Certificate Programs

Through strategic initiatives, research, conferences and resources, we aim to make theological education more accessible within the context of a local church. Learn how your church can partner with us >>

14 Certificate Programs

Residential and Remote Programs

50% Tuition Scholarship

Strengthen Your Ministry

Our fully-accredited certificate programs are a great first step into taking graduate level courses. If you are already serving in a ministry position, a certificate program will help you strengthen and fine-tune your skills within a specific area of study and/or can enhance a graduate degree.
At TEDS, we provide theological education and ministry training that equips you to serve God with wisdom and grace, in truth and love. Our world-renowned faculty are deeply invested in teaching and mentoring students, immediately welcoming you into a community of servant-leaders making an impact on the world in the name of Jesus Christ.

50% Scholarship Available

By including a letter of recommendation from your pastor or church leader, new students will receive a 50% scholarship on the first certificate they take.

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6 Start Dates

AUG
OCT
JAN
MAR
MAY
JUN
TEDS offers its master’s degree coursework primarily through an 8-week format, with 6 start dates throughout the year. This will provide you with greater flexibility, enabling you to fold coursework into your daily life and focus on fewer classes at a time.

Certificate Programs

$170 per credit hour

*1st to 12th credit hours

Trinity Evangelical Divinity School certificate programs help you to strengthen your ministry skills within a specific area or enhance your graduate degree. TEDS world-class faculty will not only provide instruction but also personally interact with you throughout your program. Each of our certificates draw from the core disciplines of our curriculum and can be used as an entry point into our master’s programs.
Certificates are designed to be completed in one year if a student takes at least one course per 8 week subterm.

On Campus

Study in-person and live alongside the TEDS student community

Hybrid

Earn your degree on-campus while having online courses available for part of your degree

Online

Complete the coursework at your most convenient time

Biblical Languages

Learn how to read, translate and understand scripture in its original language

Certificate

Biblical and Theological Studies

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Gain a solid foundation of theology and biblical interpretation with the option to choose your area of focus ranging from church history, systematic theology, New Testament, Old Testament, and more. This certificate is a building block for our MA in Theological Studies program.

COURSEWORK

Required

  • Biblical Studies
  • Theological Studies
  • Electives
Certificate

Children and Family Ministry

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Gain a deeper understanding of spiritual formation, stewarding a ministry team, curriculum building, church leadership and administration, roles of family in spiritual development and intergenerational, family, and children’s ministry care. This certificate will equip you to serve children and families in the local church and ministry contexts.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Teaching and Learning
  • Educational Ministry
  • Christian Leadership
  • Christian Formation & Journey
  • Children in the Church
  • Nurturing Families in the Church
Certificate

Christian Counseling

14 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

The Certificate in Christian Counseling program focuses on the development of ethical decision-making skills that align with the Christian faith, on top of establishing a strong foundation in counseling principles, skills, and techniques. Whether you are on the mission field, work at a para-church, or are a pastoral staff member, all counselors are likely to face ethical dilemmas in their professions.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Counseling Skills Training
  • Group Counseling
  • Introduction to Biblical Theology
  • Counseling Strategies: Theory, Treatment, and Technique
  • Career Counseling
Certificate

Christian Foundations

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

The Christian Foundations Certificate program enables you to explore the rich traditions, theology, and history of the Christian faith from its early beginnings, through the Reformation, and to the present day. Through examining church history and foundational theology, you can gain a biblical understanding of God’s work in the world and how culture has shaped different church traditions.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Introduction to Biblical Theology
  • Theology 1: The God of the Gospel: From the Father
  • Theology 2: The Gospel of God: Through the Son
  • Theology 3: The People of God: Through the Holy Spirit
Certificate

Educational Ministries

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Gain a deeper understanding of spiritual formation, curriculum building, and ministry practices to support each generation. This certificate will equip you to develop Biblically rooted programming and curriculum for all generations and intergenerational groups in the local church or other ministry contexts.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Educational Ministry
  • Christian Leadership
  • Christian Formation & Journey
  • Youth and Emerging Adults in the Church
  • Children in the Church
  • Nurturing Families in the Church
  • Program Planning Dynamics in the Church
Certificate

Hippocratic Healthcare Ethics

21 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Through this certificate you’ll evaluate current ethical issues in healthcare, examine the different approaches to bioethics throughout history, and be prepared to engage bioethics challenges within healthcare and contemporary medicine—all from a distinctly Christian perspective.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Bioethics and Cultural Engagement
  • Christian Hippocratism
  • Introduction to Bioethics: Foundations and Methods
  • Life and Death Bioethics
  • Biotechnology and Emerging Technology Ethics
  • Research Ethics
Certificate

Leadership in Missions

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

By studying the theology and history of evangelism and missions around the world you will gain a strong foundation of anthropology, discipleship practices and practical evangelism methods which will enrich your ministry abilities both in the United States and around the world.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Theology of Mission & Evangelism
  • Global Mission and the Local Church
  • Evangelism and the Local Church
  • History of the Expansion of Christianity
  • Anthropology for Ministry
  • World Religions
  • Missional Church
Certificate

Ministry Care

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Learn how to faithfully counsel, teach, support, and guide your brothers and sisters in Christ as they seek to be transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through this certificate you’ll explore ministry practices, counseling techniques, socio-cultural impacts on ministry, church leadership development, and building biblical curriculum.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Intro to Counseling Ministries
  • Educational Ministry
  • Understanding the Social and Cultural Contexts of Ministry
  • Spiritual Formation for Ministry
  • Christian Worship
Certificate

New Testament Greek

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Learn to read, translate, and comprehend the New Testament scripture by reading it in its original language. Understanding the Bible in its original language will deepen your preaching, teaching, and interpretation of the New Testament and the Septuagint.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Beginning Greek 1
  • Beginning Greek 2
  • Greek Exegesis 1
  • Greek Exegesis 2
Certificate

Old Testament Hebrew

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Learn to read, translate, and understand the Old Testament scripture by reading it in its original language. Understanding the Bible in its original language will deepen your exegetical study and applications of the Old Testament, making you a better preacher, teacher, and interpreter.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Elementary Hebrew I
  • Elementary Hebrew II
  • Elementary Hebrew III
  • Hebrew Exegesis I
  • Hebrew Exegesis II
Certificate

Organizational Leadership

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Gain a deeper understanding of leadership practices and enhance your leadership skills in church, ministry or marketplace settings. By specializing in church leadership or executive leadership, you’ll be better equipped to lead teams in your area of focus.

COURSEWORK

Available Tracks

  • Local Church Tracks (Masters Level)
  • Executive Leadership Track (Doctoral Level)
Certificate

Pro-Life Advocacy and Engagement

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Understand the emerging bioethics and legal issues related to pro-life advocacy, discern the different approaches to bioethics throughout history, and be equipped to address challenges within emerging pro-life issues from a distinctly Christian perspective. This certificate will further equip professionals working at pro-life advocacy and non-profit organizations and those working in pregnancy centers.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Introduction to Bioethics: Foundations and Methods
  • Bioethics and Cultural Engagement
  • Life and Death Bioethics
  • The Right to Life and the Law
  • The Public Policy Context
  • Christian Hippocratism
  • Bioethics and Emerging Technology Ethics
Certificate

Scripture

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Gain a deeper understanding of the Bible by studying the Old Testament and the New Testament history, writings, and authors. Develop a Christ-centered approach to reading, interpreting, and applying scripture faithfully through courses on theology and biblical interpretation.

COURSEWORK

Featured Courses

  • Introduction to Biblical Theology
  • Intro to the Old Testament 1
  • Intro to the Old Testament 2
  • Intro to the New Testament 1
  • Intro to the New Testament 2
Certificate

Teaching and Learning

12 CREDITS | 1 YEAR

ABOUT

Expand your understanding of teaching methods, spiritual formation, curriculum building, education administration, and ministry teaching practices for each age group. With this certificate you’ll gain a strong foundation of educational ministry practices and have the option to specialize in a higher education administration track.

COURSEWORK

Available Tracks

  • Master’s Level
  • Doctoral Level

Who is a certificate for?

Our certificates provide theological and ministry training for pastors and lay-leaders alike. You’ll be equipped to minister and contextualize the Gospel wherever you serve.

Ministry Staff

Ministry Directors who don't have formal theological education, but are passionate about serving the Lord faithfully and want to continue to grow in the ministry.

Group Leaders

Discipleship or Small Group leaders who want to dig deeper and invest in richer scriptural knowledge.

Retired Ministry Member

Retired or retiring member who is looking for something to delve into their next phase of life.

Pastors

Pastors who already have a Master’s degree but want more equipping, maybe in original language work or counseling skills.

Called to Ministry

Young men and women who feel the Lord leading them to prayerfully prepare for a lifetime of ministry.

Medical or Legal Professional

Medical or legal professional who wants to infuse their faith into their current vocation in a deeper way.

Accredited education at TEDS

An accredited certificate assures you as a student as well as any potential employer that you have received a level of education appropriate to the accreditor’s recognized standards. Accredited theological education at TEDS guarantees academic quality, rigorous accountability, and access to valuable resources.

Library Resources

Whether you study in-person or online, you will have access to our world-class theological library that will help you study with rigor and depth.

Student Support

We have offices dedicated to caring for you as a person, helping you in your studies, and helping you find a job.

Transfer of Credits

Because our standard of education is recognized by our accreditors, all courses taken at TEDS are transferable to other institutions of higher education.

Faculty Qualifications

Our faculty have achieved the highest academic levels and have professional experience in their fields.

Church Partnerships

At Trinity, we strive to make seminary education available and affordable for the church. If you are interested in offering a Certificate Program at your church as a part of your leadership development and disciple-making efforts, please see our Church Partnerships Page.