Luther Seminary

“To educate leaders for Christian communities called and sent by the Holy Spirit to witness to salvation through Jesus Christ and to serve in God’s world.”
Description of PhD Program

The Doctor of Philosophy degree (Ph.D.) is an advanced research degree designed to develop scholarly leadership for Christian churches and for work in the community of theological scholarship throughout the world. The degree is offered in history, theology, pastoral care and counseling and congregational mission and leadership. The program is deliberately theological and confessional without compromising its commitment to academic excellence and accountability.

Cost of Attendance

Estimated Costs 2021-2022

(9 month academic year)

Off-Campus Interns4 M.Div. or M.A. DL3
Tuition $19,000.001 $3,800.00 $11,400.002
Room/Board $12,328.00 $12,328.00 $2,274.00
Books/Fees $2,000.00 $1,000.00 $1,328.00
Transportation $2,284.00 $2,284.00 $3,364.00
Misc. personal $8,218.00 $8,218.00 $750.00
Student loan fees $102.00 $102.00 $102.00
Total $43,932.00 $27,732.00 $18,272.00
  1. Tuition example is based on 10 full courses during the academic year ($1,900 per course) for M.Div. For M.A. Tuition costs the typical course load would be 8 courses for a total of $15,200.  For tuition costs for the Th.M., D.Min. and Ph. D. programs, please see below.
  2. Tuition for M.Div./DL is based on 6.0 courses during the academic year ($1,900 per course).
  3. Distributive Learning Program (Online)
  4. Budgets DO NOT include an allowance for health insurance, purchase of computer or dependent care costs. With documentation these costs can be added to expense budget. This will only have the impact of increasing student loan eligibility. To have these included please use the following form:  Adjustments to Cost of Attendance Request

For complete information about costs, fees and refunds, please see our academic catalog.

Cost Breakdown for 2021-2022

Course Costs

Master of Arts/Master of Divinity $1,900 / Course
Master of Theology $2,325 / Course
Doctor of Philosophy $16,500/Year
Doctor of Ministry Contact A.T.E.
Graduate Certificate/Non-Degree $1,900 / Course

Other Fees

Technology Fee (Once per academic year) $200.00
Student Life Fee (Once per semester) $10.00
Graduation Fee (During the final year) $200.00

Rent Prices for Residential Students

  • Bockman Hall: $350/month ($1,750 per semester)
  • LDR Efficiency: $645/month ($3,225 per semester) + utilities; nonrenewable lease
  • LDR 1 BR: $675/month ($3,375 per semester) + utilities; nonrenewable lease
  • Duplexes: $555/bedroom ($1,110/month) + utilities; nonrenewable lease
  • Houses: $540/bedroom (3BR = $1,620/month; 4BR = $2,106/month ) + utilities

For additional information –  Housing Website

Health Insurance

Insurance coverage is required for all Luther Seminary students. Because the Affordable Care Act has increased the health insurance options for students, Luther Seminary no longer offers its own student policy. Instead, students have multiple options for obtaining coverage:

  • As a covered dependent under a group health policy of a spouse or of parents (if under age 26);
  • An individual policy purchased directly from a private health insurer;
  • An individual policy purchased through the Marketplace at www.healthcare.govor
  • Medicaid or other government programs if you qualify, based on your state of residence.

International students should heed the guidance from the International Student and Scholar Affairs office on medical insurance coverage requirements. An international student is defined as an individual living and studying in the U.S. on an F-1, J-1, or another non-immigrant status (including R-1) visa.

Financial Assistance

The Office of Financial Aid provides students with the financial resources necessary to achieve their educational goals. Luther Seminary provides more than $2.2 million in financial aid to students each year. On average, a student receives $6,985 in scholarships and grants from Luther Seminary.

We are committed to providing accurate, responsive and respectful service to students. We administer grants and scholarships as well as federal and institutional loans in accordance with applicable policies and regulations while striving to be an innovative and service-minded department.

In order to be eligible to apply for financial aid you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be in good academic standing.
  • Meet minimum courseload guidelines for the various aid types as follows:
Financial aid Degree programs Minimum requirements
Federal Direct Unsubsidized/Grad PLUS Loans M.Div., M.A., Th.M.,  Ph.D. 1.5 courses per semester, internship or CPE
Federal Perkins Loan M.Div., M.A. 1.5 courses per semester, internship or CPE
Luther Mourer Loan M.Div., M.A. 1.5 courses per semester, internship or CPE
Th.M Scholarship Th.M Acceptance in the program – First year only
Graduate Aid Ph.D., D.Min. Acceptance in the program
Hispanic/Latine Faculty

Guillermo C. Hansen
Director for Advanced Theological Education; Professor and Martin Luther King Jr. Chair for Justice and Christian Community

Hispanic Centers and Programs

Luther Seminary offers a Master of Divinity Concentration in Spanish Language for Ministry

Library Resources-Special Collections
The Library is an essential part of the educational program of Luther Seminary. It holds over 250,000 items. In addition, the library subscribes to approximately 500 periodicals and regularly expands its collection of video, audio, microfilm and online resources.

Special collections include the Carl Døving Hymnology Collection of about 1,000 hymnbooks and the Jacob Tanner Catechism Collection with translations of Luther’s Small Catechism in 170 languages and dialects. The Special Collections Room, accessible by appointment, houses all pre-1800 volumes and features unique items such as a 1531 edition of the Augsburg Confession printed in Wittenberg.

Students have access to an additional 500,000 volumes available in the other four theological libraries of the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools. Reciprocal borrowing privileges are extended throughout the Consortium.

All collections may be searched through dedicated search terminals in the library, as well as through the library’s web page. The web page also provides links to digital resources, to the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools catalogs, and to additional research resources.

Other Resources
Luther Seminary is a member of the Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools (MNCTS), formally organized in 1971. Other member schools are:

  • Bethel Theological Seminary (Baptist General Conference)
  • Luther Seminary (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America)
  • School of Theology at Saint John’s University, Collegeville (Roman Catholic)
  • The Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, University of St. Thomas (Roman Catholic)
  • United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (United Church of Christ)

The consortium makes the resources of the participating faculties and institutions more readily available to students from each participating school, strengthens the degree and continuing education programs of the schools, provides a channel for inter-faculty fellowship and discussion and advances ecumenical understanding.

Together, the five theological libraries of the consortium hold more than 500,000 volumes. These holdings constitute the most significant resource in religious studies between Chicago and the Pacific Coast.

HTI Scholars

Andrés Roberto Albertsen

 

Contact Information

The HTI person to contact for information on PhD studies at Luther Seminary is:

Name:     Paul Lokken
Title:        Director Emeritus of Graduate Theological Education
Email:      plokken@luthersem.edu

Person in Charge of Enrollment:

Name:        Jessi LaClear Vatcha
Title:          Director of Enrollment Services
Phone:      (651) 641-3422
Email:        jleclearvachta002@luthersem.edu