This partnership allows select Dordt theology coursework to count toward seminary requirements, enabling students to complete their degree more efficiently while maintaining a shared Reformed foundation for ministry preparation.
Dordt University has partnered with Calvin Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to offer theology students a streamlined pathway to a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree. Through the partnership, specific theology courses completed at Dordt University will satisfy select requirements in Calvin Seminary’s M.Div. program, allowing students to complete their seminary degree more efficiently.
“The partnership acknowledges the Reformed theological training that students in Dordt’s theology program are already receiving,” says Dr. Joe Bakker, dean for online, graduate, and partner programs at Dordt. “By recognizing that coursework, we’re able to help students move more quickly into and through seminary while continuing to build on a strong theological foundation.”
Director of Church Relations Rev. Todd Zuidema is grateful for the shared denominational heritage of Dordt University and Calvin Theological Seminary.
"Many Dordt alumni — myself included — have gone on to pursue theological training at Calvin Seminary," he says. "As the church faces a growing need for pastors and other ministry leaders, institutions that share scriptural and doctrinal convictions must work together to identify, encourage, and equip the next generation for service in Christ’s church."
The partnership reflects a shared commitment between Dordt and Calvin Seminary to provide education rooted in the Reformed Christian tradition. For Dordt, building connections with institutions like Calvin Seminary is a natural extension of its mission.
“It will help graduates of Dordt University who are called into ministry to have an easier path to further their theological education,” says Dr. Yudha Thianto, chief academic officer at Calvin Theological Seminary. “Calvin Theological Seminary and Dordt University share the same Reformed heritage, and it is good for students to have continuity in that theological foundation.”
For students considering ministry or further theological study, the partnership provides a clearer and more accessible pathway beyond their undergraduate experience.
“This gives students a tangible next step,” Bakker explains. “They can see how their time at Dordt connects directly to seminary and to their broader vocational calling.”
In addition to practical benefits such as time and cost savings, the partnership emphasizes holistic formation—academic, spiritual, and vocational.
“Calvin Theological Seminary and Dordt University have had a long, supportive and fruitful relationship over many years,” says Rev. Jul Medenblik, president of Calvin Theological Seminary. “This memorandum helps clarify the pathway and confirms our relationship as we seek to serve students—year by year—in this partnership of the Gospel.”
“This partnership reflects a shared commitment to forming students not only academically, but spiritually and vocationally,” says Bakker. “It communicates to prospective students that Dordt is invested in their long-term calling, including those considering ministry or theological study.”
As churches continue to face growing needs for trained pastors and ministry leaders, partnerships like this aim to equip the next generation with both the theological depth and practical preparation needed for faithful service.
About Dordt University
As an institution of higher education committed to the Reformed Christian perspective, Dordt University equips students, faculty, alumni, and the broader community to work toward Christ-centered renewal in all aspects of contemporary life. Located in Sioux Center, Iowa, Dordt is a comprehensive university named to the best college lists by U.S. News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, Times Higher Education, Forbes.com, Washington Monthly, and Princeton Review.
Dordt theology graduates can complete an M.Div. at Western in as little as two years through a partnership designed to reduce time and cost while strengthening preparation for ministry.
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