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2018-2019 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Master of Divinity/Master of Social Work Dual Degree MDiv/MSW

General Information

Andrews University has formed a collaboration between the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and the Department of Social Work in the College of Arts & Sciences to prepare students for service in occupations where social work and the pastoral mission of the church intersect. 

The objectives of this program are to prepare students for various forms of ministry in which clinical and administrative skills in social work and theology are needed; to enable students to integrate both theological and social work knowledge, values and skills into a multifaceted approach to Christian service, thereby enhancing their usefulness as instruments of the Holy Spirit; and to sensitize students to nontraditional ministry opportunities by exposing them to theories and practice skills related to counseling approaches, person-in-environment, social and economic justice, human rights and global perspectives from a Christian worldview. The program is designed to give students an integrated approach to both theology and social work. Students can choose either a dual degree or an emphasis in either Social Work or Christian Ministry.

Since both the MSW and MDiv programs share certain cognate courses to achieve a more streamlined and efficient program, both degrees must be conferred simultaneously in order to fulfill the requirements of either degree.  In the event that one degree was completed prior to enrollment for the dual degree program, the cognate requirements for the other degree will be adjusted as shown below. A dual student cannot march in graduation or March-without-Completion if both halves of the dual degree are not completed.

Total Credits: 111

MDiv: Graduation requirements consist of the satisfactory completion of 111 semester credits with an overall grade point average of 2.75 or better. 65 credits are MDiv credits, and 46 credits are social work credits. 

11.5 credits of MSW core courses replace 9 credits of equivalent MDiv core courses. In addition the 6 credits of electives for each program are merged.

MSW: MDiv students are required to complete 46 core credit hours of the two-year regular MSW program. Due to the strict requirements of the Council on Social Work Education’s accrediting mandates, these core courses must all be taught or co-taught within the department by faculty holding an MSW degree. However, these courses could be co-taught with faculty from the seminary. Occasionally, a student who has already earned a BSW from an accredited program may apply to this program. In this case, the student would be placed in the Advanced Standing program, and take either 33 credits (Advanced Standing) or 39 credits (Advanced Standing Plus). Students with an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or higher are eligible to complete the Advanced Standing Program while those with a lower GPA must complete the Advanced Standing Plus requirements.

Master of Divinity (MDiv)

MDiv General Information

For information regarding: Program Overview, Application, Policies and other entrance requirements - Click Here .

MDiv Degree Prerequisites

MDiv Degree Requirements: 65

Seminary New Student Orientation

Students must attend and register for the Fall semester 0 credit orientation as a graduation requirement.

Divinity Core

Interdisciplinary Credits: 2

Great Controversy, Covenant, Law, Sabbath Course Requirement

Each student must take a “Great Controversy, Covenant, Law, Sabbath” course from their choice of the Theology, New Testament, Old Testament or Church History departments. At least one of these courses will be offered each semester.

Colloquia

Brief 0 Credit colloquia on a variety of ministry topics will be offered each semester for MDiv students.

  • On-campus students are required to attend at least 5 of these colloquia during their MDiv experience.
  • Colloquia requirements for transfer students or those completing part of their MDiv off-campus will be one colloquium for each semester that they are on the main campus.
  • Students from previous bulletins who petition into the 2018-19 bulletin will take 1 colloquium per semester for the remaining semesters of their program.

Christian Ministry Credits: 17

Discipleship and Religious Education Credits: 7

Church History Credits: 7

World Mission Credits: 6

Theology Credits: 10

New Testament Credits: 8

Before registering for New Testament courses, check the course description for Greek Language and/or other course prerequisites.

Old Testament Credits: 8

Before registering for Old Testament courses, check the course description for Hebrew Language and/or other course prerequisites.

Master of Social Work Degree Requirements: 46 Credits

Core MSW Courses

Field Experience

Admissions Requirements

Master of Divinity

All MDiv applicants must meet the Graduate Programs Admission Requirements applicable to all graduate students and the general seminary requirements.

English Language Requirements

Students whose language of education is not English must submit one of the following tests and minimum scores:

TOEFL Paper-based - 565
TOEFL Internet-based - 85
MELAB - 81
IELTS - 6.5
PTE - 58

  • Hold a baccalaureate degree: A four-year degree from an accredited United States institution, or its equivalent from an institution outside the U.S.
  • Minimum of 2.5 Undergraduate GPA
  • Normally hold membership in the Seventh-day Adventist Church inasmuch as the MDiv program is specifically designed for Adventist ministers and is sponsored and financed by the Adventist church.
  • Represent high moral integrity with a character, lifestyle, and spiritual commitment reflective of the beliefs and practices of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and show promise of usefulness for Adventist ministry through personal maturity and adequate experience in the Church. (Persons of other faiths who are willing to live in harmony with these standards are welcome to apply.)
  • Submit an autobiographical history and a 350+ word statement of purpose reflecting the applicant’s family and spiritual development, sense of calling to ministry, experience in church work, and future goals in relationship to the MDiv program. A guideline is provided in the admissions package.
  • If married, the spouse of the applicant is also asked to complete a statement in regard to his or her feelings and relationship to the partner’s aspirations for future ministry.
  • Background Check. Applicants to all Seminary programs are required to undergo a criminal background check and to make the results of the check available to the Seminary. The cost of the criminal background check is the responsibility of the applicant.  Details about this requirement may be obtained from the MDiv office.
  • An interview with a representative of the MDiv program may be required, either by personal contact, telephone, or video.
  • Complete and return the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire as directed.
  • Pre-admission Conduct Disclosure Statement - Applicants to all Seminary programs are required to complete and submit to the Seminary the “Pre-Admission Conduct Disclosure Statement.”
  • Recommendations
    • Church board where the applicant is a member
    • Church administrator, pastor, or elder
    • General Recommendation from: College teacher or advisor, recent employer, or some other non-family member

Master of Social Work

Applicants for the MDiv/MSW dual degree program typically will have received a bachelor’s degree (BA, BS, BSW) from a four-year college or university accredited by one of the nationally recognized accrediting agencies in the United States, or hold an equivalent educational credential from another country. Application must be made separately to both the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary and the Department of Social Work. Acceptance into one of the programs does not guarantee acceptance into the other. Applicants must meet the admissions requirements for each program, including all required prerequisites for each degree program.

MDiv: 

Although MDiv students can transfer 11 electives into the MSW program, they can only receive a tuition reduction if they are simultaneously enrolled in the MDiv program. Students who have already completed an MDiv degree can receive the tuition reduction upon admission into the MSW program.

MSW: 

1. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in social work program courses;

2. No grade of D or F (or U) may count toward the MSW degree.

English Language Requirement MDIV

  1. For those applicants whose native language is not English, the following is required:
  2. MELAB—score of 81 (must achieve passing score on each section) or
  3. TOEFL (paper based)—score of 565 or (ibT Internet based)-score of 85.  Minimum score of 20 in each section (reading, listening, speaking, writing). 
  4. IELTS (Academic Version)—score of 6.5
  5. PTE - (Academic Version)score of 58

Language proficiency must be met before enrolling full-time in regular coursework.

English Language Requirement - MSW

For those applicants whose native language is not English, the following is required:

1. Demonstration of English proficiency by obtaining at least a minimum score on any one of the following exams.  Exam must be taken within two years priot to enrollment

  • TOEFL ITP (paper-based) - A Minimum score of 550
  • TOEFL iBT (internet-based) - 80 with a minimum of 20 on each section
  • MELAB - 80 with a minimum of 80 on each section
  • IELTS (Academic version) - 6.5
  • PTE (Academic version) - 54

2. Nelson Denny - scroe of 13 and

3. Personal interview with MSW program director or designee

Applicants who fail to meet any of the above may be admitted only after committee consideration of the specific circumstances. Additional course work in English may be required.  A student who graduated from a four-year English-speaking high school, college or university may be exempted from all or parts of the above requirements.

Graduate Record Examination (GRE)

Students who are applying for admission to the MSW program have two options related to the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). For those students who are seeking a graduate scholarship, the GRE must be taken. The amount of a potential scholarship is related to the score achieved on the GRE as follows:

 

GRE Score Scholarship
320 50% tuition reduction
310 25% tuition reduction
300 10% tuition reduction

For students who do not seek a graduate scholarship based on the GRE score, the GRE examination is not required.

Student Handbook

The MSW Student Handbook has been designed as the social work student’s aid in understanding the program requirements, Social Work Department, and relevant policies of Andrews University. Inside the handbook you will find information such as expectations of students, the MSW curriculum, departmental policies, and other relevant information.

You are responsible for the information found in this handbook, so please take the time to familiarize yourself with the handbook and know where to find questions and answers if the need arises.

Field Manual

The Field Manual has been designed as your aid in understanding field education requirements, your role as a student in a field agency, and relevant policies of Andrews University.

You are responsible for the information found in this handbook, so please take the time to familiarize yourself with the handbook and know where to find questions and answers if the need arises.