Nashville,
TN,
United States
Type
Private
Degrees offered
Bachelor's Degree
Master of Theological Studies - 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
24 months
This program offers VDS students a chance to examine incarceration through a theological lens. Participants will study biblical texts, theological writings, historical records, and sociological research to better grasp the current state of punishment in America. The curriculum investigates how religious traditions can challenge systemic injustices within our legal framework. Through initiatives like the Riverbend Program and field education placements, students will interact with both currently and formerly incarcerated individuals. Special focus will be given to how race, socioeconomic status, gender, and sexuality influence punishment practices nationally and globally, while examining society's approaches to discipline. The program fosters theological and ethical analysis of these complex issues - questioning punishment's purpose versus mercy's role, and exploring pathways to justice and reconciliation. This interdisciplinary concentration integrates academic scholarship with firsthand perspectives from incarcerated individuals and their communities, alongside 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