New Pathway to the Master of Divinity 

Five-year, part-time Master of Divinity pathway opens crucial doors for current students 

Click here to view the degree plan

At Wesley, nearly two-thirds of students are pursuing a degree part-time. For many of these students, they are also working full time, serving in a local church and may have family responsibilities. These students consistently look for innovative pathways to pursue a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree. In acknowledgment of this growing need, Wesley now offers a new pathway to the M.Div. program. Our newly available options include a blend of 100 percent online, hybrid, weeknights and Saturday courses that can be taken as a structured sequence spread over five years.  

Prospective students interested in this program can apply now to begin studies in 2018.

“This program opens the doorway to students who cannot access classes in a weekday setting,” said Rev. Dr. Chip Aldridge, associate dean for admissions. “So if their family situation, work situation or geographic location does not allow them to take Monday through Thursday weekday classes, this program will let them to tap into a range of other resources.”

The part-time, five-year program will offer coursework in a variety of formats over the course of five years, which allows busy students to plan their academic life in a structured way. "The layout of the new program will help students step out of the episodic nature of the typical academic calendar and plan ahead", said Rev. Dr. Shively Smith, assistant professor of New Testament and chair of the education innovation faculty committee.

“Life is happening while students are in school,” Smith said. “That’s the beauty of the five-year plan—students will already have an idea of what courses will be offered throughout the program in the long term. This speaks to the Wesley vision to move toward a holistic way of being the church in the world. This program leaves room for the integration of the fullness of life.”

In addition to benefiting students, the program will also assist faculty members as they integrate their roles as teachers and researchers.

“From my perspective, this program has the opportunity to address the interests of both faculty and students,” Smith said. “One of the gifts at Wesley is that most of the faculty, in addition to being teachers, are also scholarly researchers. This new program allows them the ability to arrange their teaching schedules with their research over the long term.”

This innovative pathway toward a Master of Divinity degree represents a healthy and encouraging change for the entire Wesley community and for our future students, Smith said.

 “The Admissions team at Wesley consistently receives calls from continuing and new students interested in online course offerings,” Aldridge said. “This degree pathway opens a new series of options for them to continue or begin their studies in a way that works for their life situation.”

Current students do not need to re-apply. Students may develop their academic plan alongside their academic adviser. Click here to view the degree plan or  for additional information about this program, contact the Admissions office at admissions@wesleyseminary.edu or call 202-885-8659.