Can someone give me an idea of what the difference is between studying Divinity and Religious Studies?

Is studying Divinity studying to be a minister whereas as Religious Studies is simply learning about religion of whatever kind you're studying? Also, is it true that most ministers need a doctorate or at least a aster's in Divinity before they can become ministers? So, besides going on to get your master's, what could you do with a Bachelor's of Divinity? Thanks for your help!

Can someone give me an idea of what the difference is between studying Divinity and Religious Studies?
A "Master of Divinity" degree (M.Div.) is handed out by most protestant and some Roman Catholic seminaries, all with the idea of preparing candidates to enter pastoral ministries. The curriculum is not well regulated, so it is not absolutely certain what each degree represents in courses of study. However, there are accrediting bodies for many seminaries among mainline protestant churches, and you may find some benefits of attending a seminary whose curriculum is subject to regular review.





The Bachelor of Divinity is offered by only a few schools in the US, although there are some in the United Kingdom and south Asia. (It used to be the standard degree offered by seminaries, but that has now gone the way of the dinosaur.)





In order to gain entrance into a master's program, you will need a bachelor's degree. I majored in Religion in college before going to Seminary, so I had a leg up on the courses offered in the graduate program. Other courses offered only in seminary included pastoral counseling, church management, ethics for pastors, hermeneutics, etc.





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Reply:You've pretty much got it right. Depending on the denomination, a Master's of Divinity (MDiv) is usually required to become an ordained minister. Doctorates are just gravy, not required. A Master's of Theological (or Religious) Studies (MTS) would be useful if you were going for a PhD, in order to teach Religion and Philosophy or something along those lines. A Bachelor's degree, in these fields, is simply a stepping-stone, nothing more.





Rant o' the day: At most Divinity Schools, an MDiv is, at minimum, an 81-hour program. That's 81 hours at graduate schools prices. At Southern Methodist University, for example, you can get an MBA with 45 hours, and start making $60,000; an MDiv takes 81 hours (at the same cost per hour), and you start out making maybe $32,000. And churches wonder why they have trouble attracting ministers.








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Reply:As far as I have seen, a Masters in Divinity is a degree for working in the ministry. It is a requirement in most Protestant denominations to be ordained to ministry. Religious studies is as you say, a study of themes in religion, not a vocational degree.





There is no Bachelor's in Divinity with the same authority or use in vocation ministry work that I have seen.





Ath
Reply:Yeah your right about the difference.





Most companies appreciate most graduates regardless of what their major may be. So a bachelor of divinity may do a wide range of occupations from jounalism to sales and retail and education.

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