Program Description

The Master of Divinity (M.Div.) is a professional master’s degree program that prepares students for ministry and ordination as elders and deacons of the UMC and other denominations. It provides a solid theological education for seminary students and equips them with knowledge and skills for ministerial leadership in the congregation and church-related institutions. Specifically, this degree is designed to nurture seminary students to become effective in fulfilling their mission.

The degree also integrates a biblical spiritual formation program in the curriculum reflecting the ideals of Wesleyan holiness tradition that will shape the minds and character of seminary students to become mission-oriented pastors.

The M.Div. program equips seminary students to become transformative pastors, leaders, and missionaries in different areas of ministry. Specifically, the M.Div. degree will provide seminary students with knowledge and skills for fruitful ministry such as preaching, teaching, liturgy and worship, pastoral care, church leadership, evangelism, and mission.

Rationale of the Program

The vision of Wesley Divinity School is “Towards Local and International, Pastoral, and Lay Formation.” It is the goal of the Divinity School to have accessible theological education and ministerial formation in the Philippines and abroad. WDS has created a regional center and assigned a regional coordinator in offering the program; then WDS has revised the existing 3-year program to become a 2-year program to bring the focus on the principles and strategies of Mission.

This program addresses students’ needs to be theologically informed and to grow personally, professionally, and spiritually and serve in a variety of mission-related ministries. The program includes biblical, historical, theological, and practical issues that must be addressed by missionaries in the current century. The concentration addresses both religious and cultural pluralism in an effort to equip persons for a variety of ministerial situations.

The Revised M. Div. Curriculum addresses the needs of OFWs serving as supplied missionaries for Filipinos across the world. The curriculum focuses on mission principles with an emphasis to advance the missions of the church of Jesus Christ. Using a Project-based Approach, each course in the curriculum will require a mission-related project as an output.

Program of Study and Curriculum Delivery

The Master of Divinity Program-Mission Track is a full-time, 2-year program consisting of 90 units, divided among core courses, major courses, required institutional courses, and integrative courses. The curriculum focuses on mission principles with an emphasis to advance the missions of the UMC abroad. Restrictions because of the pandemic inhibit face-to-face classroom meetings. Thus, the program utilizes a Flexible Integrated Outcomes-Based Curriculum with alternative learning platforms and activities.

1. Two Courses per Month

The expectation is that courses – with all its requirements – are completed within a month, thus ensuring that students do not have backlogs of assignments as they proceed to other classes in the following months. Since the goal is for students to graduate the program as a cohort in two years, much will be expected from the students during the duration of the program in terms of motivation, commitment, and diligence in accomplishing their requirements for each course.

2. Student Learning Hours

Each 3-unit class requires 90 learning hours from students. These can be divided among various learning activities such as “classes” where the professors give lectures to listening students in a video conference setting, cyber activities such as discussions in forums, off-class requirements such as reading, reflection papers, book reports, research papers, and other projects. Professors are free to divide the expected 54 lecture hours between synchronous and asynchronous learning activities, while 36 hours are allotted for research or field activities. However, it is expected that a minimum of 30 hours out of the 54 hours lecture will be spent in a video conferencing “classroom.”

3. Teacher-Student Conferences

The college uses Canvas as their official learning management system. It comes with a built-in video conferencing app. However, professors can use other apps that may require less bandwidth and are more accessible to students.

4. Learning Management System

Professors and students will use Canvas as their online platform to communicate information about the class, store files, submit and grade papers, interact in forum discussions, provide helpful links, handouts, audio and video files, and perform other activities such as corresponding with one another and conducting quizzes. The University prepares access to Canvas for professors and students.

5. Educational Resources

The students are OFW and missionaries abroad and unable to come to the University Library on campus at Cabanatuan City because of geographical constraints. However, students of WU-P Wesley Divinity School have access to the academic journal databases of EBSCO Host and GDTL-Global Digital Theological Library where they can access books wherever they are in the world.

6. Reflective Engagement

The ethos of the whole degree program is “reflective engagement,” although the emphasis falls more on the reflective element. While the University honors the actual engagement of the students in ministry, this does not warrant granting a master’s degree. Therefore, the thrust of the program is that students, while deeply engaged in Missionary work, are guided to pause and perform reflections informed by scholarly insights about their functions. Furthermore, as experienced practitioners, the reflections they share with their classmates in class discussions and group interactions will be valuable insights to others in their co-learning journey.

Instructional Delivery

The curriculum framework is Flexible Integrated Outcome-based Curriculum with workplace and community orientation/immersion. This curriculum provides the students with an educational experience that integrates theory and praxis throughout the program. The degree program employs an educational planning approach that prepares a student for life-long learning and opportunities for critical and creative thinking. The integrated curriculum helps graduates put together learned facts to get the whole picture and adopt a holistic approach while leading and serving in their constituencies. Integration is both horizontal and vertical.

1. Class Setting

There will be synchronous meetings where teachers will conduct lectures and facilitate activities. The professor will deliver content, demonstrate skills, and facilitate various online learning experiences in the class to ensure that students will have mastery of the skills being taught. There will also be asynchronous meetings. There will be recorded videos, reading materials and online forum discussions.

2. Online Interaction

There will be ongoing inline forum discussion to engage students and provide avenues to exchange ideas, interact and collaborate. Students will use Canvas accounts throughout the week to participate in the online discussion forums and to accomplish tasks required by their professors. Tasks may include watching video recordings, forum discussions, reading a required chapter, taking a quiz, submitting papers, responding to posts, and others.

3. Research-Based Engagement

In order to train graduates to make informed decisions and plans, students will be engaged in various research throughout their course of study. They will not only be taught research skills but will engage in gathering and analyzing data.

4. Projects and Praxis-based Methods of Assessment

The program, as a professional degree, requires praxis-based learning activities where theories and insights learned in classes may be implemented, tested, and evaluated. These requirements may come in the form of project proposals, community engagement and/or development, needs assessment, and actual field engagement.

5. Field Activities

Students will be engaged in various field activities throughout their course of study. There will be hands-on activities, guided by experts in the field of pastoral, educational and missional ministries

Course Description: M. Div. in Mission (Cohort Program)

* Most of courses have 3 units with 54 hours (lecture) and 36 hours (research)

Basic Courses

BIB 201 Biblical Studies 1 (Old Testament)

This course analyzes the historical events in ancient Israel leading to the formation of the Hebrew Old Testament canon, looking into the critical issues from the historical, compositional, literary and theological perspectives.

BIB 202 Biblical Studies 2 (New Testament)

This course explores the historical background of the New Testament and introduces the theology and literatures of the New Testament. At the end of the course, the students are expected to: 1) Discuss the major themes and discourses in the New Testament, 2) Apply basic skills in the exegesis of the New Testament.

BIB 203 Biblical Theology

This course explores and analyzes the varied theological themes of the Old Testament and the Gospels. Special focus will be given on the theological themes that run through the narratives and legal materials of the Torah and the prophetic materials of the 8th BCE Israel. This course will also trace on how these OT materials have impacted Jesus’ teachings in the gospels. Special attention will likewise be afforded to the different theologies espoused in the canonical gospels. A knowledge of the theological stresses and emphases of the biblical materials is indispensable in the reflection of the OT and the NT and in the preparation of bible study materials and sermons.

CT 201 Church History 1

This course presents a broad perspective or overview of church history from the apostolic age to the Middle Ages, highlighting key people, events and issues, as well as illustrating and assessing our Christian heritage and its transformative impact on the doctrine, spiritual life, and mission of the church.

CT 202 Church History 2

This is an overview of the historical development of Christianity from the Reformation to the modern period, giving emphasis on central historical figures, places,  movements,  historical-theological issues and their relevance for Christian ministry and mission today. At the end of the course, the students are expected to creatively employ the strategies learned from the history of the church since the Reformation in order to promote the mission of the church in contemporary times.

CT 203 Christian Theology

This course is a critical reflection on the nature of theology and the classic themes of the Christian theological tradition in the light of biblical theology, the Methodist tradition and the contemporary Asian Culture.

CT 204 United Methodist History

This course is an introductory survey that focuses on significant individuals and decisive events in the history of The United Methodist Church, including the origins of its distinctive doctrines and development of its policy.

CT 205 United Methodist Doctrine and Polity

This course focuses on the characteristic doctrines and polity of the United Methodist Church. It also includes the doctrinal standards of the United Methodist Church and the contemporary expressions of the polity, discipline, practice, and mission of the United Methodist Church.

CT 206 Biblical and Theological Foundations of Mission and Evangelism

This course is a study on the biblical and theological foundation of Christian mission based on the central theological understanding of the Triune God in both the Old and New Testaments as the Lord of history from the beginning till the end, to which the church becomes salvific, mediating and obedient praxis by being a sign of eschaton of the world.

CM 201 Faith and Human Development

This course is designed to help students examine faith and human development from a holistic perspective. Faith Stages and Human Developmental Theories will help students understand appropriate age-level learning contents and activities. Special emphasis will be given to the implications of Christian Education curriculum in local and global contexts. To understand the relationship between concepts of Faith Stages, Human Development and Christian Education. Faith and Developmental Themes through the lifespan will be explored in designing an age- appropriate teaching ministries and curriculum.

CM 202 Methodist Worship and Liturgy

This course surveys the worship resources of the Methodist Church, with attention to the history, theology, and pastoral practice, the shape and practice of liturgical time, the meaning and practice of baptism and Eucharist, the liturgical pastoral offices of the Church, and the methods of Liturgical Inculturation.

SPECIALIZATION COURSES

MS 201 World Religions and Belief Systems

This course examines the world’s major religions by reflecting on their origin, history, beliefs, worldview, teachings, and practices, and considering thoughtful Christian responses to them. Students will engage persons of other religions respectfully to understand their faith, religious commitments, and spiritual journeys. In light of what they learned about other religions, students will consider ways to demonstrate the uniqueness of the Christian gospel in relation to the religious claims of other faiths and reflect on meaningful ways to witness their Christian faith among believers of other religions.

MS 202 Contextual Theology

This course will consider roles and methods of participants doing contextual theology, including those who contribute from the outside. Areas of special focus will be: theological models and disciplinary approaches for doing contextual theology; biblical criteria and cultural factors in contextual theologies; local expressions of the faith within world Christianity; and case studies in contextualizing theology.

MS 203 Anthropological Foundation and Evangelism

This course is an introduction to cultural anthropology with application to Christian evangelization and mission. A critical view of anthropology as it relates to theology will lead us to our main concern, and that is missiology. There will be a conscious effort in this course to maintain a trialogue between anthropology, theology, and missiology.

MS 204 Pauline Perspective on Mission

This course surveys and investigates the evolution of Paul’s thoughts on eschatology, soteriology, Christology and ecclesiology and how these theological concerns contributed in the crystallization of his perspective on mission.

MS 205 Preaching the Gospet

This course focuses on the study and analysis of the Gospel texts in relation to the scripture readings in the lecionary, how the message of the Gospel can be shaped into sermon forms and help the students plan for systematic sermon and worship preparation through the employment of the lectionary passages.

MS 206 Mission and Evangelism in the 21st Century

This course is designed for seminary students who desire to advance their knowledge and leadership skills around mission and evangelism, providing for both theoretical and practical examination of some best principles, methodologies, models and practices on mission and evangelism that is not only applicabe to the contemporary ministry setting in the Philippines but also as generally relevant to the global context. The goal is for the students to develop an appropriate Ministry Action Plan for Mission and Evangelism for their church-based ministry contexts.

MS 207 Discipleship System and Mission

This course will help students examine current cultures and systems within their ministry, and understand concepts, models and practices, which aid in implementing changes to their current and future ministry settings, especially those relating to discipleship formation. It will also assist them to develop an appropriate Ministry Action Plan with an Intentional Discipleship System for their church-based ministry context.

ELECTIVE COURSES

CM 203 Foundations of Christian Education

The primary aim of Christian Education is to lead people of all ages to know and respond to God through Jesus Christ. This course introduces the student to the Historical, Biblical and theological foundations of Christian Education and provides some basic teaching techniques, skills, concepts, and approaches to prepare students for their role as teachers in the community. Following this course, students will be able to apply these core concepts in basic teaching practices. The course also aims to broaden the understanding of Christian Education and its role in the Philippine church and the Filipino experience. It explores and develops Christian education frameworks based on the Filipino psyche and culture.

CM 204 Pastoral Care and Counseling

This is an introductory course in the discipline of pastoral care and counseling. It includes the different theories and practices utilized in pastoral care of congregations and communities and counseling groups and individuals. The students will have an opportunity to examine and explore some of the personal, interpersonal and communal issues experienced by persons engaging in pastoral care: differences in culture, gender, class, race, nationality, ethnicity, religious tradition, sexual orientation, and physical ability.

CM 205 Homiletics

This course will concentrate on fundamental principles and skills of sermon writing that would enable the students to construct different types of sermon outlines. The sermon preparation anticipates the importance of preaching in the context of liturgy and worship in the task of conveying the Gospel to the existing churches.

CM 206 Organization and Management of Church and Institutions

This course focuses on the formation of vision and competency in administrative tools and skills so that unity is achieved between the Pastor’s being and doing that is in keeping with the theology and polity of the United Methodist Church.

BIB 204 Studies in Biblical Hebrew

This course will introduce the basic elements of biblical Hebrew grammar. Biblical Hebrew seeks to guide the students in the study, analysis (parsing) and reading of passages in the Hebrew Bible.

BIB 205 Studies in New Testament Greek

This course seeks to help students gain a basic knowledge of koine or NT Greek, sufficient for some elementary translation. The focus is on understanding the rudiments of the koine Greek grammar.

CT 207 Gender Studies

This is an interdisciplinary course designed to critically examine gender as a social and cultural construct. It explores key questions and contemporary issues on gender scholarship, performance and power.

CT 208 Christian Ethics

This course will study the process of making a moral decision, the criteria upon which such a decision is based, the agent who makes the decision, the environment wherein such a decision is made, and the procedure for implementing such a decision.

CT 209 Professional and Pastoral Ethics

A study of the principles that guide the behavior of ministerial workers in the performance of their work, in their relationship to other ministerial workers and in giving pastoral care to their parishioners.

CM 207 Transformative Learning

This course will help students engage Christian formation and discipleship with critical pedagogy. It will primarily explore transformative learning and its implication to church’s educational ministries. It is hoped that the students will create tools and skills for shaping liberating pedagogies for their church placements.

CM 208 Chaplaincy Studies

This course is designed to equip interested students on God’s Mission through chaplaincy work in various institutionalized settings. It aims at teaching students the role of a minister in specialized chaplaincy settings, such as hospitals, schools, prisons and armies. Students in training are presented with a sound theoretical and practical approach to chaplaincy and the community as a foundation for chaplaincy practice.

CM 209 Studies in Technology Assisted Christian Formation

A study of the creative ways that Information and Communications Technology can enhance the ministry of Christian education and pastoral care, thus leading to a more effective nurturing of the spiritual growth of individual believers and the larger community of faith.

CM 210 Spiritual Formation and Direction

An orientation to the history and practice of Christian spirituality and prayer forms as they may be applied for personal and parish renewal. The relationship of prayer to other spiritual disciplines, the processes of discernment and spiritual healing will be explored. The experience of a variety of spiritual disciplines including the indigenous will enable the student to create a Spiritual formation program for a local church.

FORMATION COURSES

FE 201 Field Education/ FE 202 Summer Field Exposure (1 units – 60 hours)

Under the supervision of a Field Education Supervisor students will be guided in enhancing pastoral skills through their weekend church appointments and Summer Exposures. It provides opportunities for students to engage in various, ecumenical and meaningful activities in partnership with faith communities and mission agencies. Feedbacks from church placements/ Summer Exposure venues are required to guide the students in developing competence in the practice of ministry.

FE 203 Clinical Pastoral Education (6 units – 400 hours)

CPE focuses on the foundations of pastoral formation, pastoral competence and pastoral reflection and how it is applied in the ministry. This course utilizes an action-reflection process of education covering 10-weeks (400 hours) of supervised clinical and educational work.

RESEARCH AND CAPSTONE PROJECT

TR 201 Theological Research Methods (3 units – 90 hours)

This course builds on the core importance of praxis in ministry and research as a major tool in shaping critical assessment. It addresses the fundamental assumptions of conducting research projects at a ministry setting: ontology, epistemology, theology, methodology and the social location of the researcher.

TR 202 Capstone Project on Mission (3 units – 90 hours)

An academic research that is the culmination of the student’s Master of Divinity schoolwork. It demonstrates the student’s ability to make a research claim, argue and make recommendations in a specific topic of a particular discipline using scholarly work. The student is expected to complete this under the mentorship of an assigned adviser.

Program Details: M. Div. in Mission (Cohort Program)

	COURSE CODE	COURSE NAME	UNITS
Core Courses (33 units)	BIB 201	Biblical Studies I (Old Testament)	3
	BIB 202	Biblical Studies II (New Testament)	3
	BIB 203	Biblical Theology	3
	CT 201	Church History I	3
	CT 202	Church History II	3
	CT 203	Christian Theology	3
	CT 204	United Methodist History	3
	CT 205	United Methodist Doctrine and Polity	3
	CT 206	Biblical Foundations of Mission and Evangelism	3
	CM 201	Faith and Human Development	3
	CM 202	Methodist Worship and Liturgy	3
Specialization Courses (21 units)	MS 201	World Religions & Belief Systems	3
	MS 202	Contextual Theology	3
	MS 203	Anthropological Foundations of Mission & Evangelism	3
	MS 204	Pauline Perspective on Mission	3
	MS 205	Preaching the Gospels	3
	MS 206	Mission & Evangelism in the 21st Century	3
	MS 207	Discipleship System & Mission	3
Elective Courses A. Required Electives (12 units)	CM 203	Foundations of Christian Education	3
	CM 204	Pastoral Care and Counseling	3
	CM 205	Homiletics	3

	CM 206	Organization and Management of Church & Institutions	3
Elective Courses	BIB 204	Studies in Biblical Hebrew	3
B. Free Electives	BIB 205	Studies in New Testament Greek	3
(6 units)	CT 207	Gender Studies	3
	CT 208	Christian Ethics	3
(Choose only 2 courses)	CT 209	Professional and Pastoral Ethics	3
	CM 207	Transformative Learning	3
	CM 208	Chaplaincy Studies	3
	CM 209	Studies in Technology Assisted	3
		Christian Formation
	CM 210	Spiritual Formation and Direction	3
Formation Courses (12 units)	FE 201	Field Education/ FE 202 Summer Field Exposure (6 units)	6
	FE 203	Clinical Pastoral Education (6 units)	6
Research and Capstone Projects (6 units)	TR 201	Theological Research Methods (3 Units)	3
	TR 202	Capstone Project on Mission (3 units)	3
Other Requirements for Graduation	BCE	Bible Content Exam (0 unit)	0
	COMPRE	Comprehensive Exam (0 unit)	0

Areas of Study	Credit Units
Core Courses	33
Specialization	21
Electives	18
Formation Courses	12
Research & Capstone Project	6
Total	90