Less than three years after he began his ministry in the United States in December 1971, Reverend Moon initiated plans for the establishment of his young church’s first theological seminary. For this purpose, in 1974 the church purchased the campus of St. Joseph’s Normal Institute, a Christian Brothers boarding school located in the Hudson Valley that had recently closed. Dr. David S. C. Kim was appointed to establish the Seminary and lead it as its first president. President Kim assembled a faculty and staff, and on September 20, 1975 UTS welcomed the first class of 56 students, who enrolled in a two year Religious Education Program. In 1980 the Seminary added a three year Divinity Program to better prepare students for ministerial leadership.
UTS is an interfaith seminary that seeks to serve students from the world’s religions as well as students from a wide range of Christian denominational families. It offers four graduate degree programs. UTS also offers certificate and continuing education programs.
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Learn more about the Global Student Satisfaction AwardsA Student Advocacy Council, consisting of student officers, student representatives, and the Vice-President for Academic Affairs supervises student life at the Seminary in order to maintain a cohesive and healthy community. The Student Advocacy Council meets regularly to discuss and deal with issues of concern. The Student Advocacy Council President chairs the meetings. Elections are held each year to elect the officers of the Council.
NEW YORK - The Unification Theological Seminary (UTS) occupies most of the second floor in an eight-story building at 4W43rd Street in Manhattan. Unbeknownst to many, on floors 3-8 in the same building are three dozen other non-profit groups of various sizes and stripes with different purposes and “missions.”
Seminary students have access to both the Barrytown campus library and the Extension center library and its trained staff. In addition, students have limited access to other local libraries throughout Metropolitan New York.
Students are solely responsible for their medical and dental expenses while at UTS. In case of a medical emergency, students at the Barrytown campus can expect to go for treatment to the emergency room at Northern Dutchess Hospital or other area hospitals. Students in New York City can expect to go to the emergency room near where they live. Students with long-term medical issues are encouraged to obtain the services of a local physician.
The Barrytown campus’s athletic facilities include a gymnasium, soccer and baseball fields, tennis courts, and a dojang for martial arts training. The wooded grounds extending to the banks of the Hudson River include nature trails, a pond, a labyrinth, gardens and picnic area, and offer ample opportunities for walks, picnics, fishing, bird-watching, ice-skating and cross country skiing.
Seminary students are encouraged to organize student clubs and activities through which each student can grow in leadership ability and explore non academic areas while developing his/her personal potential. Guest lecturers representing varied interests supplement the scheduled courses. Occasionally the Seminary sponsors cultural affairs programs that bring noted ministers, musicians and writers to the campus. Field trips to museums, churches and religious communities are integral to some courses. Students may participate in Seminary sponsored conferences and conferences offered by other schools.
The Unification Theological Seminary is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education
