Condensing Eight Years of Academics into Five

 

Are you called to pastor? Through our accelerated 5-Year Pastoral Leadership Degree Program, you can earn a B.A. and a Master of Divinity in 5 years. If you already have a bachelor’s degree, an MDiv Only track is also available. Emmanuel Academies is pleased to work with students seeking ordination in the ELCA and other Christian denominations. Our seminary partner, Sioux Falls Seminary, serves over 40 denominations.

 

The key to our unique and innovative program is the outcomes-oriented, highly experiential, mentor-oriented education model illustrated above. Our program is specifically designed to help you build leadership, service, and management skills as you develop a strong theological foundation. You’ll become well versed in the concepts of faith, work, vocation, and economics and how they intersect within flourishing communities informed by faith. Most of our students work or volunteer at their church, but we can also work with you to find a ministry that will serve as the contextual base for your learning and growth.  

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You’ll apply to an undergraduate program offered by one our accredited educational partners, and we’ll help you select the program best suited for you:

• Concordia University Chicago’s B.A. in Organizational Management is offered online as well as on their campus

• Sioux Falls Seminary’s B.A. in Ministry, Thought and Practice is an experiential, online program

• Palm Beach Atlantic University’s B.A. in Ministry, taught in English, and B.A. in Global Leadership, taught in Spanish, are offered online as well as on their Orlando campus

 

If you have already earned some college credits, you may be able to apply them towards your degree requirements. The program you apply to will evaluate your transcripts and make a determination.

 

Towards the end of your first year of study, you’ll apply to the Master of Divinity program at Sioux Falls Seminary, an ATS accredited seminary, which has developed the innovative Kairos Project to facilitate outcome-driven, contextually-based learning. The program is driven by relevant experiences and facilitated contemplation, as well as a series of six intensives at the Sioux Falls campus over a three year period. You’ll have a team of mentors: a Pastoral Mentor, a Faculty Mentor and a personal mentor to walk alongside you, challenge you, and support you. Your mentor team, led by the Faculty Mentor, will guide your growth, ensuring your achievement of the required academic and skills-based outcomes.

 

Our program administrators, as well as the Sioux Falls Seminary staff, will work closely with you and your Candidacy Committee through the candidacy process and to ensure that the expectations of the Candidacy Committee are met. If you are seeking ordination in the ELCA, you will take three of your seminary courses through Luther Seminary, which will serve as your Seminary of Affiliation. If you are seeking ordination in another denomination, your denomination may require you to take a portion of your courses through a seminary affiliated with your denomination.

 

Through Emmanuel’s leadership training program, you’ll have the opportunity to develop leadership and administrative skills critical to leading a vibrant community of faith. These include team leadership, budgeting and financial management, collaboration and innovation, marketing and communications, and fund raising.

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Oh, did we mention that we have Scholarship funds available? It is expected that our students will complete their 5 years of study with a maximum amount of debt from tuition of $12,500, in total! Yes, we have scholarships available!