Yale Divinity School-Prospective Students

Academics

Yale Divinity School offers several programs in professional theological education. Each is designed with a threefold intent:

To foster and demand serious consideration by students of the essential historical substance of Christian faith and tradition.
To explore ways of thinking sensitively and constructively about theological issues and the practical, moral, social, and ecclesiastical problems of today’s world.
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 non-curricular resources and activities.

For more information on academics at Yale Divinity School please visit our 2009-2010 Online Bulletin.

You may also download the Bulletin as a PDF file.

Programs of Study:

Yale Divinity School offers three degree programs:

Master of Divinity (M.DIV.), a three-year curriculum designed primarily to prepare candidates for ordination to the Christian ministry.
Master of Arts in Religion (M.A.R.), either a comprehensive two-year program of preparation for one of the many forms of lay ministry or service, or a concentrated two- or three-year program of advanced study in a particular area of theological study.
Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.), a program for graduates of theological schools of recognized standing who have already obtained the B.D. or M.DIV. degree and who desire an additional year of advanced study.

In pursuit of these degrees, YDS students are also eligible to enroll in relevant courses offered by other schools and departments of Yale, one of the leading research universities in the nation. In addition, the extensive resources of the entire Yale library system are available to YDS students. The Divinity School's own library is one of the world's outstanding collections, with particular strengths in Bible, theology, and missions.

Berkeley Divinity School at Yale, one of the 11 seminaries of the Episcopal Church, and the Yale Institute of Sacred Music are Yale Divinity School's partner institutions and offer special programs in collaboration with YDS.

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.

Non-Degree students

Persons who desire to take courses at the Divinity School not leading to a degree may apply to be non-degree 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. Non-degree 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 non-degree status may be extended for an additional year. Non-degree 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 non-degree students when the nature or size of the course requires that it be restricted to degree candidates. Non-degree 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 non-degree students. The maximum number of courses that can be accepted from work done as a non-degree 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.

Joint Degree Programs

Joint degrees are offered with several other schools at the University, including Law, the School of Management, Medicine, Nursing, Public Health, and Forestry & Environmental Studies. Joint degree programs have also been set up with several other universities in Connecticut and New York for the study of social work.

International Exchange Programs

Non-degree exchange programs have been initiated between Yale Divinity School and Cambridge University, England and German universities in Heidelburg, Freiburg, and Tubingen, as well as with Trinity Theological College in Singapore and the Chinese University of Hong Kong.

Summer Term

Every June YDS hosts a summer term session over three weeks, offering week-long courses that many participants use for continuing education credit. In addition, each summer YDS offers intensive courses in Elementary Biblical Hebrew and Elementary New Testament Greek.

Cooperative M.Div Program with Hartford Seminary

Hartford Seminary has a cooperative agreement with Yale Divinity School. This cooperative program allows qualified Master of Arts (M.A.) students to begin their studies at Hartford Seminary and, if accepted to proceed to the cooperating seminary (YDS) to pursue a Master of Divinity (M.Div) degree. Students may take advantage of this special cooperative relationship and agreement by following the process and procedure outlined on the Hartford Seminary web site.