Military Chaplains provide ministry worldwide, accompanying Soldiers and families as they carry out their units' missions in both peace and war. Chaplains are charged to nurture the living, care for the wounded and honor the fallen. A chaplain's mission is to bring Soldiers to God and God to Soldiers.

Requirements

Becoming a military chaplain involves meeting strict educational requirements. All candidates must earn a bachelor’s degree in religion or a closely related field, and a graduate degree in religion or theology. Religious studies involve an examination of the scripture, learning about other religions and belief systems, and examining the history of the church. You may also take courses in communication, counseling, and leadership, especially if your program offers a focus on Ministry.

Important: As a military chaplain, you will encounter military personnel, families and civilians who are members of other denominations or faith groups, so you must be sensitive to religious pluralism and be able to provide for the free exercise of religion. Understanding religious diversity and the concept that different belief systems have the ability to co-exist is an important part of religious studies. 

If you plan on becoming a military chaplain, you may want to augment your undergraduate degree with courses in psychology, especially grief counseling and traumatic therapy. You may also want to take history courses or a course that examines the military. These courses aren’t required, of course, but they can be helpful.

Because the military does require chaplains to meet certain physical and health conditions, you may want to take more than the required physical education courses, or sign up for one of the university’s sports teams in order to begin conditioning your body to meet these requirements.

Contact our Chaplain Relations Dept.