A seminary degree is required to get ordained in most of the mainstream religious denominations. Getting accepted into a degree program requires the support of a denomination or religious organization. Once you have decided to work toward a degree and ordination, you must first go to your local pastor for his or her support. If the local pastor decides to support you, you will then go in front of a denomination committee or board. The committee will interview you and determine whether you are fit to enter into seminary school.
Most ordinations committees are selective. The committee may require a background check through the police department and FBI before making any decisions about your ordination request. Prior to the interview, the committee may require screening by a psychologist. Most religious organizations have a minimum age requirement, so check with your pastor about any special requirements your particular denomination may have.
Once the committee has approved you for seminary school, the committee generally assigns you a mentor to assist you through school. The mentor follows and guides you through every year of college and provides the ordination committee with a periodic progress report. A Master of Divinity degree is required by most denominations. Distance learning is available for this type of ministerial degree. Universities or colleges, such as Regent or Liberty University, provide a seminary student with a distance learning ordination and degree program that is recognized by the Association of Theological Schools.
Entering a Master of Divinity program requires a bachelor's degree, letters of recommendation and sponsorship from your ordination committee. A master's or doctorate degree in another field does not count a lot when attempting to enter a master's program at a seminary. You may get exempted or prerequisite credits, but you still have to finish the same amount of credit hours, typically 90 to 110 hours, depending on the seminary.
After completion of the Master of Divinity program, you will return to your ordination committee. Another interview is required by the committee to determine if you have met all the ordination requirements. The committee then ordains you for that particular denomination or religious organization. Some denominations have a probationary period you must complete before becoming fully ordained.
Shortcuts are available for ordination and degrees. You can get a doctorate or master's degree from an unaccredited school for your experience or purchase an ordination over the Internet by just paying a fee. You can attempt to claim your home as a country and ordain yourself. You can also call 20 friends to your house and have them ordain you. If you do any of these things, you should also have yourself declared a saint or shaman because they are equal in value. No mainstream denomination or religious organization will accept you with these types of credentials, although some states will accept online ordinations for such things as performing wedding ceremonies.