Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership Degree Requirements
To qualify for the MARL degree, a candidate must complete each of these requirements.
Transform your vision into reality
Does your passion for God and making the world a better place drive you? At Candler School of Theology, we designed the Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership (MARL) specifically for visionaries like you. This two-year program prepares you for dynamic leadership roles in settings beyond traditional religious contexts, including emerging opportunities for spiritual entrepreneurship. How will you use your gifts to change the world?
Why the Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership?
Designed for innovation & impact
MARL grads pursue careers in a wide range of fields: religious education, nonprofits, spiritual entrepreneurship, community organizing, and more. Whether you aim to start new types of spiritual communities or lead within established frameworks, the MARL equips you with the tools and interdisciplinary expertise you need to succeed.
Multiple formats for max flexibility
Candler’s MARL is offered in two formats: residential and hybrid. Residential students take classes on campus. Hybrid students take the majority of their classes online and come to campus for two required in-person courses, typically taken as short intensives in August, January or summer. Choose what works best for you.
Elective freedom to match your goals
Nearly half of the MARL’s credit hours are dedicated to electives. That’s a whopping 21 credit hours to align your studies with your goals for career development and personal growth. Plus, you can take electives across Emory University—from creative writing to entrepreneurship to AI—forging a curriculum that’s as unique as your call.
Who should apply? The Master of Arts in Religion & Leadership is ideal if you:
- Seek leadership roles beyond traditional religious settings.
- Desire to develop skills in spiritual entrepreneurship.
- Are passionate about justice and social improvement.
- Identify as “spiritual but not religious,” or are deeply engaged in a faith community.
What will you gain?
Customized learning with electives and certificates
MARL students can curate a curriculum that supports their specific goals. There’s plenty of space for exploration across a number of disciplines through electives, or for specialization through one of Candler’s certificate programs.
Stronger leadership, broader networks
Learn to lead in inclusive, ecumenical, intercultural, and interfaith contexts. Build collaborative networks with those outside your own experience for maximum impact.
Personal and vocational growth
Discern your calling, hone your leadership, and carve out a fulfilling career path. The MARL supports students’ own projects of building a meaningful life, providing resources and direction for exploring questions about God, the world, and personal and communal identities.
Affording Candler
92% of all degree-seeking students receive a Candler scholarship, with most lasting for the duration of the degree program. MARL applicants will be considered for a wide range of scholarships, up to full tuition. Plus, they can maximize their budget by taking advantage of on- and off-campus employment opportunities.
Requirements for Admission
Admission to the MARL degree program requires a bachelor of arts, bachelor of science, or equivalent degree, with a well-balanced program in liberal arts and a grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited college or university. Strong candidates, including those who have been out of college for a number of years, are encouraged to apply. All completed applications, regardless of the GPA of the applicant, will be fully reviewed by the admissions committee.
Students enrolled as MDiv, MRPL, MTS, or special students at Candler may apply for admission to the MARL program. A new application with supporting materials must be submitted. If the applicant is admitted, coursework completed satisfactorily by an MDiv, MRPL, MTS, or special student will be considered toward the MARL degree. The registrar will determine which credits may be applied to the MARL program. Students in good standing at other seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, or at other regionally accredited universities where they are studying religion at the graduate level, may be admitted as transfer students. These students may receive transfer credit approval for up to 15 credit hours for courses in which they earned a grade of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (84 on a numerical scale). Up to six hours may be applied to track requirements. See detailed MARL program transfer credit policy page. International students who require Emory-sponsored visas may not be eligible for admission to hybrid areas of specialization.
Credit Hours
In fulfilling the 48 hours required to complete the MARL degree, students may not exceed the following limits:
- 6 hours internship;
- 6 hours Clinical Pastoral Education;
- 12 total hours Contextual Education (CE) credits (including the six required hours and any additional CE courses taken for elective credit);
- 12 hours of summer courses;
- 9 hours Atlanta Theological Association (ATA) cross-registration, counted as transfer credit;
- 15 total hours transfer credit (LA550. Leadership, Meaning, & Vocation common course must be completed at Candler);
- 6 hours directed study (with permission of the academic dean and counted as elective);
- 9 hours elective course(s) taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U) grading basis with instructor permission (excluding Contextual Education but including a maximum of 4 hours for participation in the Chapel Choir, Candler Singers, Candler Voices of Imani, or Emory Concert Choir). If an elective course is used to fulfill the REGG or WR requirement it must be taken for a letter grade. Likewise, courses taken to fulfill elective hours within the MARL curriculum and being used to fulfill requirements for certificates may need to be taken for a letter grade according to the rules of the certificates.
GPA Requirements
Students must earn a letter grade of at least C., i.e. 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 in order to use a course toward their degree requirements. Students may elect to take up to nine hours of electives S/U with instructor permission however, if an elective course is used to fulfill the REGG or WR requirement it must be taken for a letter grade. Likewise, courses taken to fulfill elective hours within the MARL curriculum and being used to fulfill requirements for certificates may need to be taken for a letter grade according to the rules of the certificates. Students who earn less than a C in a course will not receive credit for the course toward the degree, though it will remain as part of the student’s academic record. Students who earn less than a C in a course may choose to retake the course. However, the same course cannot be counted more than once toward the total credit hours for graduation.
Curricular Requirements
To qualify for the MARL degree, a candidate must complete the following requirements:
- MARL505. MARL Advising (0 hours)
- LA550. Leadership, Meaning, & Vocation (3 hours)
- 6 hours of contextual education (CE695R or CE696R)
- 18 hours of Common Requirement courses including:
- 3 hours in religion and society (any M, SR or CC course)
- 6 hours in leadership and administration (any LA courses beyond LA 550 or comparable courses taken outside Candler)
- 3 hours in practical theology (Any LA, PT, CC, CHP, CM, EV, P, PC, RE, or W course)
- 3 hours in scripture, history, or tradition of any religion (Any BI, OT, NT, HC, WR, or DS course)
- 3 hours in religious thought or social analysis (Any BCS, ES, RP, SR, ST course, or other approved course)
- 21 hours of electives
In addition, at least one three-hour course from those completed for the above requirements must be designated as fulfilling the Race, Ethnicity, Gender, and/or Global Contexts (REGG) requirement and at least one three-hour course must be designated as a World Religions (WR) (or equivalent if taken outside Candler). A single course listed or cross-listed as a WR that is also designated as REGG may fulfill both the REGG and WR requirements.
Certificates
MARL students may elect to participate in certificates available through Candler or through Emory University (see the programs and certificates section of the Candler Catalog and Handbook for details).
Certificates must be declared by the end of the first year of study (or by the time the student has completed 24 hours for those who enroll part-time).
Advising and Assessment
In addition to the curricular requirements listed above, students in the MARL program are required to be advised each semester. Any student who fails to meet with their faculty advisor during the advising period will have a hold placed on registration until advising has taken place.
In the final semester of the MARL program, students will compile a program portfolio and submit it to their advisor, program director, and the Candler registrar via a secure online folder provided by the Candler registrar. The portfolio will include the following documents:
- A two-page self-reflection on work done in the degree program and evaluation of the progress made on learning outcomes as well as plans beyond graduation
- Supervisor and self-evaluations from the internship portion of the degree (Contextual Education, Internship, or CPE)
- Copy of the final project for the internship if CE545R was used to fulfill the internship portion of the degree
- Final paper or project from LA 550.
- A summative paper or project from the course used to fulfill the REGG requirement. Please include a cover sheet with the title of the class, semester taken, and the instructors provided by the instructor or syllabus for the construction of the paper or project.
- A summative paper or project from the course used to fulfill the WR requirement. Please include a cover sheet with the title of the class, semester taken, and the instructors provided by the instructor or syllabus for the construction of the paper or project.
- A summative paper or project from the course used to fulfill the sociology of religion or church and community ministries requirement (M/SR/CC). Please include a cover sheet with the title of the class, semester taken, and the instructors provided by the instructor or syllabus for the construction of the paper or project.
- A summative paper or project from a Common Requirement course taken in the last two semesters of the program and not already used for one of the categories above; if no Common Requirement course was taken in the final part of the program, a paper from any Common Requirement course may be substituted. Please include a cover sheet with the title of the class, semester taken, and the instructors provided by the instructor or syllabus for the construction of the paper or project.
- Any other item(s) requested by the advisor
Residence
Students must complete a minimum of four full-time equivalent semesters, to include at least three fall/spring semesters with not more than 12 total summer term hours. The last two semesters of the program must be completed at Candler. Students in good standing at other seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, or at other regionally accredited universities where they are studying religion at the graduate level, may, with approval, transfer up to 15 credit hours. A maximum of 9 hours taken through cross-registration at Atlanta Theological Association (ATA) schools may be applied toward the degree, counted as transfer credit. Upon transfer of 15 hours, no additional transfer work or ATA cross-registration work will be allowed. Students who transfer into the MARL program must complete a minimum of three semesters with at least 33 Candler semester hours. The MARL is structured to be completed in two years of full-time study. The maximum length of time allowed to complete the program is six calendar years.
Transfer Credit
Students in good standing at other seminaries accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, or at other regionally accredited universities where they are studying religion at the graduate level, may be admitted as transfer students. These students may receive transfer credit approval for up to 15 credit hours for courses in which they earn a grade of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (84 on a numerical scale). Transfer credits may be applied to Common Requirements or Electives.
Candler Firsthand
Here’s what a few alumni had to say about their Candler experience.
“Through my professors and colleagues, I have learned to provide theological context to my passion for justice in a community of scholars. I have begun to ‘reappropriate’ in ways that I hope will allow me to lead a movement to shift the narrative in the public square and in the church.”
Kathryn Stanley
MRL '16
“Candler is a transformative force propelling students into a realm of boundless opportunity. Students are empowered to pioneer groundbreaking intersections between faith, mission, and purpose across diverse fields such as business, health, medicine, and innovation. It’s not merely an education; it’s a journey of inspiration, innovation, and impact.”
Alissa Cohan
MRL '24
“You don’t have to know your exact call when you come to Candler. I didn’t come to Candler with any idea of what I wanted to do. Candler gives us space to figure out who we are, why we are here, and what we want to do.”
Alex Revelle
MDiv '21
“Through my professors and colleagues, I have learned to provide theological context to my passion for justice in a community of scholars. I have begun to ‘reappropriate’ in ways that I hope will allow me to lead a movement to shift the narrative in the public square and in the church.”
Kathryn Stanley
MRL '16
