Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary

It's Your Call
As a person of faith, you have been called to follow in the way of Jesus. How you respond to God’s grace is your call, a personal covenant between you and God that only you can live out through discernment and faith.

Garrett-Evangelical can offer you a community that will support your call and your ministry. We are committed to helping you become a bold leader for the Church, the academy and the world through rigorous academics, profound spiritual formation, extraordinary field education, and a commitment to lifelong learning. 

The MDiv and MDiv Plus Promise
The Master of Divinity (MDiv) is a three year professional degree designed to prepare students for leadership roles within parish ministry and beyond the walls of the local church. The degree also fulfills the educational requirements for ordination specified by most denominations. Our renowned faculty and staff help students integrate academic study, practical application, and spiritual formation into a holistic educational experience. The program offers two years of hands-on training in a specific ministry setting, allowing students to take full advantage of Chicago’s diverse culture. Whether a first step beyond undergraduate studies or a new path on a continuing journey, the MDiv will allow you to claim and cultivate your calling.

By enrolling in Garrett's MDiv program, the seminary pledges to support you even after you graduate through individually crafted leadership education opportunities that will help with your transition into professional life. Among its offerings, MDiv Plus includes leadership and management education in conjunction with Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management, one-on-one pastoral coaching, innovative mentorship support and annual spiritual retreats.


Degree Options
Garrett also offers a number of specialized degrees, providing an opportunity to develop leadership skills in congregations, agencies, and other specialized ministries. Some also meet educational requirements for ordination of United Methodist deacons. They include:

Chicago, ACTS, and Northwestern
Our campus sits at the heart of Northwestern University, one of the nation's most prestigious academic institutions. The campus occupies more than a mile of Lake Michigan coastline in a Big Ten university town teeming with opportunities. This is an extraordinary and beautiful setting for graduate studies.  As a Garrett student, here are some specific ways to take advantage of our location:

• Through ACTS (Association of Chicago Theological Schools) you can cross-register at 12 Chicagoland seminaries.
• Through Garrett's collaboration with SCUPE (Seminary Consortium for Urban Pastoral Education), students have an opportunity to take classes that specifically address urban ministry.
• Through a 150-year relationship with Northwestern University, our students can enroll in courses and patron the libraries of one of the nation's most prestigious universities, as well as take advantage of their dining, fitness, and recreation facilities.
• Beyond the classroom, students choose from a wide range of urban, suburban and even rural sites for field education.

• During their free time, students visit popular Chicago landmarks, such as “The Bean” in Millennium Park, the Art Institute of Chicago, shops of Michigan Avenue, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History, Wrigley Field, and many other noteworthy attractions.  They also join the local community by eating at restaurants in downtown Evanston, walking along the lake just east of Garrett’s campus, enjoying concerts by area musicians, or simply relaxing at the many parks and beaches throughout the North Shore.

An Intentionally Diverse & Ecumenical Community
As a graduate school of theology related to The United Methodist Church, Garrett intentionally and proactively preserves and promotes our long-standing racial, ethnic and international diversity by fostering an atmosphere of lively and respectful ecumenical interaction. More than 30 denominations are represented among our 400 students who come to Garrett from 39 states and twelve countries.

We offer a number of centers that serve and enhance this diversity while providing many ways to get involved and enhance your classroom education: Church and the Black Experience, Stead Center for Ethics and Values, Styberg Preaching Institute, Center for Wesleyan Studies, Latin American Center, Asian-American Ministries, and Women IMAGES.