Princeton Theological Seminary

Princeton Theological Seminary prepares women and men to serve Jesus Christ in ministries marked by faith, integrity, scholarship, competence, compassion, and joy. It seeks to equip them for leadership worldwide in congregations and the larger church, in classrooms and the academy, and in the public arena.

As a professional and graduate school of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the seminary stands within the Reformed tradition. It affirms the sovereignty of the triune God over all creation, the gospel of Jesus Christ as God's saving word for all people, the renewing power of the word and Spirit in all of life, and the unity of Christ's servant church throughout the world. This tradition shapes the instruction, research, practical training, and continuing education provided by the seminary, as well as the theological scholarship it promotes.

History and Location

The Theological Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, was established by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in 1812. Rich in history and with an important colonial past, the town of Princeton has been home to the likes of Jonathan Edwards, Grover Cleveland, Woodrow Wilson, and Albert Einstein. Still in essence a small town, yet only an hour from both New York City and Philadelphia, Princeton has an uncommon breadth of cultural and educational resources.

Miller Chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary. Photo courtesy of Princeton Theological Seminary.

Since its founding, Princeton Seminary has graduated approximately 14,000 men and women who have served the church in many capacities, from pastoral ministry, to missionary work, to pastoral care, to Christian education, to leadership in the academy and business. Affiliated from the beginning with the Presbyterian Church and the wider Reformed tradition, Princeton Theological Seminary is today a denominational school with an ecumenical and worldwide constituency.

What programs does Princeton Seminary offer?

Princeton provides instruction in the traditional disciplines of theological education as well as in contemporary fields. A student's theological foundation includes courses in biblical languages, exegesis, hermeneutics, systematic theology, church history, practical theology, and preaching.

Princeton Seminary annually enrolls approximately 750 students, including more than 70 international students, in its 5 degree programs: Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. In addition, Princeton participates with Rutgers University in a sequential MDiv/MSW (Master of Social Work) program. Princeton is recognized for its pioneering efforts in addressing the church and youth. In 1995, the seminary established an Institute for Youth Ministry, an international center to study the church's ministry with young people. Princeton also has a Program for Asian American Theology and Ministry to support students and pastors from Asian and Asian American churches. The seminary's Center of Continuing Education offers more than sixty seminars each year for ministers and lay people, including Summer Institutes of Theology in Princeton and in Scotland.