The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is a professional degree program for the student who holds a B.A. or its equivalent and whose primary career goals are focused on the pastoral ministry. It can be completed in four years of full-time study. There is a six-year time limit for completing the program that may be extended only by faculty vote.

The Bachelor of Divinity (B.D.) is a degree program for the student who, for whatever reason, does not hold a B.A. or its equivalent. The Bachelor of Divinity degree should not be seen as a substitute for a B.A. Instead, it is a professional graduate degree designed solely to prepare qualified men for the ordained ministry. The course requirements of the B.D. program are identical to the Master of Divinity and can be completed in four years of full-time study. There is a six-year time limit for completing the program that may be extended only by faculty vote.

Traditionally, the man arriving for seminary training had a college liberal arts degree. This meant, among other things, that he had a background in languages (Latin and Greek), logic, rhetoric, and philosophy. For many students this no longer holds true. Faced with this situation and realizing that the classical theological curriculum at gpts presupposes a strong liberal arts background, gpts has added a Foundations or Propædeutic year to fill the knowledge gap. However, recognizing that some students do still come to Seminary with a liberal arts degree, all or part of the Propædeutic year may be waived on the basis of proficiency examinations and one of the following: 1) college transcripts showing comparable course work completed with at least a B average, or 2) distance education/taped classes on those topics with a grade of B or better; or 3) the student may test out of courses.

The chart below gives a concise overview of the divinity curriculum, divided into the departments of theological study. Descriptions of the various departments and courses, as well as a course rotation schedule, may be found in the following section of the Catalog entitled “Course Descriptions.” Two electives of two credit hours each, in any discipline, are required along with the following courses:

M.DIV./B.D. CURRICULUM
	Exegetical Theology - OT	HRS	Systematic Theology	HRS
Total Hours divinity program 124	OT 11 OT Survey	4	ST 11 Intro. to Reformed Theo.	3
	OT 12 Hebrew I	3	ST 31 Prolegomena Theo.	3
	OT 21 Hebrew II	4	ST 32 Man and Sin	3
	OT 23 OT Introduction	3	ST 41 Christ and Salvation	3
	OT 24 Heb. Beginning Exeg.	3	ST 42 Ecclesiology and Polity	4
	OT 31 Heb. Advanced Exeg.	3	ST 44 Eschatology	2
	OT 34 OT Biblical Theology	2
	Total	22	Total	18
	Exegetical Theology - NT	HRS	Applied Theology	HRS
	NT 11 Beginning Greek	3	AT 21 Hermeneutics	3
	NT 12 Intermediate Greek I	2	AT 22 Intro. to Homiletics	3
	NT 14 NT Survey	3	AT 31 Homiletics Practicum I	2
	NT 21 Intermediate Greek II	2	AT 32 Reformed Worship	2
	NT 22 Greek Exegesis I	3	AT 41 Homiletics Practicum II	2
	NT 24 NT Introduction	2	AT 43 Reformed Pastor	3
	NT 31 Greek Exegesis II	3	AT 45 Ref. Evang. & Missions	4
	NT 32 Adv. Biblical Exegesis	3	AT 46 Pastoral Counseling	2
	NT 41 NT Biblical Theology	2	AT 47 Christian Education	2
	Total	23	Total	23
	Historical Theology	HRS	Apologetics and Ethics	HRS
	HT 12 Presbyterian Church	2	AP 11 History of Philosophy	3
	HT 21 Ancient Church	3	AP 12 Intro. to Apologetics	2
	HT 22 Medieval Church	3	AP 13 Rhetoric	3
	HT 31 Reformation Church	4	AP 14 Logic	3
	HT 32 Modern Church	3	AP 22 Advanced Apologetics	2
			AP 42 Ethics	3
			AP 44 Contemporary Theology	3
	Total	15	Total	19

FIELD EDUCATION

As helpful as practical courses may be, they are no substitute for personal experience. Therefore, an integral part of the Divinity program is Field Education. Here, the Seminary works in concert with Presbyterian and Reformed churches to provide a structured training experience for Divinity candidates. The Seminary will make every effort to assist the non-Presbyterian candidates in locating a church of their denomination in which to complete their Field Education requirements. This segment of the Divinity Program is designed specifically to help enable prospective Teaching Elders to complete internship requirements while attending Greenville Seminary. However, it will be the candidates’ responsibility to insure that their work meets the internship requirements of their particular Presbyteries.

The Seminary requires 12 units of field education. This may be met by:

1) at least six semesters of part time work (two hours per week) plus one full time
semester in a church; or
2) three years of full time summer work in a church; or
3) one year of full time work in a church; or
4) two to three years of part time work (depending on number of hours
per week) in a church.

In order to help the students prepare for Field Education, the faculty has determined that all Divinity students must be under care of presbytery prior to the fall semester of their second year and licensed by presbytery prior to the winter/spring semester of their senior year. Also, all students must sign the Field Education contract, choose an intern track, and submit an internship plan by April 30th of their Junior year.

Please see the Seminary’s Field Education Manual for further details.

ADMISSION NOTE:

Those applying to the B.D. program must be at least 30 years old and under the care of a Presbytery or appropriate church governing body. In addition, the Seminary requires from the Candidates Committee of the applicant’s Presbytery or other ecclesiastical body a formal statement of approval and support for the applicant’s enrollment in seminary. Finally, the Seminary requires a personal interview with the B.D. applicant.
Those applying for the M.Div. must hold a B.A. degree or its equivalent. These men normally are expected to be under the care of a Presbytery when applying. Those applying for either Divinity Program must provide three letters of reference: pastoral, character, and academic.

Back to top