The OMDiv program can be completed entirely online. Instructors post course readings, monitor discussion boards, and deliver interactive learning materials each week. While most coursework is conducted asynchronously, each OMDiv course includes a weekly, synchronous “live classroom,” where you can engage in real-time discussions with your fellow students that are as lively any found in our residential classrooms. Live classes are held on Zoom and are scheduled during late afternoons and evenings, Eastern US.

OMDiv students can participate in community activities alongside students and faculty through a variety of formats. We offer livestreams of the weekly chapel service held at Marsh Chapel, and there are many other ways to connect. Attend lectures, join study groups, and participate in weekly Zoom-based activities with other STH students. Our Office of Community and Spiritual Life and our Student Groups offer additional ways to connect virtually. Join a spiritual reading group, attend our monthly online gathering to celebrate through worship and art-based reflection, or connect with our Spiritual Life Director to discuss support for personalized spiritual direction. For more information contact the Online and Hybrid Programs Director. 

As an OMDiv student at STH, you will have full access to the Boston University libraries to conduct research. Writing coaches and technical support are also available 24/7! The School of Theology has a dedicated team of academic support staff here to help you navigate registration and financial aid questions, and our award-winning faculty provide academic advising to our online students.

OMDiv students complete 72 units over the course of their program of study. Typically, Master of Divinity students accomplish these units over a three-year timeframe, but OMDiv students will also have the ability to complete their program in two years of full time study utilizing the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. 

The OMDiv curriculum includes three categories of courses:

OMDiv Core Courses: (30 Units)

• First Year Formation
• Introduction to the Hebrew Bible
• Introduction to the New Testament
• History of Christianity
• Introduction to Christian Theology
• Comparative Religious Ethics
• Introduction to Worship
• Spirituality & Public Life
• Contextual Education I
• Contextual Education II

Ecclesial Track Courses: (Students will select 15 Units)

• History of Abrahamic Traditions (or) Theological Thinking for Everyday Life
• Evangelism & Contemporary Cultures
• Christian Mission
• Introduction to Preaching
• UMC History
• UMC Doctrine
• UMC Polity
• (Other denominational history, doctrine, and/or polity courses will be made available according to the ordination requirements and cohort needs of each OMDiv class.)

Free Electives: (Students will select 27 Units)

OMDiv students will have the opportunity to take 27 additional units of their degree by selecting from a combination of elective online courses offered by STH faculty, online course offerings from other institutions across the Boston Theological Interreligious Consortium (BTI),* or, for those within commuting distance of Boston, by petitioning to take residential masters courses in person on BU’s Charles River Campus. (*OMDiv students may not take more than 1/4 of their total credits through programs outside of the School of Theology.)

At this time, the OMDiv program is delivered in English. Live classroom times may be adjusted to accommodate student schedules outside the USA. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.7 to remain in the OMDiv program.

The OMDiv curriculum is shaped by the conviction that prophetic, practical, religious leaders, thoroughly grounded in the wisdom of their traditions, are essential to the work of on-going transformation of the church and the world. The degree seeks to educate religious leaders who can interpret complex and evolving local and global contexts and engage those contexts in creative and confident conversation with a full array of theological resources.

The primary learning outcomes of the OMDiv include:

1. Develop competence in studying, reflecting upon, and contextualizing sacred and historical texts, including the Hebrew and Christian bibles. 
2. Grow in practices of spiritual formation, relational support, self-care, self-understanding, and humility; while cultivating embodied practices for sustained ministry.
3. Grow in the ability to provide holistic, spiritual, relational, and communal care.
4. Grow in capacities for engaging across differences (social, cultural, and religious) in ways that foster mutual understanding, learning, and/or collaboration.
5. Develop competence in constructive meaning-making and the ability to think critically, creatively, and theologically in conversation with traditions, histories, and lived practices. 
6. Develop competencies in leading communities through practices of moral and spiritual discernment, ethical witness, and transformative engagement with conflict. 
7. Develop competencies in leading religious and spiritual practices, guiding rituals, and communicating effectively to address the needs of various publics (for example, public speaking, preaching, the arts, and writing).
8. Develop capacities to respond to complex contemporary challenges, through careful analysis of systems, cultures, and institutional structures. 
9. Develop skills in creating and administering ecclesial and/or non-profit organizations.

The award-winning faculty at STH are deeply committed to the Online MDiv program and to the development of our virtual community. The vast majority of our online classes are taught by full time faculty who also serve as academic advisors to our OMDiv students. As faculty advisors, our full time faculty meet each term with OMDiv student advisees to discuss academic progress and vocational preparation. Faculty also regularly lead and participate in our virtual online events.

Admissions standards for the OMDiv program are the same as those of the residential MDiv program. Applicants must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 issued from a regionally accredited college or university prior to the intended date of enrollment.

Have more questions? Review our guide on what to know before applying to seminary. You can also check out the application deadlines & instructions for the OMDiv program here. There is a $95 non-refundable application fee for all programs. This fee can be waived if you attend a OMDiv information session or arrange a time to meet with the STH Admissions Office in advance of submitting your application. Email sthadmis@bu.edu for more information. 

At the School of Theology, Online MDiv students receive an automatic base 25% tuition discount, making achieving your MDiv online even more affordable than doing so through our residential program.

• Part Time OMDiv Tuition: $770 per unit
• Full Time OMDiv Tuition:  $9,240 per term
• STH Community Fee: $75 per term
• Boston University Student Services Fee: $75 per term (part time)/ $209 per term (full time)
• Health and Wellness Fee: $269 per term *Full time students only
• Graduate Program Fee: $150 per year *Full time students only

Figures shown use 2025-2026 prices. Tuition and fee rates may change year-to-year. 

Scholarships and Tuition Discounts

At the School of Theology, Online MDiv students receive an automatic base 25% tuition discount. All OMDiv students also receive additional STH scholarship funds which can help offset the cost of tuition.

Applicants who are certified candidates for ordination in the United Methodist Church and apply by the priority deadline are eligible for UMC leadership scholarships for the OMDiv program. UMC Leadership scholarships cover 50% of OMDiv tuition costs. Reach out to the STH admissions office for more details: sthadmis@bu.edu.

Recurring scholarships are awarded according to a percentage of tuition and are adjusted to account for tuition increases from year to year such that the percentage holds steady throughout the duration of a student’s program. For example, term costs for a full time student receiving the base tuition discount and an additional 40% scholarship would be $6,800 per term.

*Actual scholarship award may vary. 40% is used here as an example.

External Scholarships and Federal Financial Aid

OMDiv students may also explore outside awards to help fund their program. The School of Theology provides a helpful database of denominational and academic resources for outside scholarships, available here. Contact the Admissions Team for further information.

Additionally, US Citizens and US permanent residents are eligible to file a FAFSA and qualify for federal education loans through Boston University to help finance their studies. Please reach out to the STH Financial Aid office for more information: sthregfa@bu.edu.

The State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) is a voluntary agreement amongst member states, territories, and districts of the United States that establishes one set of national standards and rules for distance education offerings. States that wish to become members of SARA apply to their regional education compact for approval. Once a state has been approved, institutions within that state may apply to the designated state portal entity for approval to participate in SARA. Currently, 49 states (all but California), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands have joined SARA. Boston University has been approved under the terms and provisions of SARA to operate its distance education programs in SARA-approved locations. 

Boston University State Authorization and Distance Education Disclosures site provides a variety of information regarding distance education programs, including: 

• Complaint Resolution process for Massachusetts, and each state 
• Information on the Refund Policy applicable to students in distance education programs 
• Information about distance education programs that lead to professional licensure and certification; and 
• Authorizations by State: State-by-state authorizations and information, including complaint procedure information for the location and any state-specific disclosures.

Students in online programs at Boston University School of Theology are encouraged to bring program problems to the attention of the Director of Online and Hybrid Programs, Dr. Debbie Brubaker, or the Academic Dean, Dr. Rady Roldán-Figueroa. Additional resources and information are itemized here:State Authorization and Distance Education