Candler School Of Theology

What Candler School Of Theology does

Candler School of Theology is a private theological seminary within Emory University, founded in 1914 and operating from Emory's Atlanta campus with additional partnership locations including Decatur. The school offers a portfolio of graduate theological degrees — Master of Divinity (MDiv), Master of Arts in Religion and Leadership (MARL), Master of Religion and Public Life (MRPL), Master of Theological Studies (MTS), Master of Theology (ThM), and Doctor of Ministry (DMin) — alongside nine dual-degree programs with other Emory professional schools (law, business, public health, bioethics, social work, nursing, and arts and sciences). Programs are delivered in residential, hybrid, and online formats; the MDiv curriculum embeds contextual education placements across ministry contexts. A typical academic year carries full-time Master's tuition of approximately $27,500 and DMin tuition of $13,000 (with a 10% scholarship), and hybrid students receive scholarships covering 50-100% of tuition.

The school extends its reach beyond degree-seeking students through The Candler Foundry (public theological education featuring the TheoEd Talks speaker series and open courses), La Mesa Academy for Theological Studies (a multi-language graduate certificate program), the Youth Theological Initiative pre-college program, and the Pitts Theology Library — one of the premier theological libraries in North America, housing the Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection (the largest collection of Luther materials outside Germany) and the Howard Thurman Papers. Customer segments include prospective church leaders, academic scholars, and lay church audiences served through non-degree public programming.

Revenue derives from tuition, philanthropic donations through Campaign 2O36, and grants including from Lilly Endowment Inc. Institutional affiliations with the United Methodist Church and Emory University's broader research resources underpin the school's positioning. A Board of Advisors and an ongoing leadership transition — Terrence L. Johnson announced as incoming dean on May 7, 2026, succeeding Jonathan Strom — reflect ongoing governance evolution. The Class of 2026 conferred 133 degrees across the school's degree portfolio.

Name

Candler School Of Theology

Legal name

Candler School of Theology

Website

https://candler.emory.edu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Candler School of Theology is Emory University's private seminary offering graduate theological degrees (MDiv, MARL, MRPL, MTS, ThM, DMin) and nine dual degrees. It serves church leaders, scholars, and lay audiences through degree programs and The Candler Foundry, supported by the Pitts Theology Library and United Methodist Church affiliations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Theological Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Religious Organizations (8131), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Seminaries (Graduate Theology & Ministry) (EDAHAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Education & Formation (Seminaries, Religious Schools, Catechesis) (BPAGAJAD), Denominational Theological Colleges (e.g., Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, Evangelical) (EDAHAKAM), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)

Keywords

• Theological education
• Seminary degree programs
• Graduate ministry degrees
• Pastoral formation
• Divinity education

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees: Primary revenue from tuition charged for degree programs (Master's and Doctoral degrees). Financial aid and scholarships are available to support students.
2. Philanthropic Donations: Fundraising through the Advancement and Alumni Engagement office, accepting donations through Campaign 2O36 and various endowment programs. Alumni and friends contribute to scholarships and school programs.
3. Grants and Research Funding: External grants from foundations such as Lilly Endowment Inc. support initiatives like ministry innovation programs and congregation support networks.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Candler School of Theology is a theological seminary within Emory University that delivers graduate-level theological education through master's and doctoral degree programs, including the Master of Divinity, MARL, MRPL, MTS, ThM, and Doctor of Ministry. It supplements degree programs with nine dual-degree partnerships across Emory, public theological education through The Candler Foundry, multi-language certificate programming via La Mesa Academy, and academic research resources anchored by the Pitts Theology Library.

Product overview

Candler School of Theology is a theological seminary within Emory University offering a comprehensive portfolio of degree programs (five master's degrees, one doctoral degree, and nine dual degrees) alongside non-degree learning opportunities. The core offerings include residential, hybrid, and online formats for the Master of Divinity, MARL, MRPL, MTS, ThM, and Doctor of Ministry. The Candler Foundry serves as the public theological education arm, offering TheoEd Talks and courses for church and community engagement. La Mesa Academy provides multi-language theological certificates. The school also maintains the Pitts Theology Library as a major academic resource with extensive digital collections.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Candler Foundry: Public theological education initiative offering courses and events for individuals and church groups
• La Mesa Academy for Theological Studies
• Youth Theological Initiative
• Pitts Theology Library

Products and services

• Master of Divinity (MDiv)

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Emory University Schools (Goizueta Business School, School of Public Health, School of Law)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDual degree partnerships offering combined MDiv or MTS degrees with other top-ranked Emory programs in bioethics, business, development practice, law, and public health.
• The United Methodist ChurchcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric denominational affiliation; connection through General Board of Higher Education and Ministry; United Methodist Course of Study and Licensing School programs; Committee of 100 advisory board.
• New Hanover Evangelical Lutheran Church, Gilbertsville, PAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPermanent loan of rare 1545 Martin Luther publication to Pitts Theology Library's Richard C. Kessler Reformation Collection.
• Timothy Wengert (Reformation Scholar)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRenowned Reformation scholar who facilitated the loan of Luther publication to Pitts Theology Library through connections with New Hanover congregation.
• Youth Theological Initiative (YTI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram under Candler's McDonald Agnost Assembly providing theological education for youth; advisory board includes Candler faculty.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights8 records

Direct peers

• Perkins School of Theology (Southern Methodist University): United Methodist-affiliated seminary at SMU offering MDiv, MTS, and DMin programs. Comparable as a fellow UMC seminary with strong denominational ties and similar degree mix, though smaller in scale and located in a different region.
• Vanderbilt Divinity School: Non-denominational graduate theological school at Vanderbilt University with MDiv, MTS, and DMin programs. Comparable as a research-university-affiliated seminary serving a similar applicant pool with similar degree offerings.
• Columbia Theological Seminary: Reformed/Presbyterian seminary located in Decatur, Georgia — the same metropolitan area as Candler — offering MDiv and DMin programs with a focus on ministry formation. Directly comparable in regional Christian theological education and even shares faculty/network overlap with Candler.
• Iliff School of Theology: United Methodist-affiliated seminary offering MDiv, MAR, and DMin programs with a social-justice orientation. Comparable in UMC denominational identity, degree mix, and progressive theological positioning.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: Large multi-denominational evangelical seminary offering MDiv, MAT, ThM, and DMin programs with hybrid and online options. Comparable in scale, degree mix, and growing online/hybrid delivery, though more evangelical in orientation than Candler's mainline Protestant focus.
• Princeton Theological Seminary: One of the largest and most prominent mainline Protestant seminaries in the U.S., offering MDiv, MTS, ThM, and DMin degrees with a similar ecumenical and research-oriented profile to Candler. Directly comparable in academic positioning, denominational reach, and degree mix.
• Duke Divinity School: Professional school of theology at a top-tier private research university, with strong United Methodist ties and a similar portfolio of MDiv, MTS, ThM, and DMin programs. Highly comparable in prestige, denominational orientation, and university-affiliated structure.
• Yale Divinity School: Ecumenical graduate school of religion at Yale University offering MDiv, MAR, and STM degrees with a non-sectarian research orientation. Comparable as a top-tier university-affiliated seminary with strong faculty and library resources.
• Harvard Divinity School: Non-sectarian school of religion at Harvard University offering MDiv and MTS programs with a focus on comparative religious studies and leadership. Comparable in ecumenical, research-intensive positioning and Ivy-league institutional brand.
• Asbury Theological Seminary: Wesleyan/Methodist-rooted seminary offering MDiv, MAT, ThM, and DMin programs with a strong online and hybrid presence. Comparable in Wesleyan theological heritage, degree offerings, and significant investment in distance learning formats.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/candler
• Facebookfacebook.com/CandlerTheology
• Instagraminstagram.com/candlertheology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/candler-school-of-theology

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Candler School Of Theology