Palmer Theological Seminary offers students the opportunity to earn credit toward a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree in conjunction with pursuing a Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) in Organizational Management through Eastern University’s College of Business and Leadership. This arrangement enables full time students to earn two degrees in as little as four years, if they pursue them full time, and at less cost than if they pursued the degrees separately.

This dual degree program is designed to create the following opportunities: 

1. Focused interdisciplinary inquiry into issues and concerns encompassing theology, business, and ethics. 
2. Individual preparation for bi-vocational ministries that allow church ministers to engage in enterprises that have social impact on the community. 
3. Preparation of leaders in Christian institutions and organizations for high-level, faithful, and effective management. 

If desired, students may also pursue the Master of Divinity degree in an on-ground delivery. More information on Palmer’s fully on-ground M.Div./fully online M.B.A. in Organizational Management dual degree program may be found on page 83 of this catalog, under On Campus Program.

Admissions

Students wishing to enter the Openseminary M.Div./M.B.A. in Organizational Management programs may complete a joint application through the Seminary’s admissions office, fulfilling the requirements as stipulated individually by the Seminary and the College of Business and Leadership.

Financial Arrangements

Students are required to pay tuition to Palmer Seminary and the College of Business respectively for the courses required in each school’s degree program.

General Academic Requirements

Seventy-five credit hours need to be taken in the Seminary’s Openseminary M.Div. program and 27 credit hours need to be taken in the M.B.A. in Organizational Management, for a total of 102 credit hours.

Schedule

A student normally spends three years full-time¹ at the Seminary completing the online Openseminary M.Div. program, the pace of which is designed to allow students to do theology within their ministerial context. Students are strongly urged to complete the M.Div. degree before pursuing coursework at the College of Business and Leadership for the M.B.A. in Organizational Management, which may be completed in 10 months.

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It is possible to pursue this dual degree program on a part-time basis, but most Seminary coursework should be completed before a student begins the M.B.A. program.

Course Requirements

Seminary Requirements

1. All required core courses of the Openseminary M.Div. curriculum.
2. PRMN 583A Integrative Ministry Project: Pt 1/PRMN 583B Integrative Ministry Project: Pt 2 from the M.Div. program may be counted towards fulfilling BUSA 685 Applied Knowledge Capstone in the M.B.A. program.
3. BUSA 665 Leading Organizational Strategy Leading Organizational Strategy in the M.B.A program may be counted towards fulfilling PRMN 540A Organizational Management and Leadership: Pt 1/PRMN 540B Organizational Management and Leadership: Pt 2 in the M.Div. program.

College of Business and Leadership Requirements

Please view the MBA in Organizational Management program requirements here.

Other Academic/Administrative Matters

1. Academic standing in the respective programs is determined solely on the basis of work done at each school.
2. Each school is responsible for the integrity of its degree in terms of course requirements.
3. Each student must complete the requirements of both degrees, as herein specified, in order to receive either degree in this program. If the requirements for the dual degree program are not met, the requirements of either degree taken separately apply.
4. The Dean of the Seminary and the Program Director of the M.B.A. in Organizational Management at the College of Business and Leadership serve as contact persons for information and advisement about the dual degree programs.