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Doctoral Program

Students in the Doctor of Ministry degree choose one of two concentrations: the Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministry or the Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling.

The Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministry is an advanced professional degree that immerses the minister in scholarship, focused faith formation, and the development of educational strategies needed to sustain a commitment to ministry as life-long learning. This concentration is multi-curricular and empowers candidates to employ appropriate goal setting, biblical and theological engagement, and research capacities to lead in multiple ministry disciplines in service to the church and the Kingdom of God.

The Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling is designed for persons who seek professional ministry preparation in the area of Pastoral Care and Counseling. It also focuses on the setting of goals as well as biblical and theological engagement, but specifically in the area of pastoral care. The concentration is designed not only for persons in specialized settings, but also for those who wish to enhance pastoral care in parish ministry.

The Doctor of Ministry degree is an advanced professional degree designed to equip persons who are committed to Christian ministry to fulfill their calling at the highest level of excellence in the practice of ministry. The program of study requires a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited theological institution and sufficient experiences in ministry to ensure a level of maturity appropriate to engage the intensity of the program design. The degree program identifies reflective thinking, or, more specifically, the ability to think theologically, as the primary skill essential to effective ministry. All aspects of the program build from that assumption. The degree program attempts to address ministry issues developing naturally from the global community which is the context for the 21st century church. Both by academic design and supervision elements, the degree intends to reflect the interactive, laity-involved, team-oriented nature of ministry required to address the needs of the 21st-century church.

Program Objectives

The DMin degree seeks to enhance the capacity of the minister to engage in theological reflection in the real world in the service of the church and in the context of vocational ministry. Given the diversity of ministry interests, candidates engage their courses of study with the following program objectives in mind:

  1. understand ministry as a commitment to life-long learning, and to develop appropriate educational strategies within the ministry setting to realize that commitment;
  2. develop an appropriate biblical hermeneutic which incorporates both Old and New Testament studies and fosters meaningful biblical and theological reflection;
  3. develop an understanding of the church, and his/her role in it, within a global context, and the capacity to reflect theologically on the implications of that global context for the nature and ministry of the church; and
  4. demonstrate the ability to reflect upon the nature of one’s ministry by conceptualizing and executing an original project in ministry, reflecting theologically on that project, and defending the project to a committee of faculty and other ministry professionals.

Student Learning Outcomes

A student completing the Doctor of Ministry will:

  1. Demonstrate life-long learning skills;
  2. Demonstrate appropriate biblical and exegetical skills;
  3. Develop an appreciation for the global context of ministry; and
  4. Design, implement, write, and assess an original ministry project.

Administration of the Program

The DMin program operates under the guidance and administration of the Dean of the School of Divinity. Enforcement of all academic policies is at the discretion of the Dean in consultation with the Associate Dean and the Director of the DMin program. Instructional personnel, both adjunctive and residential, are appointed by the Dean to whom they are directly responsible.

Director of the Program

The Director of the DMin program is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the program, and the DMin office is the primary communication portal for current candidates and prospective candidates.