Chaplaincy Certificate

Program Code: D-CHAPL-C
Degree Designation: Certificate
Department: Divinity School
Website: intranet.divinity.duke.edu/certificate-info-requirements

Program Summary

The Certificate in Chaplaincy is designed to prepare students for vocational chaplaincy in a variety of contexts, including healthcare, hospice, prison, higher education, military, and more. The certificate can be earned as part of a residential master’s degree program (Residential MDiv, ThM, MTS).

Duke Divinity offers a robust, distinctive Christian theological approach to chaplaincy through academic and formation experiences and high-quality contextual learning opportunities with partners including Duke University Hospital, Duke Chapel, and others.

Academic Requirements

• MDVR Requirements

  • PASTCARE 760 (Introduction to Pastoral Theology and Care)

  • PASTCARE 860 (Advanced Pastoral Care for Chaplaincy)

  • Chaplaincy-Related Elective (complete any) - see list below

  • Spiritual Formation: Take at least 1 course between CHURMIN 704 to CHURMIN 713

  • One Full CPE Unit (complete any, 2 credits total)

    • CPE 510 (Level One Clinical Pastoral Education)

    • CPE 520 (Level One CPE Extended Unit)

  • Approved Formational Experience 

  • Middler Portfolio Conversation with Certificate Director

• MTS Requirements

  • PASTCARE 760 (Introduction to Pastoral Theology and Care)

  • PASTCARE 860 (Advanced Pastoral Care for Chaplaincy)

  • Chaplaincy-Related Elective (complete any) - see list below

  • Spiritual Formation: Take at least 1 course between CHURMIN 704 to CHURMIN 713

  • Approved Formational Experience 

  • Thesis with a Focus or Subfocus Related to Chaplaincy or Pastoral Care

• THM Requirements

  • PASTCARE 860 (Advanced Pastoral Care for Chaplaincy)

  • Chaplaincy-Related Elective (complete any) - see list below

  • Approved Formational Experience 

  • Thesis with a Focus or Subfocus Related to Chaplaincy or Pastoral Care

• Chaplaincy-Related Electives

  • PASTCARE 760 (Introduction to Pastoral Theology and Care)

  • PASTCARE 804 (Theology and Trauma)

  • BCS 765 (African-American Spirituality)

  • AMXTIAN 813 (American Theodicy)

  • XTIANETH 807 (Advanced Theological Bioethics)

  • XTIANETH 765 (Attending to Persons in Pain)

  • WXTIAN 803 (Beyond Borders: Latin American, Latino, and Hispanic Theologies)

  • HISTREL 763 (Blessings: Introduction to Jewish Prayer)

  • CHURHST 810 (Death, Grief, and Consolation, Ancient and Modern)

  • HISTREL 760 (Engaging with Islam and Muslims as Faithful Christians)

  • OLDTEST 770P (Old Testament Psalms)

  • XTIANETH 783 (The Care of Souls and the Ethics of War)

  • PASTCARE 809 (MDIV/MSW Capstone Seminar: Moving the Church Toward Social Action)

  • PASTCARE 812 (Discipleship and Disability)

  • PASTCARE 813 (The Disabled Church)

  • PASTCARE 800 and above

  • Other pre-approved courses may also count

Guidance for MDiv residential, ThM and MTS students on Elective Choice and Formational Requirements

The elective choice—a course focused on topics relevant to the context of chaplaincy--can include topics such as advanced pastoral care, institutional type of ministry (military, higher education, healthcare, etc.); religious diversity or interreligious engagement; or a course specific to the interest of the student. All are with the pre-approval of the certificate director.

The focused formational experience should give the student insight and experience into a particular form of chaplaincy. This might include participating in Chaplaincy Innovation Lab webinars, Field Education, shadowing a chaplain, work-study, and more, with the approval of the certificate director.