The M.Div. degree is designed to be a 72 credit professional program when taken full-time. It is designed to prepare persons for the practice of ministry, although a definite commitment to the ministry is not prerequisite to admission. The vocation of Christian ministry is to interpret and represent Christian faith and to explore ways by which that faith can be embodied in the lives of people, the churches, and society. The aim of the program is to begin a process of education focusing on understanding the Christian faith and its implications for human life.