Options for Fulfilling Annual Conference Residency Ordination Requirements

The University Senate of the United Methodist Church approved a policy change to allow a student seeking United Methodist ordination to earn their Master of Divinity fully online. Previously, a student seeking United Methodist ordination was required to earn at least one-third of their seminary degree through campus-based courses. Some annual conferences may still decide to limit the percentage of online courses that their candidates can take as a part of their graduate theological education.

If your annual conference continues to require one-third of your coursework to be completed in person, here are options for fulfilling that requirement.

Master of Divinity options

A student in our 86-credit M.Div. program needs to earn at least 29 of those credits in person to fulfill United Methodist requirements for ordination as elder or deacon. Six of those 29 credits are automatically fulfilled by MTSO’s cross-cultural immersion experience and field education, leaving an additional 23 credits to complete in person. (The typical class earns a student three credits.) Any one of the following options – or some combination of them – can be used to satisfy requirements for campus-based courses:

• Attending two semesters in person (12 credits each semester). Depending on course selections, it is likely those courses can be covered by coming to campus only on Tuesday each week.
• Attending residential intensive courses in Summer Terms (six credits each term).
• Attending residential intensive courses in January Terms (three credits each term).

MA in Practical Theology options

A student in our 48-credit MAPT program needs to earn at least 16 of those credits in person to fulfill United Methodist requirements for ordination as deacon. Any one of the following options – or some combination of them – can be used to satisfy requirements for campus-based courses:

• Attending one or two semesters in person. Depending on course selections, it is likely those courses can be covered by coming to campus only on Tuesday each week.
• Attending residential intensive courses in Summer Terms.
• Attending residential intensive courses in January Terms.

Let’s discuss

We will work with you to chart a path that fits your life and schedule. To get that conversation started, drop us an email at admissions@mtso.edu.