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An online master’s in this silo is not one degree. It is three overlapping graduate credentials with different jobs. An MA in Theology is usually a shorter academic or ministry-enhancement degree. A Master of Theological Studies (MTS) is usually academic as well, built around research in scripture, history, or doctrine. A Master of Divinity (MDiv) is the longer professional seminary degree and the standard credential for ordination in many Protestant denominations. Some schools also offer a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) for people who already hold an MDiv or equivalent and are already in ministry; that is not an entry degree and is not covered on a separate page here.
This page explains how those titles differ, when ATS accreditation matters, how field education works online, and what to compare across schools. An online MDiv does not complete Catholic priestly formation.
It is a graduate program in scripture, theology, church history, and – in vocational degrees – ministry practice, delivered primarily at a distance. Titles include MA in Theology, MTS, and MDiv. Most vocational programs include supervised field education that you complete at a local ministry site.
An MA and an MTS are shorter graduate degrees and often more academic. The MDiv is the longer professional degree, typically about three years of full-time study, and the one many Protestant denominations treat as the ordination credential. Compare languages, preaching, and field-education requirements rather than the diploma line.
Only if your denomination says so. Many churches will call a person with an MA, a bachelor’s, or no degree. Many mainline Protestant candidacy processes will not. The United States does not license clergy. Ask the body that will ordain you before you enroll.
The Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting is the programmatic accreditor for graduate theology and seminary degrees. Confirm current status on the ATS site. It is not a substitute for institutional accreditation, which you should still verify through DAPIP. This page does not publish an ATS school list.
Coursework often can. Field education, preaching labs, and short intensives usually cannot be reduced to discussion boards. Ask where you must appear in person and how a local supervisor is approved.
No on both. Pastoral care is not an LPC. Catholic priesthood runs through diocesan sponsorship and a Catholic seminary, not an online Protestant or nondenominational MDiv.
For a full map of this program area, start here: Theology Program Guide
Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:
Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
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Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
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Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard
| Course Topic | What You Learn |
|---|---|
| Scripture and Hermeneutics | Advanced Old and New Testament study and methods of interpretation |
| Biblical Languages | Greek and/or Hebrew in many MDiv programs; less often required in an MA |
| Systematic, Historical, or Moral Theology | Doctrine, the history of the church, and ethics in your tradition |
| Preaching and Worship | Preparing sermons and leading the church’s public prayer |
| Pastoral Care | Congregational care and referral; not a clinical counseling license |
| Church Leadership | Polity, administration, and the governance your denomination actually uses |
| Mission and Evangelism | The church’s public witness, in local and global frames |
| Field Education | Supervised ministry in a congregation or ministry site |
| Thesis, Portfolio, or Senior Seminar | Academic thesis (MTS/MA) or integrative ministry project (MDiv) |
Requirements vary by school. Most programs require a completed bachelor’s degree. Common elements include transcripts, a statement of call or purpose, letters of recommendation (often including a pastor or judicatory official), and sometimes a ministry resume. Standardized test scores are often optional. Applicants from non-theology undergraduate majors are common in MDiv programs; some schools then add leveling coursework in Bible or theology.
If you are already in a denomination’s candidacy process, tell admissions that on day one. Some seminaries build reports to a session, bishop, or ordination council into the degree. That is a feature if it matches your church. It is a problem if it does not.
A bachelor’s in theology, biblical studies, or Christian ministry is the undergraduate foundation and, in some churches, a sufficient credential for a first call. A master’s is the next credential when you need graduate theological education for ordination, chaplaincy, teaching in a church-related college (with a doctorate still ahead for tenure-track work), or deeper academic study. The MDiv is the vocational degree in that set. An MA or MTS is the academic or enhancement degree.
Compare degree options:
For a value and fit discussion, see: Is an Online Theology Degree Worth It. Pastoral care is not licensed counseling; see the Counseling Program Guide if that is the work you want.
Data verified: September 1, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.
