Students who pursue degrees in divinity with an emphasis in liturgy or religion and the arts may join the ordained ministry or pursue careers in the academy, in the arts, or in public service.
The ISM certificate that students receive at graduation signifies that the core curriculum of the chosen degree path has been enriched and deepened through study with the renowned interdisciplinary Institute faculty. For example, music students will learn about the theological and liturgical roots of the sacred music they perform. They study the historical context and meanings of the texts used, and they learn about the modern contexts in which this repertoire appears, whether in liturgies or on the concert stage.
Likewise, divinity students learn to make connections between theological concepts and artistic expression. They look at the historical roots and aesthetic constructions of the art and liturgies they study. Institute graduates who enter the pastoral ministry do so having gained a broad concept of music, worship, and the arts, and having experienced the lively worship life in many of Yale’s chapel programs, including Marquand, Berkeley, and Battell.
At the heart of the Institute’s program is the weekly Colloquium, a lively interdisciplinary course attended by all ISM faculty and students. Faculty and guest speakers lecture in the fall on topics pertinent to the primary fields represented in the ISM: worship, music, and the arts. In their final year, students present a project which is the culmination of work done with another ISM student outside their own discipline. In Colloquium, students and faculty explore the ways in which music and the arts function within diverse Christian liturgical practices. The Institute serves to promote understanding of biblical texts as proclaimed in community, and the unique sense of identity the arts provide for worshipers in a variety of faith traditions. The Institute sponsors biannual study tours abroad with the goal of obtaining a wealth of experiences in seeing, hearing, and learning firsthand in that particular culture. In 2004 the destination was Scandinavia; in 2006 the Institute traveled to Mexico. In 2008 the ISM traveled to the Balkans and in 2010 it goes to Germany.
Institute students receive a full-tuition scholarship and have the opportunity to compete for additional grants and merit awards. As a major arts presenter in New Haven, the Institute sponsors over eighty events attended by more than 15,000 people throughout the year, including recitals, concerts, liturgies, poetry readings, films, art exhibits, symposia, and conferences.
The Institute of Sacred Music proudly builds upon the heritage of its parent organization, the Union School of Sacred Music in New York City. Now, uniquely situated in one of the world’s great research universities, the ISM is a global center for the liturgical and religious arts.
Applicants must complete a separate ISM Application for Admission to apply to the Institute of Sacred Music. If a student wishes to be considered also for admission to the Divinity School alone, he or she needs to complete that application as well. Institute students are chosen from a highly competitive pool so that there is a balance within the Institute of those pursuing studies in liturgics, religion and the arts, and ministry (approximately one-third in each area).
More information regarding the Institute may be found on the Web site at www.yale.edu/ism; or the Bulletin may be obtained by writing directly to the Institute of Sacred Music, 409 Prospect Street, New Haven CT 06511-2167; by phone to 203.432.9753; or by sending an e-mail to ism.admissions@yale.edu.
Studies in Religion and the Arts
The Institute’s curriculum in Religion and the Arts consists of courses in literature (poetry, prose, drama, and creative writing), in the history of art and architecture, and in the history and theology of music. These courses are meant to help students become aware of the rich artistic heritage of the church and the role of the arts in contemporary ministry. Students may elect to pursue a concentrated Master of Arts degree in Religion and the Arts, choosing as a major focus either the visual arts or literature or music. They are encouraged to explore courses in other areas of the University in these disciplines and to process this work theologically at the Divinity School. From time to time, art exhibitions, special symposia, and other events open to the University community are sponsored by the Religion and the Arts program.
Liturgical Studies
The Institute places a strong emphasis on liturgical studies. The appointment of four members of the faculty in this discipline makes Yale one of the outstanding centers of graduate liturgical study in the United States. Courses taught by the liturgy faculty are open to all students, whether or not they are in the Institute. Likewise, all students are free to consider enrolling in the Master of Arts in Religion concentration in liturgy, providing that their academic background has prepared them for this rigorous course.
Studies in Sacred Music and the Joint-Degree Program
Students in the Institute whose primary interest is in music performance are enrolled through the School of Music as majors in organ, choral conducting, or vocal performance (early music, oratorio, and chamber ensemble). Their degree programs are the Master of Music, Master of Musical Arts, and Doctor of Musical Arts, as well as the Artist Diploma. Many also elect to undertake secondary study in harpsichord, voice, piano, and other areas.
Through the joint Institute/Divinity School course of study, the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Religion, and Master of Sacred Theology degrees are granted. A joint-degree program with the School of Music is available whereby a candidate can earn both the Master of Arts in Religion and the Master of Music in three years. Normally, it is necessary for students to make application to one or the other degree program, and then, if accepted, to apply to the other program in their first year at Yale.
Students enrolled in the Divinity School, whether or not they are ISM students, may study a musical instrument by signing up for an audition at the School of Music at the start of the fall term. The cost of lessons is adjusted yearly.
