Master of Theology (ThM) at Duke University

Programme overview

An advanced theological degree for graduates of accredited theological schools who want specialised study, with access to doctoral seminars and a written thesis option; it also serves as a year of specialised training for military chaplains.

Faculty: Duke Divinity School | Duration: 2 semesters | Study mode: full-time | Location: Durham, NC, United States

What you will study

Eight advanced elective course units (four at 800-900 level), with at least four in a major discipline: Biblical, Historical, Theological or Ministerial Studies, finishing with a comprehensive exam or a thesis.

Career pathways

Preparation for PhD and DMin programmes or enhanced ministry; graduates have entered programmes at Duke, Princeton Theological Seminary, Baylor and Boston University.

Official programme page

Application information

Entry requirements

Duke Divinity ThM: a GPA of 3.25 in an MDiv, MTS or comparable master's degree from an ATS-accredited school. Three recommendations (two academic, one church), a 1,500-word essay, a 4-8 page writing sample, bachelor's and master's transcripts. International applicants: TOEFL iBT 108 (27 per section), IELTS 7.5 or Duolingo 130. Deadlines Nov 1, Jan 15, Apr 15, Jul 1; fee USD 60.

USD 36,750 a year (2026-27). ThM full-time tuition (18,375 per semester). Excludes required fees. Source

Graduate School master's programmes list application deadlines for fall 2027 entry; Fuqua online MSQM programmes start September 2026, the MQM and MMS Foundations of Business start July 2026, the Daytime MBA starts August 2026 and the Weekend Executive MBA starts May 2027.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate starts in August for applicants admitted in both the fall and spring rounds.

Fall 2027 Graduate School master's deadlines: Analytical Political Economy 01/28/2027; Applied Ethics & Policy 03/18/2027; Biomedical Engineering 02/01/2027; Civil and Environmental Engineering 01/10/2027; Computer Science 02/01/2027; Critical Asian and Middle Eastern Humanities 02/17/2027; Dance (MFA) 12/17/2026; Digital Art History/Computational Media 01/28/2027; East Asian Studies 01/31/2027; Economics 01/14/2027; Economics and Computation 02/01/2027; Electrical and Computer Engineering 01/16/2027; Experimental and Documentary Arts 01/28/2027; Global Health 02/26/2027; Graduate Liberal Studies 06/01/2027; Humanities 03/15/2027; Interdisciplinary Data Science 01/28/2027; Master of Arts in Teaching 01/29/2027; Materials Science and Engineering 03/15/2027; Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science 01/19/2027; Medical Physics 01/08/2027; Political Science 02/16/2027; Population Health Sciences 01/15/2027; Religious Studies 02/01/2027; Slavic and Eurasian Studies 02/01/2027; Statistical Science 01/05/2027. History and Quantitative Financial Economics are not accepting applications for 2027 enrollment.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate 2026-27 application deadlines: Fall round Thursday, October 8, 2026; Spring round Tuesday, January 12, 2027 (applications through OTCAS). Fall applicants are notified the first week of December 2026 and spring applicants the first week of March 2027.

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