Magisterium Divinitatis

The program is offered by:

Pursue your Master of Divinity within the worshipping community of The Presbyterian College and be transformed through studies and friendship.

The MDiv program equips women and men to be effective pastoral leaders—to serve Christ and the church faithfully and competently. This program is offered in collaboration with McGill University, a foremost North American University. Also, in collaboration with the Montreal School of Theology, a historic ecumenical community of study within Quebec and Canada. Our M.Div. program is accredited through the Association of Theological Schools, the primary accrediting body for theological education.

Program Snapshot

• A program offered through a partnership of McGill University and The Presbyterian College
• 90-Credit program in theology and ministry
• 3-year program based on full-time study
• Includes residential (Years 1 and 2) and possible online (Year 3) components
• Tuition rates of $710 per 3-credit course (International Students) and $395 per 3-credit course (Canadian Students)
• Admission Requirement: Bachelor’s degree with a 2.7 CGPA

Integration and Internships

The MDiv program of The Presbyterian College is unique in North America. It combines two years of academic study with one year of professional formation. An internship represents 40% of the final year of the program. Our goal is the formation of leaders of integrity., Leaders whose mind and heart and work are all oriented to the service of others in the way of Christ. In years 1 and 2 of the program, you will study systematic theology, the Old and New Testaments, the history of the church, and the cultural dimensions of Christian faith. In the 3rd and final year you will focus on leadership in the church, the practice of preaching, the mission of congregations, and pastoral care of others.

Intercultural Encounter

The third year of the program includes a one-week study tour in Cuba. This trip will engage you meaningfully with the life of the church in Cuba, as well as its culture and history. This experience will help you understand that ministry and mission are always shaped by particular languages, cultures, and histories. Our program is also developing a meaningful component oriented toward learning and dialogue with Indigenous communities in Canada.

Academic life

Studying at The Presbyterian College means studying alongside students in other programs in the School of Religious Studies at McGill University. It is a dynamic and rich opportunity to study alongside and learn from those of others' faith traditions; learning to articulate your Christian faith and hope through conversation with others. The program is intellectually stimulating, developing your familiarity with the theological, historical, Biblical, and cultural dimensions of Christian faith and life. Professors are of the highest caliber, seeking the best for students both intellectually and in their formation for ministry.

A Worshipping and Praying Community

Theological study is about meaningfully intellectual engagement. But growth within our spiritual lives is also vital to our formation for ministry. Joining The Presbyterian College means being part of a warm community that prays together, offers praise together, and shares in meals together. Be transformed and equipped through study and praise and prayer and celebration together as the Body of Christ.

Length of Program and Residency

The MDiv at The Presbyterian College is a 3-year, 90-credit program. The first two years of the program are residential in Montreal. The final year may be pursued residentially in Montreal or in an online format at a distance (with 3 or 4 residential periods each term, involving travel back to Montreal). This means that your internship in the final year of the program could be in Toronto or Winnipeg or Halifax or Boston or Chicago. Synchronous components of the final-year, online classes make use of the Zoom conferencing platform, and a-synchronous components are through Moodle.

Transfer Credit

If you have already completed some part of your theological studies in a public university or an accredited seminary, you may transfer up to 36 credits (12 courses) toward your program at The Presbyterian College—these transfer credits are reviewed and confirmed at the time of your application.

Dual Application

As a combined program of McGill University and The Presbyterian College, there are two applications to complete—one application to the College (MDiv program) and one application to the University (registering in the BTh program of that institution for the purposes of the MDiv). Of course, we are available to support you in this application process and answer any questions you might have.

Introducing The Presbyterian College

The Presbyterian College is a center of theological education where students are prepared for Christian ministries or further academic studies. The College is open to students from around the world and from a whole variety of theological traditions and denominations. The motto of the College is “Holding forth the word of life,” taken from Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:16) These words express our commitment to God’s life-giving Word in Christ and expressed in the scriptures.

Our academic programs include:

• Bachelor of Theology (a 4-year undergraduate degree)
• Master of Divinity (a 3-year professional degree for ministry)
• Diploma in Ministry (a 1-year professional year following previous theology studies)
• Master of Sacred Theology (a 2-year advanced academic degree)
• Masters of Theological Studies (a 2-year French-language masters in practical theology)

International Students in these programs pay tuition and fees that are only slightly more than those paid by Canadian Students—some of the most competitive tuition fees in North America.

A Global Community of Study and Worship

Over past years, we have become a truly global community of study and worship, with students from every corner of the globe—from Taiwan, Brazil, Ghana, and Cameroon—as well as from the US and Canada. There is such richness in this sharing together and in the wonderful diversity of the Body of Christ. We learn alongside one another and from one another, always enriched by what each one has to share.

Located in Beautiful Montreal

We are located in the world-class, cosmopolitan city of Montreal, Quebec, which contains a beautiful mix of cultures alongside the majority of French and English populations. It is a city of festivals and cafes and rivers all surrounding beautiful Mount Royal in its center. There is also the beauty of winter and the charms of sledding and ice-skating and skiing. A city where you’ll quickly feel at home.

Affiliated with McGill University

Our programs are run in affiliation with the School of Religious Studies at McGill University, which is one of Canada's best-known institutions of higher learning and one of the leading universities in the world. With students coming to McGill from over 150 countries, our student body is the most internationally diverse of any research-intensive university in the country.

In addition to a stellar faculty, McGill is known for attracting the brightest students from across Canada, the United States, and around the world. McGill students have the highest average entering grades in Canada, and McGill’s commitment to fostering the very best has helped its students win more national and international awards on average than their peers at any other Canadian university.

We are also affiliated with the Montreal School of Theology, L’Université Laval, the Montreal School of Theology, and L’Institut de Théologie pour la Francophonie.

A Worshipping and Praying Community

Theological study is about meaningfully intellectual engagement. But growth within our spiritual lives is also vital to our formation for ministry. Joining The Presbyterian College means being part of a warm community that prays together, offers praise together, and shares in meals together. Be transformed and equipped through study and praise and prayer and celebration together as the Body of Christ.

We seek to develop leaders who are:

• Credible: genuine in faith and actions
• Competent: able to complete the tasks of ministry well
• Centered: rooted in God’s vision of reconciliation and healing in the world through the gospel of Christ
• Collaborative: supporting and developing the gifts of others
• Committed: in it for the long haul

As a College we are committed to:

• Academic excellence
• Ministry competency and leadership formation
• Personal faith and spiritual formation
• The Christian community expressed through integrity, humility, resolve, respect and transparency
• The Reformed tradition
• The church universal
• Life-long learning
• Faith lived in the world