NNU’s 75-credit Master of Divinity degree is fully online, designed for busy adults. Complete one course at a time in as little as 50 months with most summers off, or choose a more accelerated pace if you prefer.

Explore a breadth of disciplines in your coursework, including Pastoral Care, Leadership, Preaching, Christian Education, Bible, Theology, Worship, Evangelism, Church History, and Philosophy. Even more, you'll also focus 32 additional credits to fulfill your M.Div. specialization in Spiritual Formation.

We welcome women and men from a variety of theological traditions, plus Nazarene students will be pleased to know that our program has been validated as fulfilling all academic requirements for ordination, in tandem with district approval.

Our graduates assume leadership in various ministry venues, including pastoral leadership, staff ministry, university student development, chaplaincy, non-profit leadership, church planting, and other innovative settings. A recent survey of graduates revealed that 68 percent had already been offered positions by graduation. Additionally, many of our graduates have advanced to doctoral studies at a variety of other educational institutions, including Drew Divinity School, Boston University, Claremont, Portland Seminary, Fuller, Perkins, and Nazarene Theological Seminary, to name just a few. 

• The graduate understands and is able to explain Wesleyan-Holiness theology as it relates to Scripture, Christian tradition, reason, and experience in the practice of ministry.
• The graduate identifies characteristics of the cultural context of ministry and assesses them through an appropriate theological perspective, compares existing cultures with alternative cultural expressions, and develops personal and corporate practices consistent with God’s reign.
• The graduate practices the means of grace, or spiritual disciplines, that lead to emotional and spiritual health, personal Christian virtue, and responsible social engagement.
• The graduate integrates Christian theological themes in the understanding and practice of ministry and leadership.
• The graduate assesses spiritual journeys, individual and communities, for the purpose of creating a spiritual formation plan that will stimulate growth in acts of piety and mercy, i.e. inward and outward holiness.
• The graduate practices the role of being a spiritual director, by utilizing spiritual formation practices, to a local group in their ministry context.
• The graduate understands and develops spiritual formation practices, under the supervision of a mentor, that foster personal and spiritual growth.
• The graduate integrates the various ways spiritual formation may be part of the ministries of a local church in teaching, worship, preaching, and mission.

NNU’s Graduate School of Theology is accredited by The Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools. The following degree programs are approved by The Commission on Accrediting: Master of Divinity; Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry; and Master of Arts in Leadership & Formation with specializations in Missional Leadership; Spiritual Formation; and Youth, Children & Family Ministry.

Since 1930, NNU has been continuously accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges & Universities, the same respected accrediting body that validates other leading educational institutions across the Pacific Northwest. If a quality education from a respected institution with both regional and national accreditation is important to you, then NNU’s Master of Divinity or Master of Arts tracks are a great fit.