Program Mission Statement
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) is a professional doctoral degree. The degree differs significantly from the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in that the latter is primarily a research degree with a lesser focus on practical issues in ministry. The D.Min program guides students in seeking understanding not for its own sake, but rather for practical ends. Therefore, the contribution is primarily to the practice of ministry, specifically the role of preaching in ministry. The degree program will be appropriate for students with experience in ministry who desire to hone their preaching skills.
Program Overview
The Doctor of Ministry is a 35-hour degree program delivered through a hybrid approach, involving independent and online study. The D.Min requires:
- three week-long residence seminars on site - the residence seminars also require online class meetings prior to the seminars.
- three event-based seminars – the event based seminars involve attendance and advanced study during a preaching event hosted by Anderson University.
- development and implementation of a significant ministry project and subsequent dissertation. The ministry project and dissertation is considered field-based research in which advanced levels of biblical and practical expertise are applied. The student will be expected to plan, carry out and evaluate the project at a level appropriate for a doctoral degree candidate.
Doctor of Ministry Degree Requirements
- Residency Seminars –15 hrs
- Event Seminars – 9 hrs
- Project Methodology Workshop – 2 hrs
- Ministry Project – 9 hrs
The Doctor of Ministry is a 35-credit hour program that includes onsite, online, and destination components. The on-site portion of the degree consists of three week-long residency seminars and two event seminars. The residency seminars are held during the summer. The first and third seminars will be on the AU campus. The second seminar will be held in another setting in order to draw on resources in that area; for example, the seminar might meet in a city such as Dallas or Atlanta, and utilize ministry resources and leaders in those areas. In all, the student can anticipate spending 17 days in residence over the first three years of the program, plus an additional 9-12 days for the event seminars. The Doctor of Ministry student should anticipate spending approximately four years in pursuit of the degree; the student must complete the program within six years.
Explanation of Each Element:
Three residency seminars (five credit hours per seminar) 15 hours
During the month prior to the residency seminar, the class will meet one day per week (for 60 to 90 minutes each day) in an interactive, online environment. During these online class sessions, the instructor will provide additional focus and content in preparation for the residency seminar. The residency seminar will meet for one week during the summer.
Three event seminars (three credit hours per seminar) 9 hours
The event seminars will be linked to a major preaching-related event sponsored by the College of Christian Studies: the National Conference on Preaching or the annual Preaching Lectureship (scheduled to begin in January 2012). The student will participate in three of these event seminars during the program, and must attend at least one session of each event. The instructor will lead a seminar which includes participation in the event itself, plus additional sessions before and after the event sessions. The topic of the seminar will be linked to the theme of the particular event. (For example, themes might include “Preaching the Cross,” “Missional Preaching,” etc.) The duration of the residency seminar will vary depending on the duration of the event.
Project Methodology Workshop 2 hours
Prior to the third residency seminar, the student will participate in a two-day Project Methodology workshop to assist them in preparation to undertake the ministry project. This workshop will meet at Anderson University and introduce students to research and writing methodology necessary for completing the Ministry Project.
Ministry Project 9 hours
The earning of a professional doctorate signifies the highest level of formal academic achievement in one’s field. The program director will assign a faculty supervisor to work with the student throughout the degree program. In addition, prior to the beginning of the third seminar, the student (with the approval of the faculty supervisor) will enlist a qualified field supervisor to offer guidance and assistance in the ministry project. The program director, faculty supervisor and field supervisor will jointly form the student’s project-dissertation committee. This committee will offer guidance to the student, but should not be considered collaborators or co-authors of the project. During the year following the third residency seminar, the student will plan, implement and evaluate a significant ministry project designed to enhance their understanding and practice of ministry. This will be done in consultation with the student’s project-dissertation committee. Following the completion of the project, the student will prepare and write the dissertation. With the approval of the project-dissertation committee, it may be possible for the student to do the dissertation in an alternate format (such as a book demonstrating the results of the project, a course design, a website, etc.) The final goal of the ministry project is to become a self-directed, self-motivated ministry leader. The project will not only enhance the student’s own ministry skills, but should provide insights that will be useful to other churches and ministers. This process should demand significant personal and professional reflection and analysis.
Time Limits
All program requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree must be completed within six (6) academic years from the time the first course in the D.Min program is begun; any extension of this time must be approved by the Doctor of Ministry admissions committee. If the student does not enroll in the term to which admitted, the student’s admission status is subject to further review at the discretion of the Director of the D.Min. program and/or the admissions committee.
Graduation Requirements
A. The successful completion of 35 hours of course work
B. The fulfillment of all financial obligations
C. The approval of the faculty
For more information regarding financial aid, please call the Financial Aid Planning Office
at 864-231-2020.
