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Administration
Timothy F. George, Ralph W. Beeson Dean and Professor
Grant Taylor, Associate Dean, Assistant Professor
Sherri Brown, Director of Admissions
James C. Pounds, Jr., Director of Operations
Thomas L. Fuller, Director, Ministry Leadership Development, Placement, and Assessment; Interim Director of Doctor of Ministry Studies
David Parks, Director of the Global Center
Faculty
Lyle W. Dorsett, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism
Gerald McDermott, Anglican Professor
Allen P. Ross, Beeson Professor
Frank S. Thielman, Beeson Professor
Carl L. Beckwith, Professor
Mark S. Gignilliat, Professor
Paul R. House, Professor
Kenneth A. Mathews, Professor
Robert Smith Jr., Charles T. Carter Baptist Chair, Professor
Douglas D. Webster, Professor
D. Mark DeVine, Associate Professor
Piotr Malysz, Associate Professor
Osvaldo Padilla, Associate Professor
M. Sydney Park, Associate Professor
History
On February 9, 1988, the Board of Trustees of Samford University authorized the establishment of a School of Divinity beginning in the 1988-89 academic year. In one sense this action fulfilled the founding purpose of the University adopted in 1841, which provided for “the establishment of a Theological Institution, connected with the college hereinafter established.”
In December 1988, the Samford Board of Trustees voted to name the school the Beeson School of Divinity in honor of Ralph Waldo Beeson and his late father, John Wesley Beeson. Ralph Beeson provided the largest gift from a living individual in Samford history to establish the only divinity school at that time at a Baptist college or university in the nation. In its first year, Beeson School of Divinity secured the dean, four full-time faculty, and two adjunctive faculty, and enrolled 32 students.
The School of Divinity, like other entities of Samford University, is open to persons from all denominations. The confessional context in which the faculty teaches is defined by the Baptist Faith and Message Statement of 1963. The school offers quality theological education in a Christian university setting from an explicitly evangelical perspective. Non-Baptist faculty teach in accordance with their own convictions on matters of denominational distinctives.
Graduate Programs and Requirements
Degrees
Master of Arts in Theological Studies (M.A.T.S.)
Theological Studies (M.A.T.S.)
Master of Divinity (M.Div.)
Divinity (M.Div.)
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Ministry (D.Min.)
Joint-Degrees
Master of Arts in Theological Studies/Juris Doctor (M.A.T.S./J.D.)
Master of Arts in Theological Studies/Master of Social Work (M.A.T.S./M.S.W.)
Master of Divinity/Juris Doctor (M.Div./J.D.)
Master of Divinity/Master of Business Administration (M.Div./M.B.A.)
Master of Divinity/Master of Music (M.Div./M.M.)
Master of Divinity/Master of Science in Education (M.Div./M.S.E.)
Master of Divinity/Master of Social Work (M.Div./M.S.W.)
Certificates
Certificate of Anglican Studies
Certificate in Missions
Below and at right are brief summaries of the degree requirements for the M.A.T.S., M.Div. and D.Min. degrees, the certificate of Anglican studies, the certificate in missions, as well as available joint degrees. Students seeking to enter a joint degree program must meet admission requirements for both schools participating in the joint program. Please refer to the Beeson School of Divinity Bulletin for further information on all curricular listings. To obtain a divinity school bulletin, application forms, or additional information, write the Director of Admissions, Beeson School of Divinity, Samford University, Birmingham, Alabama 35229, or call 1-877-575-0595 or (205) 726-2066.
Joint-Degree Programs
Master of Arts in Theological Studies/Juris Doctor (M.A.T.S./J.D.)
The M.A.T.S./J.D. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the Cumberland School of Law, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Students must complete their first year of law school before beginning work in the divinity school.
Master of Arts in Theological Studies/Master of Social Work (M.A.T.S./M.S.W.)
The M.A.T.S./M.S.W. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the School of Public Health, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined by 12. This 88-hour program takes approximately three years to complete. Students must complete at least 24 hours in the M.A.T.S. program before beginning work in the M.S.W. program. This requirement constitutes one year of full-time study in the Divinity School. Students must apply for admission to each school separately. This joint program will prepare students for ministry in settings that require theological training as well as knowledge and skills related to social service provision.
Master of Divinity/Juris Doctor (M.Div./J.D.)
The M.Div./J.D. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the Cumberland School of Law, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Students must complete their first year of law school before beginning work in the divinity school.
Master of Divinity/Master of Business Administration (M.Div./M.B.A.)
The M.Div./M.B.A. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the Brock School of Business, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. The program is designed to enrich the educational opportunities available to students in the separate disciplines by encouraging interdisciplinary approaches to ministry preparation and organizational problems that directly impact churches and other religious institutions. Students interested in this joint program should apply to the School of Business for admission into the M.B.A. program at the conclusion of the first year of the M.Div. program. Contact the Beeson School of Divinity for more information.
Master of Divinity/Master of Music (M.Div./M.M.)
The M.Div./M.M. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and with the School of the Arts, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Divinity students must qualify for admission to the M.M. program no later than the beginning of the third semester of M.Div. work.
Master of Divinity/Master of Science in Education (M.Div./M.S.E.)
The M.Div./M.S.E. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the Orlean Beeson School of Education allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined. Twelve credits of education-degree coursework are accepted as part of the elective requirement of the M.Div. degree. Crossover credit from the divinity degree to the education degree is determined on a case-by-case basis, as allowed within government regulations concerning teacher certification. Students normally are required to complete the first year of the M.Div. program before beginning work in the School of Education.
Master of Divinity/Master of Social Work (M.Div./M.S.W.)
The M.Div./M.S.W. joint-degree program, offered in collaboration between the Beeson School of Divinity and the School of Public Health, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree, thereby reducing the total number of hours for the two degrees combined by 18. In addition, students in the M.Div./M.S.W. program are eligible to complete the required internships for both programs simultaneously in an approved church or ministry setting. Although this option does not further lower the credit requirement for either program, it does allow students to save time by completing two internship requirements simultaneously. This 135-hour program takes four to five years to complete. Students must complete at least 24 hours in the M.Div. program before beginning work in the M.S.W. program. This requirement constitutes one year of full-time study in the Divinity School. Students must apply for admission to each school separately. This joint program will prepare students for ministry in settings that require extensive theological training as well as knowledge and skills related to social service provision.
Certificate of Anglican Studies
A certificate of Anglican studies will be awarded to students who successfully complete at least 15 hours of their master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in courses that are either specifically Anglican in content or have a significant Anglican component. For more information contact Dr. Gerald McDermott, professor of Anglican studies.
Certificate in Missions
A certificate in missions will be awarded to students who successfully complete at least 15 hours of their master of divinity (M.Div.) degree in courses dedicated to Christian missions (DVMS) and cross-cultural ministry (DVCC), as part of the 93-hour M.Div. degree. They will be required to spend a minimum of six consecutive weeks in the field, engaged in cross-cultural ministry. These students will also complete their supervised ministry practicum in a one-year training experience in the Birmingham area designed to provide training for cross-cultural missions. For more information contact the Global Center at Beeson Divinity School.
Global Center
The Global Center in the Beeson School of Divinity exists to help people know their world, help people serve God in the world, and help the world know God through Jesus Christ. It serves as an education center for the worldwide Christian movement, and a networking and research center for those involved in missions.
The Global Center exhibit area highlights cross-cultural Christian witness, and major issues of global concern for the twenty-first century. The Global Center hosts several World Christianity and missions education and/or mobilization events each semester that are open to the public as well as students.
Global Center staff members are involved in teaching; speaking in churches and academic settings; facilitating short-term missions for students, and prayerfully supporting our Beeson Divinity alumni serving in missions.
For additional information please contact:
The Global Center
Beeson School of Divinity
Samford University
Birmingham, Alabama 35229-2268
Phone: (205)726-2170
Fax: (205)726-2271
Web site: www.beesondivinity.com/globalcenter
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