This world is full of unique individuals with unique relationships with the Sacred. When someone is called to sacred service by the Divine, the call can be as different as the individual is. It is important for each person to steward their call by choosing a program that will best serve them.
New West Seminary supports the journey of those whose path is served by attending a seminary that honors of all faiths. Many of our graduates find themselves serving in places that are outside the traditional form of a church. Their service is holy and sacred and their studies and experiences at New West Seminary have been vital to their ability to answer the call to sacred service. Our curriculum also supports those wanting to pursue more traditional forms of ministry, but want to serve in churches that are independent, and do not have their own ministry training programs.
New West offers a program that is tailored for the adult learner who is already active in the world. Classes are taught workshop style during once a month weekend intensives, September through June. Online learning is used in partnership with the weekend classes. In addition to the monthly classes, there will be special classes, speakers, and retreats to enhance the program.
The majority of teaching is done in person. This is a good choice for those who learn better in a classroom setting, rather than a program heavily weighted to online learning.
New West Seminary demands high scholarship, diligent inner spiritual seeking, and service in the greater community.
The program is small, allowing for deeper connections between teachers and students, as well as between the students themselves. At this point, we accept 12 people into the program at the start of each fall. We encourage you to apply early, as once the program is full we will not accept any more applications for that year.
New West Seminary is authorized by the state of Oregon to offer a Masters of Divinity degree. At the end of this program, if you have met all the requirements you will be awarded a Masters of Divinity degree. This is a spiritual degree and we are not accredited by any National organization. Because of that, individual organizations will decide on a case by case basis if they will honor this degree.
At this time, New West Seminary does not act as a licensing and ordination organization. Upon graduating from New West Seminary, you are not licensed nor ordained and do not receive the title of Reverend.
It is each individual’s responsibility to form an independent relationship with a licensing and ordination body if that is the path you wish to pursue. If you want to serve as a minister at a Religious Science, Unity, or another church that has its own seminary and requirements to be in ministry, be aware that they will not accept our MDiv program as a substitute for theirs.
Likewise, if your call is to teach at major secular educational institutions, some will not accept our MDiv as a viable Masters Degree.
We are clear that our program does not fit the needs of all seekers. However, we do offer a unique and rich experience that has had and continues to have a profound affect on many lives.
We invite you to read further and if we are a fit for you, please contact us for more information, or fill out and submit an admissions application.
Blessings to you on your Spiritual Journey.
The purpose of the Master of Divinity degree is to prepare proficient, knowledgeable and spiritually mature leaders for independent ministries and sacred service in the world. The curriculum develops student competence in four areas:
Knowledge: Each student will demonstrate knowledge of their philosophical and theological heritage, cultural context of ministry and spirituality today, and emerging paradigms of religion, spirituality and science.
Understanding: Each student will demonstrate ability to use the knowledge acquired in appropriate ministerial and leadership roles.
Skills: Each student will demonstrate competency in ministerial skills, both those that are universally required and those defined as necessary to the student's specific calling.
Personal and Spiritual Formation: Each student will demonstrate commitment to an on-going process of spiritual growth and the application of spiritual principles.
The first weekend of each year will be a spiritual retreat for the students, faculty, and alumni. It will be a time for going in and connecting with the Divine. This will be done through a variety of practices such as Art, Music, Dance, Silence, Prayer and Meditation. There will be ritual and chances to set intentions for the coming school year.
The first year of seminary focuses on Spirituality, in the world and within oneself.
The first year curriculum will explore:
The second year of seminary continues with deepening your academic knowledge and personal spiritual exploration. There will also be classes on the practical applications of ministry. The energy shifts from the more inward path of the first year to more practical instruction of being of service.
The practical skill classes are survey courses. They are to give you basic knowledge of various tasks, responsibilities, and services that as a minister or spiritual leader you may be called to know how to do. These classes are meant to give you a foundation that you may choose to build upon during your internship year and beyond.
In the last term of the second year, you will go through a process of discernment around your internship - crafting an internship and having it approved by the Dean's Committee for the following year.
The second year curriculum will explore:
The final year of the program is the Internship Year. Students will fulfill their internship of active ministry that was created at the end of the second year. The classes this year are designed to support the student stepping into active ministry. At the end of the year, there will be a final oral exam where they will present their internship project. If they meet all of the criteria, they will be recommended for graduation.
The third year curriculum will explore:
The following are additional requirements of the program:
Traditionally, if you attended a seminary, there would be a church system within which you would be licensed and ordained. Because we are Interfaith, we are not aligned with any one organized church and therefore do not offer licensing and ordination at this time.
Completion of the Master of Divinity degree program at New West Seminary is an academic achievement and is meant to give you a strong and solid foundation from which to pursue your future as a spiritual leader.
For those who wish to pursue ministerial licensure and ordination, it is their responsibility to establish a relationship of candidacy with a church or other ordaining body. Authority to license and ordain ministers lies with the leadership of an organized church.
Each church will have its own standards for acceptance into candidate status along with expectations and requirements of candidates before final approval for licensure and ordination. Students may wish to coordinate these requirements with field placement and internship assignments during their seminary program.
The Dean's Committee determines admission to the M.Div. program. Applications are evaluated on the following elements:
Download the Admissions Application Packet.
For admission deadlines, please see our Academic Calendar, click here.
A full time student, enrolling in all three terms of each academic year, can complete the Masters of Divinity in three academic years.
The program is small and has been developed to be sequential and interactive between classes. We do not enroll part-time students. If for some reason it is necessary to miss a term, the student will have to wait until the following year or until that set of classes is reoffered to continue studies.
At this time we are not accepting transfer credits. Each part of the program is essential to the whole experience.
The degree program must be completed within six years of initial enrollment.
These courses are the minimum required courses for completion of the M.Div. degree. Click here for course descriptions.
| Interfaith Studies | 21 credits | |
| Core Courses | ||
| WR 1210 | Interfaith Studies I: Introduction to Interfaith Studies: Hinduism, Buddhism & Taoism | 3 credits |
| WR 1220 | Interfaith Studies II: The Peoples of the Book | 3 credits |
| WR 1230 | Interfaith Studies III: American Spirituality | 3 credits |
| WR 1280 | Traditions of Mysticism (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| SC 1210 | The Hebrew Bible: Origins of Three Faiths | 3 credits |
| SC 1220 | Studies in the Christian Testament | 3 credits |
| SC 1310 | Wisdom Writings | 3 credits |
| Science, Religion and Society | 3 credits | |
| Core Courses | ||
| SR 1240 | New Paradigms of Science and Religion | 3 credits |
| Spiritual Formation | 9 credits | |
| Core Courses | ||
| PF 1210 | Answering the Call (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| PF 1220 | The Spiritual Self (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| PF 1230 | Discernment in Action (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| Spiritual Leadership | 9 credits | |
| Core Courses | ||
| SL 1311 | Disciplines and Invitations of Spiritual Leadership | 3 credits |
| SL 1312 | Spiritual Leadership: The Challenge of Community | 3 credits |
| SL 1313 | Spiritual Leadership: Our Emerging Roles | 3 credits |
| Professional Skills Development | 30 credits | |
| Core Courses | ||
| PD 1310 | Explorations in Ministry I | 3 credits |
| PD 1320 | Explorations in Ministry II | 3 credits |
| PD 1330 | The Crafts of Ministry | 3 credits |
| PD 1350 | Holy Listening: Introduction to the Field of Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual Direction | 3 credits |
| PD 1360 | The Power of Voice – Speaking for Ministry (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| PD 1370 | Teaching in Spiritual Community (1 credit per term) | 3 credits |
| PD 1380 | The Business of Ministry | 3 credits |
| PD 1551 | Ministry Practice I: Developing Your Call, Finding Your Niche |
3 credits |
| PD 1552 | Ministry Practice II: Ethics, Discernment & Renewal | 3 credits |
| PD 1553 | Ministry Practice III: Demonstrating Mastery | 3 credits |
In the second year of the program, students will enroll in Explorations in Ministry (PD 1310 series) and complete a practicum in both Winter and Spring Terms. A practicum is defined as 20 hours of experience in hands-on service to or direct observation of ministry or sacred service. A practicum generally falls into one of the six primary roles of ministry:
The practicum experience is usually outside of New West Seminary. The student will be responsible to arrange the field study and may be required to pay a fee to the individual or organization that they are doing their field study with in addition to the tuition for the class.
The field study is done on an individual basis. However, this is a course and the students come back together in the classroom setting to be supported and learn from each other in their exploration of sacred service. The practicum must be approved by the Explorations in Ministry instructor.
In the final year of the program, students will enroll in Supervised Ministry Practice (PD 1550 series) and complete 360 hours of field experience. The internship is to provide the opportunity to gain hands-on practice in sacred service roles.
Each student will develop an Internship Proposal for presentation to the Dean’s Committee. The Committee will work with the student to negotiate an Internship Learning Contract including the following:
Internship approval is based on three criteria:
Some internship plans may involve field supervision fees in addition to regular tuition.
On completion of the Internship and the meeting of all other requirements, a final review will be scheduled with the Academic Dean’s Committee.
At the review, the student will present their internship project and participate in a final oral exam. If the student meets and satisfies all criteria, the Dean’s Committee will recommend graduation.
The Seminary will conduct Graduation ceremonies where the Masters of Divinity degree will be awarded to the graduate.
New West Seminary has a growing library of books, videos and tapes to support the areas of our curriculum. The collection is available to students, faculty and local area ministers. It is currently housed at our main office.