About

Located in Austin, Texas, we embrace our role as a seminary at the center of significant societal and geographical intersections. Our unique position provides unparalleled opportunities to pose questions, learn from diverse and cross-cultural perspectives, nurture greater personal and spiritual growth, and prepare adaptive, imaginative Christian leaders to make an impact where God calls them.

Beyond its famous title as the "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin offers residents a rare mix of outdoor lifestyle and cultural depth in a city that still feels manageable in size, with spring-fed swimming holes, miles of hike-and-bike trails, and a packed calendar of festivals all just minutes from downtown. It's a city built for people managing many aspects of life, providing energy and community for everyone. Neighborhoods feature good schools, parks, and weekend fun, helping everyone find their place. No matter your life stage, Austin makes room for it.

We welcome everyone who is called to serve with purpose and meaning. Grounded in the Presbyterian-Reformed tradition, we foster curiosity and collaboration in students of all backgrounds and identities, guiding them to explore their faith more deeply, engage in issues that matter, challenge norms, and lead their communities with compassion and understanding into the future.

Austin Seminary's faculty includes scholars and practitioners across disciplines like New Testament, theology, homiletics, and church history, giving students direct access to individuals actively shaping conversations in their fields. The Seminary is also the only Presbyterian seminary with a dedicated faculty position in sacred music, alongside a unique faculty position focused on pastoral ministry and leadership.

To view individual faculty member profiles, visit our faculty page.

Student Senate-sponsored groups offer numerous ways for students to be involved in mission opportunities. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can create a program and recruit volunteers. Austin Seminary's location in the heart of downtown Austin also puts students within easy reach of a wide range of outreach and mission opportunities throughout the city.

Learn more about student groups here.

Austin Seminary offers several ways students can gain the practical skills needed for a ministerial vocation. 

• Our Supervised Practice of Ministry (SPM) program weaves action and reflection into the learning process. In these internship settings, students practice the ministry arts under the supervision of a trained and experienced mentor. Students have three options for fulfilling the SPM requirement:

  • a year-long internship
  • a three-month intensive summer internship
  • serving a ministry setting in the Austin area while enrolled in classes part-time.

• Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) offers students an educational experience in a clinical setting, such as a hospital, mental health institution, or local congregation, conducted under the supervision of a certified clinical pastoral educator.

• Unique to Austin Seminary is The Louis H. and Katherine S. Zbinden Chair of Pastoral Ministry and Leadership. Through this professorship, we invite distinguished and experienced pastors to teach in the broad area of ministry, including church administration, stewardship, worship, preaching, Christian education, pastoral care, and church programming. This attention to the everyday life of the church adds a distinctive strength to a curriculum already focused on building and equipping strong pastors.

At Austin Seminary, students are invited to attend weekly chapel services along with special services throughout the year, including the Triduum, the MLK Commemorative Service, and Ash Wednesday. Students also have the opportunity to participate in a narrative spiritual formation group, as well as spiritual direction groups.

To learn more about these and other opportunities, visit our Spiritual Life page.