In the academic study of Christian theology, the Master of Divinity (M.Div., magister divinitatis in Latin) is both the first professional degree and the terminal degree of the pastoral profession in North America. It is a common academic degree in theological seminaries. A doctorate is often pursued after obtaining a Master of Divinity, however, these are research degrees and therefore, the MDiv. is most often considered the terminal degree for practicing ministers.

In many Christian denominations, and of some other religions, this degree is the standard prerequisite for ordination to the priesthood or pastorship or other appointment, ordination or licensing to professional ministry. At most American seminaries this degree requires around 90 credit hours of study.

It generally includes studies in Christian ministry and theology. Coursework usually includes studies in New Testament Greek, theology, philosophy, church history, pastoral theology, Hebrew Bible (Old Testament), and New Testament studies. Many programs also contain courses in church growth, ecclesiology, evangelism, systematic theology, Christian education, liturgical studies, Latin, Hebrew, canon law, patristics, and the like. The degree may or may not include a thesis.

The Master of Divinity has replaced the Bachelor of Divinity in most United States seminaries as the first professional degree, since the latter title implied in the American academic system that it was on a par with a Bachelor of Arts or other basic undergraduate education even though a bachelor's degree was and remains a prerequisite for entrance into graduate divinity programs.

As the terminal degree in practical ministry in some countries, the M.Div. is a significantly more extensive program than most master's degrees. In the United States the degree usually consists of 90 or more semester hours, as opposed to the usual 36 or 48. Ordination in most mainline Protestant denominations and the Roman Catholic Church thus requires seven or eight years of education past high school: the first four in undergraduate studies leading to a bachelor's degree (which may or may not be in a related field) and then three or four years of seminary or divinity school education leading to the M.Div. In the United States, an additional one to two years of study is required after the earning of a bachelor's degree, but before M.Div studies have begun. The program is a pre-requisite mandated by the bishops of the United States to prepare students for the study of theology.

The M.Div. stands in contrast to the M.A. in Theology and Master of Theological Studies (M.T.S.), the usual academic degrees in the subject (which tend not to include "pastoral" or "practical" courses), and the Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.), Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.), Master of Theology (M.Th.), Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.), and Master of Religion (M.Rel.), which are also academic degrees. Schools with Pontifical faculties in North America often award both the M.Div. and S.T.B. at the same time after a three year period of graduate studies.

In the United States the M.Div. is counted as a terminal degree. Occasionally a Master of Divinity graduate pursues doctoral studies, often the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.), which is also a degree focused on ministerial practice. The Doctor of Theology (Th.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), and Doctor of Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) all tend to be academic rather than ministerial degrees. In recent years it is not unusual for the M.Div. holders to add another degree, earning either the Ph.D. or Th.D. as well as the D.Min. Graduates of the M.Div. who completed a thesis as part of their degree are often eligible for admission into Ph.D. or Th.D. programs with a requirement to take additional, more academic-oriented, coursework. While the Doctor of Divinity is only an honorary degree in the United States, in the United Kingdom the Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) is the highest degree in the field at most universities, normally awarded for a significant body of published work of high quality.

• Graduate programs in religion

• The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS)
• Commission on Accrediting accredits the schools and approves the degree programs they offer.
• [1] Naropa University Master of Divinity degree.
• [2] Moody Graduate School Master of Divinity Program
• [3] University of the West, Master of Divinity Program.
• [4] Toronto School of Theology, University of Toronto, Basic Degree Programs.