Concurrent Master of Divinity / Master of Arts (Theology) Degrees

Students enrolled in the M.Div. program may choose to enroll concurrently in either the Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology (DSPT) M.A. (Theology) program or the Graduate Theological Union (GTU) Common M.A. program. The concurrent program allows students the opportunity to explore in greater depth a theological topic of interest, and/or the relationship between theological topics and ecclesial ministry.

Applicants who wish to enroll in the concurrent program normally begin with the M.Div. coursework, and later apply to the M.A. program during the fourth semester of M.Div. studies. Once accepted into the second program, students work carefully with their advisors to plan a course of studies which ensures fulfillment of the requirements central to each program, including all core, distribution, and concentration requirements.

Both degrees are conferred in their integrity after a four-year course of studies, comprising a total of 108 semester units: 84 units for the M.Div. and 24 units for the M.A. degrees. Students must fulfill the breadth requirements of the respective M.A. program (either DSPT or GTU) according to the guidelines of that program. Normally, this is accomplished by using the course requirements from the M.Div. program to fulfill the breadth requirements of the respective M.A. program, then choosing theology electives in order to fulfill remaining requirements for the M.A. component. In no case can the two degrees be completed in less than four years (eight semesters) of full-time work.

Please consult the M.Div. Course Requirements Checklist for details about the M.Div./M.A. (Theology) course requirements. Please consult the current edition of the GTU MA Program Handbook for details about the M.Div./GTU Common M.A. course requirements. Students in the GTU M.A. should review the GTU Common M.A. Checklist and consult with the GTU M.A. Program Coordinator to ensure that they understand the distribution requirements for the program.

In both cases, students must follow all other program regulations for the completion of their thesis as outlined in the particular M.A. program handbook.

For detailed information on admissions procedures for the Concurrent M.Div / M.A. (Theology) degree program, see the Admissions Section of the website.