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Master of Divinity (MDiv)
The Master of Divinity (MDiv) program provides both the theoretical and practical tools necessary
to prepare for the rewarding and challenging vocation of service. In preparation for parish, institutional and administrative ministries, students take courses in relevant disciplines – theology, biblical studies, counselling, ethics, church history, liturgics and administration – and interdisciplinary areas.
Our multifaith and inclusive practice creates a diverse and vibrant community. Students from all backgrounds and faiths are welcome to apply.
- A bachelor’s degree with minimum B average.
- Applications are reviewed by the graduate program committee, which considers all prior university grades, personal statement, current CV, and two letters of reference.
NOTE: Casper tests are no longer required to apply to Luther programs.
Application Deadline
Feb. 15 for a fall term start (full-time or part-time studies).
Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.
Application Process
- Fill out the OUAC application
- Receive email from gradadmissions@wlu.ca with your LORIS (Laurier’s Online Registration & Information System) login information
- Upload the following to LORIS
- Your OUAC application summary, log back into OUAC to retrieve
- Digital unofficial transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work for every postsecondary educational institution you have attended
- Completed statement of intent
- Resume of your academic and work experience (include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other relevant information)
- Sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your thesis or a paper written as an assignment at undergraduate level.
- Two reference forms, indicate two individuals to provide academic reference letters. If you are no longer a student or have been out of school for a few years, one of the reference letters or both of them could be professional reference letters instead.*
NOTE: Casper tests are no longer required to apply to Luther programs.
*Please note that the academic referee must be your instructor or supervisor at university and the professional referee must be someone who has supervised you at work or a volunteer position. It cannot be a friend or a relative.
Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS.
Religious Faith and Heritage
- Demonstrate an understanding of the genesis, content and history of reception of the Christian Scriptures and the ability to interpret them in response to contemporary needs using a variety of methods, sources, and norms.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the development of Christian doctrine and ideas, including the student’s own denominational history, polity, and authoritative documents, in order to engage in constructive theology.
- Demonstrate a critically informed understanding of Christianity’s complicity in colonization and its social and personal impacts.
Culture and Context
- Demonstrate critical self-awareness with regard to the student’s own personal, multiple layers of identity and social assumptions, and develop capacity to address how these impact ministry responsibly.
- Demonstrate the ability to explore and employ diverse methods of contextual analysis in service of ministry informed by decolonization.
- Demonstrate the ability to identify, respect, engage with and be challenged by a diversity of theological viewpoints and practices within ecumenical, multi-faith, and multicultural contexts.
Personal and Spiritual Vocational Formation
- Demonstrate an ability to reflect critically on the student’s own sense of call to leadership and service alongside an appreciation of the variety of callings and spiritual practices of others.
- Demonstrates a sense of call that reflects both personal conviction and communal confirmation in service for the well-being of all.
- Demonstrate faith that is evident in daily life and develop competencies for self-reflective and theologically integrated ministry.
Ministerial and Public Leadership
- Demonstrate academic and practical competencies in congregational and community leadership, administration, preaching, worship, teaching, communication and technology, stewardship, collaboration, and spiritual care.
- Demonstrate an understanding of professional ethics in the practice of ministry and competency in public ethics, i.e., how the church functions as an agent for the common good.
Program Courses and Requirements
Students in the Master of Divinity program must complete the courses below and indicate, in their first term of study, whether they are participating in the Contextual or Coursework option.
Students in the coursework option (24 courses) are either already working in a ministerial setting or are preparing for non-congregational ministry. This option includes 3 additional electives (in place of the Internship and Entry to Parish for those in the contextual option) allowing students to focus coursework on areas of particular interest.
Students in the contextual option are normally preparing for professional ministry. Such students are required to obtain, before the end of their first term, endorsement as acceptable ministry candidates by the church in which they are members. Continuance in the contextual component of the MDiv program after the first term is contingent upon the maintenance of such an endorsement.
Contextual Education:
Students enrolled in the contextual option are required to be involved in field placements concurrent with their coursework. Placements are arranged through the supervisor of contextual education.
Internship:
Students in the contextual option must complete a 12-month internship that is normally taken after completing coursework.
- TH502A – Critical Analysis of Biblical Texts: Introduction *
- TH502B – Critical Analysis of Biblical Texts: Advanced *
- TH503A – Survey of the Hebrew Scriptures
- TH503C – Survey of New Testament
- TH503G – Jewish and Christian Bible Themes *
- TH530A – Introduction to God and Theological Reflection
- TH530B – Introduction to Jesus and Salvation
- TH530C – Introduction to the Spirit and Community
- TH560A – Introduction to Worship*
- TH560C – Introduction to Proclamation and Preaching *
- TH560E – Spiritual Formation and Nurturing Faith A *
- TH560F – Spiritual Formation and Nurturing Faith B *
- TH560G – Foundations of Ethical Community Engagement
- TH621E – Issues in Church History: Study of the Lutheran Confessions *
- TH644A – Indigenous Wisdom and Methodology
- TH645A – Intersectionality: Interfaith and Intercultural Perspectives
- TH652A – Supervised Pastoral Education I: Theory and Practice of Spiritual Care (1.0 credit)
- TH663A – Grief
Contextual option
Non-contextual option
- Five open electives
Total: 24 half courses (12 credits) are required. *Runs every other year
Learn more about our dual degrees:
Scholarships and Bursaries
Luther graduate students are eligible for some Laurier bursaries and awards. To be considered, fill out the General Profile on the Student Awards tab on LORIS. (Visit Student Awards for more information about the General Profile.)
To apply for the annual financial-aid bursaries, you must have completed the General Profile in the Student Awards tab on LORIS. Please see below for more information.
If you are a graduate student taking a full-time course load, you are eligible to receive a bursary of about $600 per term (students receiving senior tuition exemption are not eligable for this bursary). The exact amount varies slightly from year to year. You will need to apply for this bursary on LORIS. You will receive an email notification that a new application is available, you will be able to access it through the Student Awards and Financial Aid tab on LORIS. We award it based on your registration after the last day to add courses for the term. It may take several weeks to appear on your student account, so don’t worry if you don’t see it right away.
Over the years, we’ve collected several bursaries in the form of financial endowments. Annual financial-aid bursaries are issued on the basis of financial need.
We issue these bursaries only once per year. Your application is not complete unless you have followed all three of the following steps by the deadline:
- Be fully registered with a full-time course load for both fall and winter terms.
- Complete the Annual Bursaries Application Form.
- Complete the General Profile in the Student Awards tab on LORIS.
We follow our donors’ stipulations. In some cases, that means asking you about your faith tradition. If you are successful in receiving an annual financial-aid bursary, we may ask you to write a note of thanks to your benefactor.
You need to complete both forms in order for your application to be reviewed.
Late applications will not be considered.
Students in the Master of Divinity program are required to complete one unit of Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE). We are especially grateful for the generosity of the Martin Luther University College Auxiliary (formerly Women's Auxiliary) for providing bursaries to MDiv students completing the SPE portion of their degree program.
MDiv students may apply for this bursary once they have received an acceptance letter from the SPE site. To apply for this bursary, contact lutherfinance@wlu.ca
The Serenia Life Financial Scholarship program is available to members of Serenia Life Financial. One-time scholarships are awarded each year to a limited number of members pursuing a full-time undergraduate or graduate university degree, or college diploma at any accredited institution in, or outside of, Canada.
Luther graduate students are members of the Wilfrid Laurier University Graduate Students’ Association (GSA). The GSA provides a slate of services to graduate students including an extended health and dental insurance plan, career counselling, and discounts through a variety of resources. It also administers a number of different funds, including funds that can help you pay for attending professional development workshops, new technology, or many other grad-student expenses. You should definitely check them out!
External scholarship competitions awarded on the basis of academic merit are listed by the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS). Normally Luther students are eligible for social science competitions. Students with a psychotherapy focus could also consider applying under health categories.
Contact Graduate Studies for more information.