5-year bachelor of arts and master of divinity
earn a ba in pastoral ministry degree and a master of divinity degree in as few as five years.
program benefits
be prepared for ministry.
- earn a ba in pastoral ministry degree and a master of divinity degree in as few as five years.
- be confident that you have been equipped with the rigor of seminary while enjoying the college experience at calvary university.
save time and money.
- enter ministry as quickly as possible with only five, instead of seven, years in school.
- save money – a potential tuition savings of $17,000 compared to completing the ba and mdiv degrees separately.
reach the program learning outcomes.
- demonstrate the christian character qualities essential for christian ministry.
- understand the theology, theories, methodologies, and skills essential for effective christian ministry leadership.
- demonstrate effective communication skills essential for christian ministry.
- display interpersonal skills necessary for addressing the spiritual needs of people.
- develop ministry skills under the guidance of a mature, seasoned professional supervisor in the kind of ministry setting anticipated after graduation.
entry requirements
- maintain high academic standards in high school (2.5 gpa or higher) (see the current catalog for all admissions criteria).
- apply to the 5-yr ba-mdiv program in the senior year of high school.
- be actively involved in local church/parachurch ministry.
continuing in the program
- maintain a 2.5 gpa.
- continue local church/ministry participation.
course scheduling
as a general recommendation, students are encouraged to focus upon undergraduate courses in the first year. this will allow for the adjustments to college life as well as the opportunity to get well grounded in the academic work of the university.
- to complete the program in 5 years, the student must take courses during the summer cycles.
- while students will work with the academic advisor each semester to ensure proper progression through the program, the specific courses and the mix of undergraduate and graduate courses allow for some flexibility in scheduling.
- as a rule, graduate courses require more work and level of scholarship, but depending upon personal ability, graduate courses may be taken in every year of the program.
- of the options below, options 1-3 enable the student to complete the program in 5 years. but if the student needs to have the normal summer free for work or ministry requirements, option 4 describes how the program may be completed in 6 years (but this would mean additional costs).
- in every cycle of years 1-3, the majority of course hours taken must be undergraduate hours in order to retain an “undergraduate” status, thus ensuring eligibility for the maximum financial aid in those years.
undergrad hours
82
graduate hours
81
total hours
163
4 course scheduling options
in every cycle of years 1-3, the majority of course hours taken must be undergraduate hours in order to retain an “undergraduate” status, thus ensuring eligibility for the maximum financial aid in those years.
option
#1
for those who want to take all undergraduate courses in the first year.
option
#2
for those able to handle graduate work sooner (as reflected in high school gpa, reference comments, etc.).
option
#3
for those able to handle a more demanding graduate workload sooner (as reflected in gpa, etc.)
option
#4
for those who must allow cycles off (e.g. summers) for work / ministry, but this will mean 6 years (and less financial aid).
option 1undergrad / grad hrs. |
option 2undergrad / grad hrs. |
option 3undergrad / grad hrs. |
option 4undergrad / grad hrs. |
|
year 1(cycles 2-6) |
33 / 0(33 total) |
24 / 9(33 total) |
24 / 9(33 total) |
30 / 0(30 total) |
year 2(cycles 1-6) |
25 / 6(31 total) |
27 / 9(36 total) |
24 / 12(36 total) |
24 / 6(30 total) |
year 3(cycles 1-6) |
24 / 12(36 total) |
28 / 9(37 total) |
24 / 12(36 total) |
25 / 6(31 total) |
year 4(cycles 1-6) |
0 / 33(33 total) |
3 / 27(30 total) |
10 / 21(31 total) |
3 /24(30 total) |
year 5(cycles 1-5) |
0 / 30(30 total) |
0 / 27(27 total) |
0 / 27(27 total) |
0 /24(24 total) |
year 6(cycles 2-5) |
0 / 0(0 total) |
0 / 0(0 total) |
0 / 0(0 total) |
0 / 21(21 total) |
frequently asked questions
who should consider this program?
this calvary university 5-yr ba-mdiv program is ideal for undergraduate students who are called to ministry and who eventually desire the additional graduate training of the seminary mdiv degree. it’s simple—the 5-yr ba-mdiv program offers more training in less time and for less cost. the better question is: why would you not consider the 5-yr ba-mdiv program?
can students enter the program even if they don’t meet the minimum high school standards for entry?
yes. students who do not meet the minimum standards for entry into the program may still be admitted after completing the equivalent of one year of undergraduate study. to be considered, they must maintain a 2.5 gpa during their first year of study and go through the program application process.
can transfer students enter this program?
yes. transfer students can be admitted based on an academic evaluation of their transfer credit. transfer students who have at least 12 undergraduate credits and have maintained a 2.5 gpa for that work may apply for admission.
why is active church/ministry involvement required for continuing in the program?
the intent of the 5-yr ba-mdiv program is for training individuals who are called to ministry. therefore, demonstrated local church/parachurch ministry involvement is an essential aspect of this program and where you will spend a significant part of each year in the program.
how much does the 5-yr ba-mdiv program cost?
Students who complete the program according to the schedule recommended by the Academic Advisor are eligible for financial aid as an undergraduate student for the first 3 years and then as a graduate student the final 2 years. The tuition & fees costs for the program remain vary from undergraduate to graduate status, but if completed as scheduled, the total tuition & fees cost for the entire Program will be approximately $67,521 (per 2019-2020 school year costs).
what kind of academic advising is available for program students?
all students will receive world-class academic advising from the moment they enter calvary university. advisors help students plan a sequence of study, make course decisions, and professor selections. in addition, they provide academic guidance to help students as they pursue their ba and mdiv degrees.
are program students eligible for financial aid?
yes, students may apply for undergraduate scholarships, grants, and loans during the first 3 years of the program as scheduled and graduate scholarships and loans during the final 2 years.
will program students still have a “normal” undergraduate student experience?
yes! all program students get the best of both worlds—the full undergraduate student life experience combined with the opportunity to achieve their academic goals more quickly. program students may live in campus housing and participate in all calvary university’s student life programs. (see the student life handbook for more information.)
what classes will program students take?
all 5-yr ba-mdiv program students complete 82 hours of undergraduate courses (the required general education courses for all ba degrees, 36 hours; selected undergraduate professional courses, 19 hours; undergraduate elective courses, 27 hours) and 81 hours of graduate courses (bible and theology courses, 30 hours; the required mdiv professional courses, 27 hours; the required mdiv language courses (greek and hebrew), 24 hours).
what degrees will program students earn?
5-yr ba-mdiv program students earn two degrees in as little as five years:
- bachelor of arts in pastoral ministry
- master of divinity
students may also earn an undergraduate minor by using the elective hours to complete an undergraduate minor degree.
can this program be completed online?
definitely. only one course cannot be taken online: ministry internship (a hands-on, supervised ministry experience). while the in-class learning environment is strongly encouraged, all other courses are available to be taken online.
do program students need to finish the ba degree course work before they can complete the mdiv degree course work?
no. in many semesters, students will be taking undergraduate and graduate courses at the same time. normally the first year of the program will be occupied with undergraduate courses, but beginning with the 2nd year of the program and under the guidance of the academic advisor, graduate courses will be taken along with undergraduate courses. in the 5th year of the program only graduate courses will be taken.
what options do students have if they don’t get accepted into the program?
students who are not initially admitted into the program can attempt to enter it after completing the equivalent of one full year of undergraduate study. these students must maintain a minimum of a 2.5 gpa during that time and go through the admissions process for this program.
in addition, students not admitted to the program are encouraged to consider some of calvary university’s other excellent programs, which can be paired with the calvary university full mdiv degree. students can complete a traditional bachelor’s degree and then enroll in the mdiv, finishing both degrees in as little as 7 years.
what if program students choose to withdraw from the program but want to continue with a ba degree?
students who choose not to continue in the program can at any point apply relevant earned credit toward one of calvary university’s many ba degree options.