One of America's oldest seminaries, training Reformed Church ministers since 1784.
New Brunswick Theological Seminary offers professional and graduate degree programs including the Master of Divinity, Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling, Master of Arts in Ministry Studies, and Doctor of Ministry, as well as certificates and training for lay church leaders. All programs are now available fully online or in hybrid formats. The seminary is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Students may register in joint degree programs with Rutgers University, Princeton Theological Seminary, Western Theological Seminary, and Wesley Theological Seminary.
The seminary's New Brunswick campus occupies 3 acres at the corner of Seminary Place and College Avenue, featuring a 30,000-square-foot central building completed in 2014 with a chapel, classrooms, offices, conference facilities, and 100-car parking lot. The historic Gardner A. Sage Library (1875), designed by architect Detlef Lienau, combines Romanesque and Victorian architecture and houses over 150,000 books, 10,000 bound periodicals, and the official archives of the Reformed Church in America. The campus is described as technologically smart and environmentally green.
Founded in 1784 by John Henry Livingston to address a shortage of trained Reformed ministers in the American colonies, the seminary relocated to New Brunswick in 1810 and established its own campus in 1856. The institution has evolved from a predominantly residential school to serve second-career and bi-vocational students, with the student body becoming the most richly diverse seminary in North America. Today it focuses on providing comprehensive Christian education as an inter-cultural, ecumenical school committed to metro-urban and global contexts, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.
The seminary admits students after review of applications accompanied by college transcripts and letters of recommendation. It serves candidates for ministry, those pursuing academic careers, and lay church leaders seeking advanced theological training. The institution welcomes international students and offers financial aid, institutional scholarships, and a financial wellness program to support enrollment.