Beeson School of Divinity

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Administration

Timothy F. George, Ralph W. Beeson Dean and Professor
David S. Hogg, Associate Dean and Associate Professor
Sherri Brown, Director of Admissions
Mark A. Searby, Director of Doctor of Ministry Studies
James C. Pounds, Jr., Director of Operations
Thomas L. Fuller, Director, Ministry Leadership Development, Placement, and Assessment

Faculty

Lyle W. Dorsett, Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism
Graham Arthur Cole, Beeson Professor
Allen P. Ross, Beeson Professor
Frank S. Thielman, Beeson Professor
Paul R. House, Professor
Kenneth A. Mathews, Professor
Robert Smith Jr., Professor
Douglas D. Webster, Professor
Carl L. Beckwith, Associate Professor
D. Mark DeVine, Associate Professor
Mark S. Gignilliat, Associate Professor
Patricia A. Outlaw, Associate Professor
Osvaldo Padilla, Associate Professor
M. Sydney Park, Associate Professor
Piotr Malysz, Assistant Professor
Gerald L. Bray, Research Professor
Charles T. Carter, James H. Chapman Fellow of Pastoral Ministry

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/Majors

Theological Studies, M.A.T.S. 
Divinity, M.Div.  
Ministry, D.Min. 

Joint-Degrees

Master of Arts in Theological Studies/Juris Doctor (M.A.T.S./J.D.)
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.)

Below are brief summaries of the degree requirements for the M.A.T.S., M.Div. and D.Min. degrees, as well as 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

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 crossover electives for the other degree, thus reducing the credits for both professional degrees from 129 to 109. Students must complete their first year of law school before beginning work in the divinity school.

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 crossover electives for the other degree, thus reducing the credits for both professional degrees from 186 to 158-159. Students must complete their first year of law school before beginning work in the divinity school.

M.Div./M.B.A.

The M.Div./M.B.A. joint-degree program, offered by the Beeson School of Divinity and the School of Business, allows students to pursue the master of divinity degree and the M.B.A. degree concurrently. 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 take 84 credits of coursework in the divinity school and 24-42 credits in the business school. 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. This joint degree program is currently under review. Contact the Beeson School of Divinity for more information.

M.Div./M.M.

The M.Div./M.M. joint-degree program, offered in conjunction with the School of the Arts, allows students to use credits from each school as part of the other school’s degree. Divinity students must qualify for admission to the M.M. program no later than the beginning of the third semester of M.Div. work.

M.Div./M.S.E.

The M.Div./M.S.E. joint-degree program combines work in the Beeson School of Divinity and the School of Education and Professional Studies. 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 may be allowable within government regulations concerning teacher certification. Students normally are required to complete the first year of the M.Div. before beginning work in the School of Education and Professional Studies.

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

* For complete details and additional information, contact the Director of Admissions and Recruitment, Beeson School of Divinity, Samford University, Birmingham, AL 35229-2252 or phone (205) 726-2991 or (800) 888-8266.
NOTE 1: Click here  for a list of General Fees that apply to ALL students (Vehicle Registration/Decal, ID Replacement, etc.).
NOTE 2: Fees are subject to change without notice. See the Bursar’s Office Web site for the latest tuition and fee info: http://www.samford.edu/bursar/

NOTE ON PAYMENT/REINSTATEMENT: Charges incurred after the e-bill has been generated for the semester/term are due on or before the payment due date. Charges incurred during the drop/add period are due when incurred. Late fee of 5% (capped at $100) will be applied to the past due balance if payment not received in the Bursar’s Office by the due date. To avoid registration cancellation and reinstatement fee, students should pay all tuition and fees by the payment due date. See Billing and Refund Schedules  for dates for e-bill, payment due, refund availability, late fee assessment, and registration cancellation.

Departments and Program Offerings