Master of
Divinity
(Chaplaincy)
Support
Others Spiritually
Have you ever needed support on your journey toward Christ? Chaplains are uniquely gifted ministers who specialize in pastoral care, caregiving and supporting others spiritually. A career in chaplaincy opens the door for the Holy Spirit to move through your skills and abilities to personally minister to others in extreme circumstances. While a career in chaplaincy is demanding, it is also highly rewarding and gives you a front-row seat to the Kingdom of God.
Earning your degree in Chaplaincy provides the training and credentials you need to support the faith of others in the military, institutions or organizations. Because of the rigorous demands on chaplains, comprehensive preparation is critical. You want thorough preparation in theology and ministry to handle intense emotional and spiritual situations with grace and humility. To expand your career opportunities, our program fulfills the requirements of an MDiv while providing the specialized education you need.
What to Expect
In our 80-hour program, you will learn to critically, faithfully, and responsibly interpret and apply Scripture in appropriate ministry settings. You will also have the opportunity to develop communal and personal disciplines that nourish your life with God as you rely on Him in your vocation. Through your studies, you will complete one basic unit of Clinical Pastoral Education at the location of your choice as a necessary step to fulfill ACPE/APC requirements to become a Board Certified Chaplain.
Coursework
80 Credit Hours
Institutional chaplaincy recognizes that those preparing to serve as professional chaplains need specialized training. To that end, the Master of Divinity (Chaplaincy) equips aspiring chaplains with a specially tailored skillset that enables them to minister effectively in pluralistic settings like military, hospital, prison, college, long-term care, and cooperative community ministries. The Master of Divinity (Chaplaincy) curriculum provides the requisite credits and areas of study specified by the Association of Professional Chaplains for recognition as Board Certified Chaplains.
Having completed the MDIV (Chaplaincy), students will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical and faithful interpretation and responsible use of Scripture in appropriate ministry and professional settings
- Establish communal and personal disciplines that nourish Christian spiritual and moral formation
- Form a missional vision of kingdom ministry within multi-cultural and multi-faith contexts
- Demonstrate critical theological reflection that is biblically faithful, historically grounded, contextually relevant, and integrated with life and ministry
- Develop ongoing just and moral practices that bear witness to the full scope of the kingdom of God
- Exhibit effective ministry skill sets related to chaplaincy
Summative Coursework
CHP 7790 Capstone Experience for Chaplaincy 1 hour
Spiritual Formation Courses
SPF 5540 Introduction to Spiritual Formation 4 hours
Core Courses
BSG 5501 Engaging Texts and Contexts 3 hours
CHS 5500 Story of the Christian Faith 3 hours
CTH 5520 Christian Theology for the Kingdom of God 3 hours
ETH 5530 Christian Ethics 3 hours
MSS 5501 Kingdom Mission in a Global Community 3 hours
NTS 5511 Introduction to the New Testament 3 hours
OTS 5511 Introduction to the Old Testament (Part 1) 3 hours
OTS 5512 Introduction to the Old Testament (Part 2) 3 hours
Ministry Courses
CLD 6630 Leading the People of God 3 hours
CWP 5512 Worship and the Community of God 3 hours
PCC 5520 Person in Ministry 3 hours
PCC 5530 Pastoral Counseling and Care 3 hours
Chaplaincy Courses
CHP 5501 Introduction to Chaplaincy 3 hours
CHP 6601 Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) Basic Unit 3 hours
CHP 6650 Advanced Ethics for Ministry Practitioners 3 hours
EVG 7726 Navigating the Multi-Faith Context 3 hours
MSS 6613 Cultural Competencies 3 hours
PTS 7794 Independent Study in Pastoral Ministry 3 hours
PCC Elective 9 hours
Elective Courses
4 Open Electives 12 hours
Total Hours 80 hours
Click here to download a PDF of required courses.
You can complete your Master of Divinity (Chaplaincy) coursework online or in-person using any combination of the following modalities:
Attend class live from your location when you connect virtually through a Traditional Access class.
Complete weekly coursework independently online and engage with your professor and peers regularly.
Complete weekly coursework on-demand and join scheduled meetings online with your professor and peers.
Attend class in person less than 50% of the time. Complete the rest of your coursework independently online.
Attend class live and in-person with your professor and peers at our historic campus in Ashland, Oh.
Study with scholars who have decades of real-world ministry experience. Our faculty are called to train faithful followers for effective ministry and are personally invested in you.
Community-Based Learning Opportunity
Do you want to complete your studies in a tight-knit community? Master of Divinity (Chaplaincy) students are eligible to join LIFE 631, a residential, co-curricular program that prioritizes emotional and spiritual formation. Study with others who share your calling.
Hear from Chaplaincy Students
Theological Education You Can Afford
One of your main concerns with theological education may be the costs involved. For a limited time, we’re offering a $6,000 scholarship to the first 100 new students matriculating in fall 2022. In addition, all returning students will receive 15% off the total cost of tuition for fall & spring semesters to ensure you can access the ministry preparation you need.
Request More Information
We’re here to support you as you follow God’s call on your life. When you complete this form, we will personally reach out to discuss our chaplaincy program. We’re here to support you as you discern which path of ministry at Ashland Theological Seminary is right for you.
