Shaw University Divinity School Plans Innovative Degree Starting Next Year
Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina, has received regional accreditation approval to launch what will be the first doctoral degree in artificial intelligence and moral agency among theological schools across North America. The Doctor of Education in Artificial Intelligence and Moral Agency is scheduled to begin in January 2027, following approval from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges in June.
The program represents an ambitious pivot for an institution with deep historical roots. Shaw University was founded at the end of the Civil War by a Union soldier and Baptist minister with the explicit purpose of providing religious education to formerly enslaved people. Now, more than 150 years later, the divinity school is positioning itself at the intersection of theology, ethics, and one of the most consequential technological developments of the modern era.
Mark Harden, dean of Shaw University Divinity School, framed the initiative as a continuation of the school’s original mission. “We say Shaw was created to provide leadership in building literacy. We (half) joke this is our second calling, because we’re building AI literacy for vulnerable communities with an emphasis on social justice and ethics.”
Filling a Gap in Theological Education
The doctoral program would be the first master’s or doctoral-level degree in artificial intelligence offered within the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) network, which includes 280 graduate schools of theology across the United States and Canada. While several divinity schools have begun offering individual courses exploring AI and ethics, no comprehensive degree program has been established until now.
The timing aligns with growing institutional attention to the theological dimensions of artificial intelligence. Notre Dame’s Institute for Ethics and the Common Good received a $50 million gift from the Lilly Endowment in December, underscoring philanthropic investment in faith-based approaches to technology ethics. Additionally, the Iliff School of Theology in Denver launched an AI institute in 2018, demonstrating early institutional recognition of the field’s importance.
Meghan Sullivan, director of Notre Dame’s institute, emphasized the unique perspective theological education brings to AI governance. “A theological school, which has been deeply rooted in 2,000 years of reflection about what the Christian world thinks about that question of human agency, is going to have a whole lot to say.”
Program Details and Student Interest
The doctoral program requires applicants to hold a master’s degree in theology, arts, divinity, or a related field, along with at least five years of professional experience in pastoral ministry or closely related work. The curriculum is designed to equip clergy, ethicists, and ministry leaders to address moral questions surrounding artificial intelligence deployment in their communities and organizations.
Interest in the program has been substantial. At least 66 people have already expressed interest in enrolling, a figure that represents significant demand given that Shaw Divinity School currently serves approximately 65 total students. The school presently offers a Master of Arts in Theology and Ministry as well as a Master of Divinity degree.
The divinity school is still seeking final accreditation approval from the Commission on Accrediting at the Association of Theological Schools, though the regional approval secured in June represents a major milestone toward launching the program as scheduled.
Historical Context and Social Justice Mission
Shaw University carries particular historical significance in African American religious and civil rights history. The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a pivotal organization in the civil rights movement, was co-founded by Ella Baker on Shaw’s campus in 1960. That legacy of social justice activism and moral leadership continues to inform the divinity school’s approach to theological education.
The new AI and moral agency program explicitly integrates that historical commitment, positioning artificial intelligence ethics as a social justice issue—particularly regarding how AI systems affect vulnerable and marginalized communities. By framing AI literacy as a theological and ethical concern rather than a purely technical one, Shaw is charting a distinctive path among institutions addressing artificial intelligence in higher education.
What Comes Next: Shaw University Divinity School expects to welcome its first cohort of doctoral students in January 2027, pending final accreditation approval from the Association of Theological Schools. The program will operate within a broader landscape of theological institutions increasingly grappling with questions of technology, ethics, and human flourishing.