| According to the 2010 United States Census, the United States is witnessing a significant shift in the halls of the American academy. An increasing number of women have entered higher education, and women now outnumber men at nearly every level of education. However, this trend is not universal. That same year, the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) reported that women account for only a third of seminary student bodies in the United States. At evangelical schools, that percentage is even lower. ATS reports that the average percentage of women enrolled in evangelical M.Div. programs is 21%.;In view of these statistics, the purpose of this study was to explore the factors that influence women to pursue a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree at evangelical seminaries in the United States, despite being in the minority. This qualitative study focused specifically on the personal, social, and contextual/experiential factors that influenced women to pursue the M.Div. degree, and the data was gathered by interviewing a total of twenty-four women at three evangelical seminaries around the United States.;The findings suggest that among the most important factors influencing the participants were a sense of calling from God, the presence of a multi-layered, social support system, and work or educational experience related to the participants' field of interest. Based on these findings, the study offers suggestions for churches, Christian colleges, and seminaries, as well as recommendations for further research. |
