Degree Programs

Candidates for the M.A.C.E. program normally must have received a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies in the United States or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country.

An interview with a member of the faculty is required. There are two ways in which you may interview: by Zoom or by phone. Please contact Admissions at 804-278-4221 or by email at admissions@upsem.edu to arrange your interview.

The M.A.C.E. program ordinarily requires a minimum of two years of full-time study on the Richmond campus, Charlotte campus, or fully online.

• Bible (6 hours)
  • BIBL101 – Biblical Interpretation – Old Testament (for MACE)
  • BIBL102 – Biblical Interpretation – New Testament (for MACE)
• Theology (3 hours)
  • THEO110: Theology for MACE
• Supervised Ministry (6 hours)
  • SVCE101 – Christian Education Internship I
  • SVCE201 – Christian Education Internship II
• Education Core (9 hours)
  • Educational Theory (choose one)
    • EDTH110 – The Teaching Ministry of the Church
    • EDTH210 – Models of Teaching
    • EDTH220 – Contemporary Theology & Education
    • EDTH310 – Theory for Education in Religion
    • EDTH320 – Spiritual Theology & Christian Education
  • Faith Formation (choose one)
    • FTHF110 – Ministry with Children and Families
    • FTHF111 – Nurturing Child & Adolescent Spirituality
    • FTHF120 – Adult Religious Education
    • FTHF130 – Digital Culture & Spirituality
    • FTHF210 – Faith & Human Development
  • Educational Practices (choose one)
    • EDPR110 – Curriculum & Resources for Christian Education
    • EDPR120 – The Christian Life
    • EDPR130 – Community Engaged Teaching & Learning
    • EDPR131 – Christian Teaching & the Public Realm
    • EDPR210 – Teaching the Bible
• General Electives (9 hours)
  • Students may choose 3 general elective courses from among Union courses.
• Integrative Project (3 hours)
  • PROJ101 – Christian Education Integrative Project
•  Total 36 hours

Candidates for the M.Div. program normally must have received a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally-recognized regional accrediting agencies in the United States, or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country.

An interview with a member of the faculty is required. There are two ways in which you may interview: by Zoom or by phone. Please contact Admissions at 804-278-4221 or by email at admissions@upsem.edu to arrange your interview.

The M.Div. program ordinarily takes at least three years to complete on the Richmond campus, or five years on the Charlotte campus.

• Bible (12 hours)
  • BIBL110 – Old Testament I
  • BIBL120 – New Testament I
  • BIBL210 – Old Testament II
  • BIBL220 – New Testament II
• History, Theology, Ethics (15 hours)
  • HIST101 – History I
  • HIST201 – History II
  • THEO101 – Theology I
  • THEO201 – Theology II
  • ETHC101 – Introduction to Christian Ethics
• Preaching & Worship (6 hours)
  • PRAW100 Introduction to Christian Worship
  • PRAW200 Introduction to Preaching & Public Proclamation
• Pastoral Care (3 hours)
  • PCAC101 Introduction to Pastoral  Care
• Christian Education (3 hours)
  • Choose either one Educational Theory course (indicated by an EDTH course number) or one Faith Formation course (indicated by a FTHF course number).
• Church in the World (6 hours)
  • Choose two Church in the World courses (indicated by a CITW course number with some exceptions; email the Registrar’s Office for a full list).
• Supervised Ministry (6 hours)
  • SVMN101 – Supervised Ministry Internship I
  • SVMN201 – Supervised Ministry Internship II
• Elective courses (30 hours)
  • Students may choose 10 general elective courses from among Union courses.
•  Total 81 hours

• Bible (12 hours)
  • LANG110 – Hebrew I
  • LANG120 – Greek I
  • LANG210 – Hebrew II
  • LANG220 – Greek II
• Bible (12 hours)
  • BIBL201 – Old Testament I
  • BIBL202 – New Testament I
  • BIBL301 – Old Testament II
  • BIBL302 – New Testament II
• History, Theology, & Ethics (15 hours)
  • HIST101 – History I
  • HIST201 – History II
  • THEO101 – Theology I
  • THEO201 – Theology II
  • ETHC101 – Introduction to Christian Ethics
• Preaching & Worship (6 hours)
  • PRAW100 Introduction to Christian Worship
  • PRAW200 Introduction to Preaching & Public Proclamation
• Pastoral Care (3 hours)
  • PCAC101 Introduction to Pastoral  Care
• Christian Education (3 hours)
  • Choose either one Educational Theory course (indicated by an EDTH course number) or one Faith Formation course (indicated by a FTHF course number).
• Church in the World (6 hours)
  • Choose two Church in the World courses (indicated by a CITW course number with some exceptions; email the Registrar’s Office for a full list).
• Supervised Ministry (6 hours)
  • SVMN101  -Supervised Ministry Internship I
  • SVMN20 1- Supervised Ministry Internship II
• General Electives (18 hours)
  • Students may choose 6 general elective courses from among Union courses.
•  Total 81 hours

Candidates for the M.Div./M.A.C.E.  program normally must have received a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally recognized regional accrediting agencies in the United States, or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country.

An interview with a member of the faculty is required. There are two ways in which you may interview: by Zoom or by phone. Please contact Admissions at 804-278-4221 or by email at admissions@upsem.edu to arrange your interview.

Students may earn both a Master of Arts in Christian Education degree and a Master of Divinity degree (M.Div./M.A.C.E.) in four years on the Richmond campus, or five to six years on the Charlotte campus.

• Bible (12 hours)
  • BIBL110 – OldTestament I
  • BIBL120 – NewTestament I
  • BIBL210 – OldTestament II
  • BIBL220 – NewTestament II
• History, Theology, & Ethics (15 hours)
  • HIST101 – History of Christianity I
  • HIST201 – History of Christianity II
  • THEO101 – Theology I
  • THEO201 – Theology II
  • ETHC101 – Introduction to Christian Ethics
• Preaching & Worship (6 hours)
  • PRAW100 Introduction to Christian Worship
  • PRAW200 Introduction to Preaching & Public Proclamation
• Pastoral Care (3 hours)
  • PCAC101 Introduction to Pastoral  Care
• Education Core (4 courses- one from each of the three subcategories plus one of your choice) (12 hours)
  • Educational Theory (choose at least one)
    • EDTH110 – The Teaching Ministry of the Church
    • EDTH210 – Models of Teaching
    • EDTH220 – Contemporary Theology & Education
    • EDTH310 – Theory for Education in Religion
    • EDTH320 – Spiritual Theology & Christian Education
  • Faith Formation (choose at least one)
    • FTHF110 – Ministry with Children and Families
    • FTHF111 – Nurturing Child & Adolescent Spirituality
    • FTHF120 – Adult Religious Education
    • FTHF130 – Digital Culture & Spirituality
    • FTHF210 – Faith & Human Development
  • Educational Practices (choose at least one)
    • EDPR110 – Curriculum & Resources for Christian Education
    • EDPR120 – The Christian Life
    • EDPR130 – Community Engaged Teaching & Learning
    • EDPR131 – Christian Teaching & the Public Realm
    • EDPR210 – Teaching the Bible
• Church in the World (6 hours)
  • Choose two Church in the World courses (indicated by a CITW course number with some exceptions; email the Registrar’s Office for a full list).
• Supervised Ministry (12 hours)
  • SVMN101 – Supervised Ministry Internship I
  • SVMN201 – Supervised Ministry Internship II
  • SVCE101 – Christian Education Internship I
  • SVCE201 – Christian Education Internship II
• General Electives (30 hours)
  • Students may choose 10 general elective courses from among Union courses.
• Integrative Project (3 hours)
  • PROJ101 – Christian Education Integrative Project
•  Total 99 hours

• Languages (12 hours)
  • LANG110 – Hebrew I
  • LANG120 – Greek I
  • LANG210 – Hebrew II
  • LANG220 – Greek II
• Bible (12 hours)
  • BIBL201 – Old Testament I
  • BIBL202 – New Testament I
  • BIBL301 – Old Testament II
  • BIBL302- New Testament II
• History, Theology, & Ethics (15 hours)
  • HIST101 – History of Christianity I
  • HIST201 – History of Christianity II
  • THEO101 – Theology I
  • THEO201 – Theology II
  • ETHC101 – Introduction to Christian Ethics
• Preaching & Worship (6 hours)
  • PRAW100 Introduction to Christian Worship
  • PRAW200 Introduction to Preaching & Public Proclamation
• Pastoral Care (3 hours)
  • PCAC101 Introduction to Pastoral  Care
• Education Core (4 courses- one from each of the three subcategories plus one of your choice) (12 hours) 
  • Educational Theory (choose at least one)
    • EDTH110 – The Teaching Ministry of the Church
    • EDTH210 – Models of Teaching
    • EDTH220 – Contemporary Theology & Education
    • EDTH310 – Theory for Education in Religion
    • EDTH320 – Spiritual Theology & Christian Education
  • Faith Formation (choose at least one)
    • FTHF110 – Ministry with Children and Families
    • FTHF111 – Nurturing Child & Adolescent Spirituality
    • FTHF120 – Adult Religious Education
    • FTHF130 – Digital Culture & Spirituality
    • FTHF210 – Faith & Human Development
  • Educational Practices (choose at least one)
    • EDPR110 – Curriculum & Resources for Christian Education
    • EDPR120 – The Christian Life
    • EDPR130 – Community Engaged Teaching & Learning
    • EDPR131 – Christian Teaching & the Public Realm
    • EDPR210 – Teaching the Bible

• Church in the World (6 hours)
  • Choose two Church in the World courses (indicated by a CITW course number with some exceptions; email the Registrar’s Office for a full list).
• Supervised Ministry (12 hours)
  • SVMN101 – Supervised Ministry Internship I
  • SVMN201 – Supervised Ministry Internship II
  • SVCE101 – Christian Education Internship I
  • SVCE201 – Christian Education Internship II
• General Electives (18 hours)
  • Students may choose 6 general elective courses from among Union courses.
• Integrative Project (3 hours)
  • PROJ101 – Christian Education Integrative Project
•  Total 99 hours

Candidates for the M.A.P.T. program normally must have received a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies in the United States or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country.

An interview with a member of the faculty is required. There are two ways in which you may interview: by Zoom or by phone. Please contact Admissions at 804-278-4221 or by email at admissions@upsem.edu to arrange your interview.

The M.A.P.T. degree utilizes a hybrid format and relies largely on the use of technology as an instructional medium, with the expectation of 9 hours of in-person instruction for the four required area courses.

An interview with a member of the faculty is required. There are two ways in which you may interview: by Zoom or by phone. Please contact Admissions at 804-278-4221 or email admissions@upsem.edu, to arrange your interview.

• MDIV Core Curricular Competencies (51 credit hours)
  • Old Testament (6 credit hours)
  • New Testament (6 credit hours)
  • Theology (6 credit hours)
  • History of Christianity (6 credit hours)
  • Christian Ethics (3 credit hours)
  • Preaching and Worship (6 credit hours)
  • Education (3 credit hours)
  • Pastoral Care (3 credit hours)
  • Supervised Ministry (6 credit hours)
  • Church in the World (6 credit hours) – may be met by MAPT requirements in relation to the work of the Centers and the travel seminar; this would allow for 6 additional hours of electives
• MDIV Electives (24 credit hours)
  • #1 and #2: Hebrew Option (6 credit hours)
  • #3 and #4: Greek Option (6 credit hours)
  • Course #5 (3 credit hours)
  • Course #6 (3 credit hours)
  • Course #7 (3 credit hours)
  • Course #8 (3 credit hours)
• MAPT COMPONENTS (24 credit hours)
  • Required areas, with a focus on the public dimension (9 credit hours): choose 3 from the following areas:
    • Bible (3 credit hours)
    • Theology or Ethics (3 credit hours)
    • History or Missiology (3 credit hours)
    • Practical Theology or Christian Education (3 credit hours)
  • Center-related courses (9 credit hours): choose 3 courses that are related to the work of the Centers. The following list illustrates the kinds of elective Center-related courses that may be offered:
    • Biennial conference of the Center for Womanist Leadership, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • A conference that involves two or all three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • A series of seminars over an academic term offered by the three Centers.
    • A course that brings together the foci of the three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • Courses offered by faculty that tie into the work of one or more Centers.
    • Courses by qualified practitioners that are related to the three Centers.
  • Travel seminar (3 credit hours)
    • Students to whom this present a hardship could request a waiver from the academic dean and substitute an appropriate elective in relation to the work of one of the three Centers.
  • Final project (3 credit hours)
    • The final project may consist of field-based learning, an independent research project, an integrative project, or a combination of these.

• M.A.C.E.-only components (27 credit hours)
  • Bible/Theology Core (9 credit hours)
    • Old Testament (3 credit hours)
    • New Testament (3 credit hours)
    • Theology (3 credit hours)
  • Education Core (9 credit hours)
    • Educational Theories (3 credit hours)
    • Faith Formation (3 credit hours)
    • Education Practices (3 credit hours)
  • Supervised Ministry (6 credit hours)
  • Integrative Project (3 credit hours)
• M.A.P.T.-only components (24 credit hours)
  • Required areas, with a focus on the public dimension (9 credit hours): choose 3 from the following areas:
    • Bible (3 credit hours)
    • Theology or Ethics (3 credit hours)
    • History or Missiology (3 credit hours)
    • Practical Theology or Christian Education (3 credit hours)
  • Center-related courses (9 credit hours): choose 3 courses that are related to the work of the Centers. The following list illustrates the kinds of elective courses that may be offered in the program:
    • Biennial conference of the Center for Womanist Leadership, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • A conference that involves two or all three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • A series of seminars over an academic term offered by the three Centers.
    • A course that brings together the foci of the three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
    • Courses offered by faculty that tie into the work of one or more Centers.
    • Courses by qualified practitioners that are related to the three Centers.
  • Travel seminar (3 credit hours)
    • Students to whom this present a hardship could request a waiver from the academic dean and substitute an appropriate elective in relation to the work of one of the three Centers.
  • Final project (3 credit hours)
    • The final project may consist of field-based learning, an independent research project, an integrative project, or a combination of these.
• Electives (9 credit hours)
  • Students may select courses in relation to any of the areas of our curriculum or the work of the three centers. Students may propose one directed study per year, under extraordinary circumstances, under the provisions of the academic catalog.

Candidates for the admission to the Certificate Program in Christian Education normally must have received a bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally- recognized regional accrediting agencies in the United States, or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country.

Courses in this certificate program are available in residential, hybrid, and online learning modalities. Ordinarily, this program must be completed within two years.

• A student must complete 12 semester credit hours and meet the course requirements detailed below. As courses are completed, students will be awarded academic credit that may be applied to a degree program at Union Presbyterian Seminary or possibly transferred elsewhere.
• Core Competency Areas (9 hours, 3 courses)
• Students must complete one course in each of three core competency areas:
  • Faith Formation
  • Educational Theory
  • Educational Practices
• Elective in Christian Education (3 hours, 1 course)

• Center-related courses (9 credit hours): The following list illustrates the kinds of elective courses that may be offered in the certificate program. Choose 3 courses that are related to the work of the Centers:
  • Biennial conference of the Center for Womanist Leadership, with additional requirements for course credit.
  • A conference that involves two or all three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
  • A series of seminars over an academic term offered by the three Centers.
  • A course that brings together the foci of the three Centers, with additional requirements for course credit.
  • Courses offered by faculty that tie into the work of one or more Centers.
  • Courses by qualified practitioners that are related to the three Centers.
• Travel seminar (3 credit hours)

Applicants for admission to the Master of Theology program must hold a bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally recognized regional accrediting agencies or the international equivalent, and must have received a master’s degree in an appropriate discipline from a seminary or university accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada or its international equivalent.

Please reach out to the Richmond Director of Admissions, Rev. Annie Franklin Arvin and the Th.M. Program Director, Dr. Samuel Adams before applying to the Th.M. program

All enrollments in the Th.M. program must begin in the fall term and the degree is normally completed in one academic year.

All Th.M. students will successfully complete 30 semester hours, including a Research Methods course, a Th.M.-specific seminar, and a year-long colloquium. These and all other courses and directed studies are designed to prepare every Th.M. student to write a thesis or summative projects and to construct a final portfolio. Some Th.M. students may choose to concentrate their studies in a particular field (e.g. New Testament, Christian History), while others may draw upon the resources of various departments.

Th.M. studies are coordinated by the student’s faculty advisor and the director of graduate programs. Th.M. faculty advisors and their areas of interest include:

Samuel L. Adams
Death and the Afterlife in the Bible and Ancient Judaism
Wealth and Poverty in the Biblical World and Today
Wisdom Literature
The Bible and Film
The Bible and American Political Discourse
Apocalypticism Past and Present

Rubén Arjona
Pastoral care of men
Pastoral care of couples and families
Pastoral care of LGBTQ+ individuals
Pastoral theology
Erik H. Erikson’s life and work
John Calvin and pastoral theology
Latin American & Latinx liberation theologies

Rachel Sophia Baard
Systematic theology
Constructive theology
Public theology
Feminist theologies
Political theologies
The intersection of theology and ethics

John T. Carroll
New Testament Gospels
Parables of Jesus
Luke-Acts
Romans
Theology of Paul
Bible and Culture
Bible and Social Justice
New Testament Ethics
Disability Studies and the New Testament
Jesus in World Religions

Frances Taylor Gench
Gospels
Women in the Biblical World and Feminist Biblical Criticism
Global and Intercultural Perspectives on the Bible
Issues of Biblical Authority and Interpretation

Melanie Jones Quarles
Womanist Thought
Christian Social Ethics
African American Religious History
Black Popular Culture
Millennials and Religion
Faith and Social Entrepreneurship

Lakisha Lockhart
Womanist Theology and Leadership
Black Popular Culture
Christian Education
Practical Theology
Youth Ministry & Faith Formation
Theological Aesthetics
Embodied Faith
Intersections of Art, Play, & Theology/Spirituality

Christine Luckritz Marquis
Early and Late Ancient Christianities
Violence and Religion
Memorialization and Erasure
Ascetics, Monastics, Mystics
Race and Ethnicity
Food and Body in the Ancient/Late Ancient World
Jewish, Christian, Muslim Relations before the Enlightenment
Place, Space, and Pilgrimage

Safwat Marzouk
Monsters in the Bible and the Ancient Near East
Migration in the Bible, the Church, and the World
Biblical Hermeneutics and History of Interpretation
Intercultural Churches and ministries
The Religious Other in the Bible
The book of Exodus
The book of Ezekiel
Biblical Foundations for Peace and Justice

James Taneti
Ecumenics
Christianity’s Interface with Other Religions
Women and Children in Missionary Literature

Richard W. Voelz
Contemporary Homiletic Theory
Ethics of Preaching
Preaching Identity
Preaching and Context(s)
Preaching & Youth

Karen-Marie Yust
Children, families and faith formation
Digital culture and spirituality
Popular culture and spirituality
Contemporary Christian practices

• Developmental frameworks for baptism and confirmation education with families
• Gospel Healing Narratives and Ministry Contexts
• Paul’s Concept of Food Offered to Idols in 1 Corinthians 8:1–13 and Its Interpretation in the Krobo Religio-Cultural Setting
• Augustine and race/ethnicity across history
• Evil, the Church, and incarceration
• Black Effect: The Control and Demonization of the Black body
• The Culture of Peace and the Important Role of Non-Government Organizations
• Violence Against Women
• The Challenges of Work and Motherhood
• The Role of Jesus’ Humanity in Transcending Gender Identification
• I Am Not Who I Am Thought to Be’: Speaking for the Self in Job 7-10
• Ethics and the Hebrew Bible: Recent Developments and Questions for the Future
• A Traumatizing Lament: Reading Lamentations 1 and Poems Written by Syrians in Exile through Trauma Theory
• Learning to Lament Again: Imagining Lament As a Resource for the Contemporary Church”
• The Son of Man Must Suffer . . .’: Suffering and Power in the Gospel of Mark
• Mending a Broken Heart: Biblical, Pastoral Care and Eschatological Perspectives on Child Loss
• The Incarnational Mission of God in the Fourth Gospel: Its Significance and Implications for the Christian Mission in the Indian Context with Special Reference to Hinduism
• How the Song of Songs, an ancient love poem applies to the practice of ministry today

Applicants for admission to the Doctor of Ministry program must hold a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally recognized regional accrediting agencies or the international equivalent. Applicants must have completed an accredited master’s degree in a ministry-related area from a seminary or university accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada or its international equivalent.  Applicants without an accredited Master of Divinity degree may be admitted, provided applicants meet each of these criteria: (a) the ability to thoughtfully interpret scripture and the theological tradition of one’s ministry context, (b) the capacity to understand and adapt one’s ministry to the cultural context, (c) a basic self-understanding of one’s ministerial identity and vocational calling, (d) a readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation for one’s ministry, (e) an accredited master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling, and (f) significant ministerial experience that enables the applicant to engage as a ministry peer with other students in this advanced professional doctorate. Ordination is not a requirement.

The D.Min. program ordinarily takes three to four years to complete. In Charlotte, courses will include short weekday on-campus intensive sessions several times per academic term paired with online work. In Richmond, courses will feature one-week, on-campus intensive sessions paired with online work.

The faculty at Union Presbyterian Seminary are deeply invested in their students and wish to fully engage and support the Doctor of Ministry students. Due to their commitment to students and the size of the faculty, cohorts will be intentionally small.

The degree requires 30 credit hours comprised of 6 hybrid classes, 1 online course, and 3 project based courses.

Year 1, Fall term: two foundational courses

• Ecclesiology in World Christian Perspective (3 credit hours)
• The World in and around the Church (3 credit hours)

Year 1, Spring term: two required courses

• Research Methods Seminar (3 credit hours; online format)
• Mini-project Seminar (3 credit hours; students work with faculty mentors through the semester; at the conclusion of the course students come to campus to share their research with student peers in their cohort)

Year 2: four elective courses (3 credit hours each; hybrid format; illustrative examples below)

• Educational Theory for Justice and Advocacy
• Liberation Theology and Ethics
• Pastoral Care in Conflicted Relationships
• Thinking Theologically about Money
• Enslavement, Race, and Caste
• Preaching for Transformation
• The Passions of the Christ
• Advanced Topics in Pastoral Care
• Intercultural Church: A Biblical Vision in an Age of Migration
• Parables and Contemporary Culture

Year 3: Integrative project in consultation with advisor (6 credits)

Year 4: Integrative project in consultation with advisor (if needed; at the conclusion of their program, in either Year 3 or Year 4, students will come to campus to share their research with other final-stage candidates for the degree)