UMC Requirements
Wesley Theological Seminary is a University Senate-Approved Seminary
We can help guide you on your United Methodist ministry journey.
We have briefly listed the General Board of Higher Education & Ministry requirements with Wesley’s offerings:
Deacons may receive a Master of Divinity (M.Div.), or they may obtain a Master’s degree in their work field plus 27 theological study hours as outlined on the GBHEM website.
Elders need a Master of Divinity from an approved seminary.
For those students seeking ordination and commissioning as a deacon or elder in The United Methodist Church, many of the required foundational courses for the M.Div. degree will fulfill the UMC requirements in accordance with the Book of Discipline 2012.
Local pastors complete the Five-Year Course of Study offered at Wesley. Learn more about Wesley's Course of Study Program here.
The United Methodist Church will have their next General Conference, May 5 – 15, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Convention Center. Register beginning March 9th for the 2020 General Conference course WTS-CM-571-0-2020S General Conference 2020, a 2 credit course, held 2 Saturday classes in April; & requires attendance at General Conference May 5-15. The purpose of this course is to share information about the 2020 General Conference.
Information about the General Conference and housing arrangements is available via these links: https://gc2020welcome.org/stay/ www.generalconference.org
Questions? Email Admissions@wesleyseminary.edu
Wesley has partnered with Pfeiffer University in North Carolina to provide deacon education and ordination for people of The United Methodist Church in the Southeast Jurisdiction via the Center for Deacon Education. This unique program focuses on deacon ordination, covering all of the Basic Graduate Theological Studies courses during a two-year cycle.
Courses are taught during the Fall and Spring semesters, as well as during January and May intensive terms, at the Pfeiffer campus in Charlotte, NC. Students admitted to the Center for Deacon Education are considered non-degree students in full standing and may take any Master’s level course at Wesley’s Washington, D.C. campus or online offerings for credit.
*Students in the Center for Deacon Education at Pfeiffer University in North Carolina must be admitted as a nondegree student at Wesley prior to beginning courses toward Basic Graduate Theological Studies.
Course of Study School
The Course of Study School is an experiential year round learning process for licensed local pastors in the United Methodist Church. Course of Study is managed directly by the General Board of Higher Education in Nashville, TN.
Wesley Theological Seminary is the Regional School for the Northeast Jurisdiction. We administrate programs on our campus in Washington DC as well as satellite programs in Philadelphia and the New England Annual Conference.
Partner United Methodist Studies
Wesley offers United Methodist (UM) Studies to students at other seminaries throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Master’s level courses in Bible, church history, mission, theology, worship, UM polity, history, doctrine and evangelism are required for ordination and must be taken at a seminary approved by the United Methodist Senate.
Through several partnerships with non-UM seminaries, Wesley’s curriculum is available to United Methodist students on a non-degree basis. Learn more here.
United Methodist Studies for Partner School Students: This includes but is not limited to the following schools: Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Union Presbyterian Seminary, Eastern Mennonite Seminary, Princeton Theological Seminary, Moravian Theological Seminary.
Students from other seminaries with whom Wesley is partnered, who wish to take specific courses toward United Methodist ordination requirements at Wesley, should apply directly for admission as a non-degree student. In lieu of previous academic transcripts, these students may submit a “Letter of Good Standing” from the partner school Registrar to verify their academic standing and matriculation status. The application fee will not apply, however, the student will need to contact the Admissions Office for the special code to use in the online application so that this fee is waived.
Wesley typically offers UM History & Doctrine, and UM Polity online during the summer.
Summer UMC Courses
Please view our current and previous course schedules listed by term on our website.
Several courses will be offered to fulfill GBHEM Requirements. We have highlighted a few below:
- CM-251-OL Polity of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
* Fulfills the UM Polity requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- ST-463-OL History of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
- ST-463-OL History of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
**Fulfills the UM History requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- ST-464-OL Doctrine of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
- ST-464-OL Doctrine of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
**Fulfills the UM Doctrine requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
Wesley offers several UM requirements each semester. Typically, UM History & UM Doctrine rotate each spring/fall and UM Polity is offered each semester.
Fall UMC Courses
Please view our current and previous course schedules listed by term on our website.
Several courses will be offered to fulfill GBHEM Requirements. We have highlighted a few below (course formats and offerings are subject to change):
- CM-251-OL Polity of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE
* Fulfills the UM Polity requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- ST-463-OL History of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE**
**Fulfills the UM History requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- CM-271-0 Evangelism in the Wesleyan/Methodist Tradition***
***Fulfills the Evangelism requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- CM-248-0 United Methodism: History, Doctrine And Polity 1^
^Fulfills the UM History, Doctrine, and Polity (1 of 2 - Part 2 is taken in the spring semester) for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
Wesley offers several UM requirements each semester. Typically, UM History & UM Doctrine rotate each spring/fall and UM Polity is offered each semester.
Spring UMC Courses
Please view our current and previous course schedules listed by term on our website.
* Fulfills the UM Polity requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- ST-463-OL History of the United Methodist Church, ONLINE**
**Fulfills the UM History requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- CM-270-OL The Praxis of Missional Evangelism, ONLINE***
***Fulfills the Evangelism requirement for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
- CM-248-0 United Methodism: History, Doctrine And Polity 1^
^Fulfills the UM History, Doctrine, and Polity (1 of 2 - Part 2 is taken in the spring semester) for election to probationary membership and commissioning in The United Methodist Church as specified in The Book of Discipline.
Basic Graduate Theological Studies (from the GBHEM)
All deacons and elders are required to complete the Basic Graduate Theological Studies in the Christian faith (minimum of 24 semester hours). These may be completed as part of a theological degree or in addition to a master’s degree and/or professional certification in specialized ministry.
Students must take at least one course in each of these Basic Graduate Theological Studies categories:
- Evangelism
- New Testament
- Old Testament
- Church history
- Theology
- Mission of the church in the world
- Worship/liturgy
- United Methodist doctrine
- United Methodist polity
- United Methodist history
The information that you need: Our Catalog houses the course descriptions and ordination requirements beginning on page 130. Please click here to view and download our catalog.
Required courses for certified candidacy offered at Wesley (in addition to the courses above) include:
- Polity of the United Methodist Church, 2 credit hours each: CM-251
- History and Doctrine in Methodist Traditions, 4 credit hours each: ST-463 and -464
- Evangelism, 2- 3 credit hours: CM-129, CM-222, CM-270, CM-271, CM-273, CM-470
- Mission of the Church in the World, 2 - 3 credit hours each: CM-150 CM-205 MM-350 WR-204 WR-294
Please view our course schedule listed by term on our website.
If you are a degree-seeking student, application materials are available at https://wesleyseminary.edu/apply (for Masters, Non-degree, and Doctor of Ministry)
If you are a non-degree-seeking student and currently hold a graduate or undergraduate degree from another institution, you may use our one-time application/registration form found here.
or contact the Admissions Office, admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or at 202-885-8659.
Click here to visit us at one of our open house events and learn more about Wesley
For Master of Divinity applicants, please follow these steps to apply:
1. Order your official transcripts from all your previous undergraduate and graduate schools.
- Send e-transcripts to JaNice Parks at jparks@wesleyseminary.edu
- Send paper transcripts to:
Wesley Theological Seminary
Office of Admissions
Attn: JaNice Parks
4500 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
2. Prepare your:
a. Personal Statement (400-500 words) describing:
- The formative elements in your background, focusing on the most significant people and events that have shaped your faith and identity as a person
- Your sense of your vocational call and your professional objective
- Your reasons for wanting to pursue theological education at Wesley
Note: you must upload your personal statement as a Word document.
b. Resume. You need to upload this in the online application.
c. Recommendations. These can be sent electronically via the online application. If that is not possible, download the form.
For Master of Divinity, you will need the following recommendations:
- Pastor/Clergy
- Denominational Administrator
- United Methodist applicants - District Superintendent
- AME applicants - Presiding Elder
- Other Denominations - another clergy
- Professor/Employer
- Layperson
3. Get your credit or debit card ready to pay the $60 application fee.
4. Create your account to begin your application.
If you need assistance with your username or password for the application, contact CollegeNet at 503-973-5213 or help@collegenet.com.
5. Dream about your upcoming classes!
Learn About Life as a Full-time Wesley Student
Our Window on Wesley days and Welcome Table evenings are open house events designed to give you a window into the Wesley community. Learn about our programs, meet current students, sit in on a class, dine with us, and gather admissions and financial aid information. We can accommodate non-local visitors and guests. Learn more and register.
We’d love to help you find the learning or visit opportunity that’s right for you. Contact the admissions office at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or (202) 885-8659
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