| Union Presbyterian Seminary is excited to share important updates that mark a bold and faithful step into the future of theological education with a visioning process that began in 2022.
Rooted in a 213-year legacy of forming people for ministry in service to Jesus Christ, Union Presbyterian Seminary (UPSem) is guided by a new Strategic Plan (2024–2029) that affirms our unwavering commitment to academic excellence, spiritual formation, prophetic leadership, and accessibility. Read the Strategic Plan here.
As part of this vision, we are pleased to announce significant changes to our degree programs, beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year:
1. A New Curriculum for a Changing World
The faculty has unanimously approved bold new curricula for the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), and Master of Arts in Public Theology (M.A.P.T.) degrees—the first major overhaul in several decades. These changes will equip students for gospel-inspired leadership and transformative change in a complex, rapidly shifting world. Courses will build core competencies as graduates will…
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Demonstrate biblical, theological, and ministry proficiency, fluency, and literacy
Students in these programs will complete a significant number of courses together in a common core curriculum to strengthen their preparation for future ministries and ground them in connection to one another in all the degree programs.
2. A Unified Academic Calendar: One Seminary on Two Campuses.
The faculty approved one academic calendar for the Charlotte and Richmond campuses, further enabling students to fully access UPSem’s excellent courses and programs, wherever they are located. This new calendar will improve the stewardship of faculty time and energy through greater efficiency in course delivery and less redundancy in course offerings. This aligned calendar is a first since the approval and launch of the Charlotte campus 25 years ago.
3. Hybrid Learning Comes to Richmond
Starting in the 2026-2027 academic year, three of our core degree programs—the Master of Divinity (M.Div.), Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.), and Master of Theology (Th.M.)—will shift to a hybrid format on the Richmond campus. This new model is responding to a deep desire for rigorous theological education that is accessible to an increasing number of prospective students who are juggling multiple commitments and/or who live outside the central Virginia area. Our new hybrid format will allow students to engage meaningfully with our outstanding faculty and belong to a vibrant learning community, while balancing life and ministry wherever they are.
These changes reflect our history of adapting to meet the current needs of the Church and the world for centuries, and the profound belief in theological education that is both contextually grounded and future-focused. We are leaning into a Spirit-led vision that will prepare leaders for the church and world for years to come. |
