Most students who wish to attend a Christian theological school will apply following graduation from an accredited undergraduate college or university, as seminary programs typically offer graduate level degrees. Students entering a theological school often come seeking to advance their knowledge of religious studies, or to seek ordination as a priest or minister. A common array of degrees offered includes a Doctor of Philosophy, a Doctor of Ministry, a Master of Divinity, a Master of Sacred Theology, a Master of Arts, a Master of Arts in Ministry, as well as continuing education courses for non-degree seeking students.
The Jewish Theological Seminary, located in New York City, is a large theological school that offers degrees for undergraduate students, graduate students, and students seeking entry into rabbinical school to pursue a career as a Rabbi. Students seeking graduate degrees can pursue courses of study in Jewish culture, history, art, literature, Talmudic studies and other areas related to Judaism and its place in both history and modern society.
Theological schools trace their official origins to Catholic seminaries in the fourth century, but any school that trains or trained students to either enter the clergy or become more familiar with spiritual texts could be considered a seminary. Early seminaries were often fashioned after monasteries, in that they were institutions where boys would live, be taught to read, and taught to enter the clergy or monastic life. These were referred to as Tridentine seminaries, and the Protestant Revolution, led by John Calvin, rejected this model. Today, seminaries can acquire accreditation through a few national groups, consisting of the United States Department of Education, the Council of Higher Education Accreditation, and the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. Some theological schools are sponsored solely by religious affiliations.
The texts found in theological schools vary dependent on the type of religious practice focused on at the institution. A Protestant seminary could utilize writings from the Bible, texts from Protestant religious leaders and thinkers such as John Calvin, philosophy texts, as well as a mix of writings from other faiths, especially the Jewish tradition. A Judaic seminary may utilize texts from the Torah, writings from the Talmud, and other writings from respected rabbis and religious thinkers. Students in a theological school can expect to use original source documents, such as a Bible or the Apocrypha, as well as secondary sources from commentators and thinkers related to the spiritual tradition.