Question about online/hybrid M.Div.s from reputable divinity schools and Ph.D. admissions

[D3AC0N]

Hello all, and thanks for any input! Lately I've been seriously discerning the possibility of going for an M.Div. in preparation for both ordination and potentially moving beyond that to doctoral studies. Now that both Duke and Emory are offering primarily online M.Div.s, would the format through which that degree was earned be considered a negative element in an otherwise competitive application to a doctoral program in theology? I understand that, as a rule, an online graduate education is considered inferior to in-person work in the majority of cases, but I am unsure whether the effect is primarily attributable to format or due to other causes, such as the reputation of the institutions that have historically offered online/hybrid options.

[sacklunch]

Too many questions/variables here. So, it depends. You say competitive application, but don't say competitive program. Both? Give some examples of programs you're interested in. This forum is slowly dying, it seems, so you are probably best reaching out to current faculty and especially grad students at schools of interest and simply asking. Most people on here are hopeful applicants, such as yourself, and thus take their recs with some caution. 

[anonymoususername]

I have attended Duke in the past for an MTS and I am back this year for the ThM. The hybrid MDiv is not similar to the residential MDiv. The HMDiv course offerings are going to be extremely limited compared to the residential offerings. It is aimed I think more at pastors or other working professionals who want to continue their education than people looking for a route to doctoral programs. These courses are generally pretty large (35 students) survey courses with a practical application for those in ministry. The residential courses meet only an hour or so a week online after the intensive week, so you do not have nearly the same opportunities to build relationships with the faculty who would decide on your doctoral application decisions. A good number of the faculty who teach in the HMDiv are also not regular faculty, which is to say not people who sit on the doctoral committees. If you are committed to doctoral applications, I would avoid hybrid/online programs. If you are interested in doctoral work, an MTS (or similar two-year academic program) at a competitive school makes the most sense for your time and money. You need to be in a program that will allow you take doctoral seminars during the master's to show what you can do to people who will actually make the decision about your admittance to the PhD. There is nothing wrong with doing a hybrid MDiv, but it does not sound like it would be a very efficient use of your time. Feel free to message me if you have any further questions about Duke.