Nashville,
TN,
United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
Master of Divinity - Prison and Carceral Studies in Nashville United States | Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
|
Nashville United States
Visit institution website
for more information
Qualification
Masters Degree
Languages
English
Delivery Mode
On-Campus
Tuition (2025)
USD
27,648
Attendance
Full-time
Full-time Duration
36 months
This program offers VDS students a chance to examine incarceration through a theological lens. Participants will study scriptural texts, theological writings, historical records, and social research to better grasp the current state of punishment in America. The curriculum investigates how faith traditions can challenge systemic inequities within our legal framework. Through initiatives like the Riverbend Program and field education placements, students will interact with both current and formerly incarcerated individuals. Special emphasis will be placed on analyzing how race, socioeconomic status, gender, and sexual orientation influence punitive practices domestically and internationally, while examining society's approaches to discipline and punishment. The program fosters theological and moral reasoning about these complex issues - considering questions like the purpose of punishment versus mercy, and pathways to achieving both justice and reconciliation. This interdisciplinary concentration integrates insights from those directly impacted by the prison system alongside academic experts studying the prison-industrial complex.
Destination of Study
Subjects of Study
Language Requirements
English
IELTS 7.0
Qualification Requirements
Applicants to the MTS andMDivdegree programs must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university. We strongly recommend an average GPA of 2.9 or higher. If you do not hold an undergraduate degree or have a degree from an unaccredited institution, but otherwise show experience and promise for graduate theological education, you may still be eligible. Please contact the Office of Admissions.
Proficiency in written and oral English is required for enrollment in an academic program. An applicant whose native language is not English must present the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the application. The minimum acceptable score for the Internet-based TOEFL is 95. The computer-based total acceptable score is 250, and for the paper-based test, 600.
Information on how to register and where to take the test is available atets.org/toefl. The minimum acceptable score for the IELTS is 7.0.
Proficiency in written and oral English is required for enrollment in an academic program. An applicant whose native language is not English must present the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with the application. The minimum acceptable score for the Internet-based TOEFL is 95. The computer-based total acceptable score is 250, and for the paper-based test, 600.
Information on how to register and where to take the test is available atets.org/toefl. The minimum acceptable score for the IELTS is 7.0.
Tuition
USD
27,648