The MDiv program is designed to be rooted in the student’s primary community.  Foundational to Carey’s philosophy of learning and ministry is the conviction that preparation for ministry is most effective when located in the local church and in relationship with the neighbourhood and the world.  The educational philosophy of the College affirms the willingness to continue to grow and learn in one’s own place of life and ministry.

The MDiv program seeks a common set of graduate capacities: biblical knowledge, theological understanding, knowledge of the Christian heritage, personal and relationship maturity, spiritual formation, prophetic and priestly orientation, and congregational and community leadership.

MDiv program booklet

Upcoming Course Information

Schedule of Courses and Descriptions

Application Forms

Tuition & Fees (current) Tuition & Fees (starting April 2012)

The Master of Divinity is also offered with a concentration in North American Chinese Church Ministries (NACCM) to provide contextualized training for leadership in the trilingual (Mandarin, Cantonese and English) and "bicultural" (Chinese & Western) North American Chinese Christian communities.  This concentration is designed to help students learn, reflect, dialogue and integrate the larger historic Christian tradition with the specific North American Chinese church context at both the theological and practical level.

道學碩士課程同時提供主修北美華人教會事工之選擇。北美華人教會事工主修的學制為六十學分核心科目及十二學分北美華人教會事工主修科目。

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MASTER OF DIVINITY COURSE REQUIREMENTS

To earn the MDiv degree, each student must complete the Graduate Studies Orientation and 72 credits of study. In order to ensure an appropriate educational community, one year of full time academic study (8 courses/24 credits) shall be completed as hybrid (partly online and partly onsite) courses, with the onsite component on location at the College. These 8 courses normally will be offered in four-day modules. The other 48 credits are offered in online format. Both online and hybrid courses are paced over 12 weeks.

The MDiv program is comprised of the following courses:

NOTES: All courses run for 12 weeks except for APPL 690 Supervised Ministry which runs over 11 months. HIST 562 Baptist Identity is a requirement for students anticipating professional ministry in Canadian Baptists of Western Canada Churches. Other students may take an their own demoninational history course instead.

MDIV COURSE SEQUENCING
(for students entering Fall 2012 and planning to complete the MDiv within 3 years)

The following are recommendations for course sequencing to complete the MDiv degree over 3 years and over 4 years respectively.  The course schedule shown below is intended for illustration only, and is subject to change.  All students in the Master of Divinity degree program are advised to consult wiht the Registrar's office regarding their course selection, at the start of their program and whenever any changes arise.

MDIV COURSE SEQUENCING
(for students entering Fall 2012 and planning to complete the MDiv within 4 years)

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Admission will be granted to those persons who fulfill the following requirements:

• A recognized Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution
• A letter of affirmation from the church where the applicant is a member.
• A minimum of B- average (2.70 GPA) in undergraduate studies.
• A completed application form submitted to the Office of the Registrar with application fee and prospectus.  A current personal photograph is requested but is not required.
• Two completed personal confidential reference forms, one of which must be from the pastor of the church in which the applicant is a member, sent directly to the college.  If the applicant is a pastor, then a letter from a denominational or congregational leader will be suitable.
• Official transcripts from all schools attended or a notarized letter accompanying a copy of the original transcript must be submitted.
• The applicant must be perceived to be mature in character, showing an aptitude for ministry.
• A limited number of students who are older than the age of 30 ears, and who do not possess an undergraduate degree to meet the academic requirements of the MDiv program may be granted admission as Mature Students.  Admission is dependent upon a detailed Prior Learning Assessment of the applicant's knowledge, Christian service, life experience, and capacity for theological study at the graduate level.
• As with Provisional Students, an assessment of the academic work of Mature Students will be conducted by the Admissions Committee following the completion of 15 credit hours (5 foundational courses) which will lead to either full admission into the program or denial of access to further studies at Carey.
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit satisfactory results in an approved language test (TOEFL, available from Education Testing Service (www.ets.org).  Carey's TOEFL number is 5981.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS:

In order to graduate from Carey Theological College with the Master of Divinity degree, a candidate must have completed the following requirements:

• 72 credit hours of study under the supervision of the Registrar
• All assignments successfully completed
• Attendance and participation at the MDiv Graduate Studies Orientation
• All courses credited to the degree of Master of Divinity from other colleges, schools, seminaries and training programs approved with official transcripts
• Maintained a 2.70 GPA (B-) minimum
• All due accounts with Carey Theological College paid in full

REGULATIONS

• Students who have already completed theological studies at an accredited graduate school may be granted up to 36 transfer credits for that work. Such credit will be given only for courses considered relevant to Carey’s MDiv program and of equivalent academic standard: A minimum grade of B- (or a Pass in a Pass/Fail course). Transfer credit from non-accredited institutions is not normally given. Requests for transfer of credits previously earned from other institutions must be made at the time of application to the program.
• A maximum of 6 credit hours of guided study programs may be completed for credit, subject to the approval of the Registrar. Note that required courses will not be offered in the form of guided studies.
• All students are required to complete the 6-credit Supervised Ministry course (6 credits), which is an 11-month practicum
• It should be noted that both the required and elective courses can be changed by Senate decision without public notice.
• If, after a 3-year period of inactivity, a Master of Divinity student has not completed a course, that student will be removed from the program. An appeal for an exception may be made by the student to the college administration through the Office of the Registrar.
• The degree of Master of Divinity is granted by the Carey Theological College Senate, upon recommendation of the President or appointee of Carey Theological College.  Normally, it is awarded to the student publicly at graduation, annually in May.

AFFIRMATION FOR MINISTRY

The Affirmation for Ministry designation is an affirmation of a student’s call to and preparation for ministry and is in addition to the MDiv degree that is granted by Carey Theological College. This affirmation expresses the conviction that preparation for ministry involves growth in all dimensions of life, including the academic, spiritual, personal, social, and vocational. The granting [or withholding] of the designation is the result of a process of discernment that engages Carey faculty, students, and others over the course of a student’s program at Carey. The aim of this process is to identify and encourage the student’s gifts for ministry and to prepare the student for a lifetime of faithful and joyful ministry. The faculty of Carey recognizes that ministry is empowered by grace and that readiness for ministry is different for each student, but this recognition accompanies the conviction that readiness for ministry also entails commitment, discipline and excellence. Suitability for ministry is also part of the discernment process and the faculty reserves the right to withhold affirmation if a student is considered to be unfit or unsuitable for ministry.

Admission:  The process of discernment begins with the student’s application and reference, where attention focuses on the student’s call to and preparation for ministry. Both the student and the student’s referees are asked to identify areas of strength and weakness that will require attention during the student’s education.

Stage 1/Credits 1-36   The process of discernment continues at the student’s orientation to the Master of Divinity program, making use of the Profile of Ministry Stage 1 tool and a variety of other testing tools.  Each student will have the opportunity to discuss their goals with the Director of Supervised Ministry and with their faculty advisor to review goals and discern progress. Students who have identified the denomination or organization in which they expect to serve also should be in regular contact with their judicatory body.  Progression from the first to the second stage involves an assessment process that is shared by the student and the faculty.

Stage 2/Credits 37-72   The second stage of the MDiv program involves the faculty, persons involved with the student in the Supervised Ministry program, the Profile of Ministry Stage 2 indicator, and, of course, the student’s own continued discernment.  The fruit of the shared discernment process will result in the faculty’s granting (or withholding) of the Affirmation for Ministry.  The granting or withholding of the Affirmation is noted on each student’s final transcript. Should the Affirmation be withheld and a student wishes to appeal, the student should follow the appeal process outlined in the College catalogue.  Students are urged to be active participants in this process and to see it as an equipping and enabling process. They are encouraged to enter into continuous conversation with the faculty, staff, and students of Carey about their preparation for ministry.

GRADUATE STUDIES ORIENTATION

All new MDiv students are required to attend the Graduate Studies Orientation, held annually in September.  The scheduled date in 2011 is September 19 & 20. The Graduate Studies Orientation introduces the learning objectives of the degree program and prepares students to re-enter the academic world while remaining involved in practical ministry.  It provides a foundation for the process of discernment of ministry gifts and skills, and the deepening of Christian character, which are integral to readiness for ministry.  Various assessment tools are a part of this process.

The Orientation is followed immediately by a four-day on-site course, SPIR 500 Spiritual Formation. It is recommended that all students attending Orientation plan to take the SPIR 500 intensive also.

Note to students from Canadian Baptists of Western Canada Churches anticipating professional ministry:

Students who wish to be placed with Canadian Baptists of Western Canada churches or its ministries, or who wish to apply to Canadian Baptist Ministries should identify themselves to the President of Carey Theological College.  The President will provide further current information regarding the process toward:

• recognition as a "Ministerial Student" (as well as validation for assistance from student aid funds)
• entering into the Graduate Internship Program
• becoming a candidate for ordination