Doctor of Ministry

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An holder of the DMin in his gown reads during a hooding ceremony for new DMin graduates. Dr. Clifford Berger read for the DMin (13940695628).jpg
An holder of the DMin in his gown reads during a hooding ceremony for new DMin graduates.

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is a doctorate in religious ministry. It often includes an original research component, and may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in ministry. It is categorized as an advanced doctoral degree that prepares for religious leadership, teaching, and pastoral scholarship. [1] The Doctor of Ministry is primarily concerned with the "acquisition of knowledge and research skills, to further advance or enhance professional practice" [2]

Contents

Doctor of Ministry by Country

United States and Canada

ATS accreditation standards requires matriculants to have a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or its equivalent [3] and no fewer than three years of full-time ministry experience, [3] and candidates to complete at least one year of coursework before the doctoral dissertation or research project. [3] The degree requires a minimum of 30 semester credits. [1] Normally, the degree requires between three and six years to complete. [3] The degree's purpose is to "enhance the practice of ministry for persons who hold the MDiv or its educational equivalent and who have engaged in substantial ministerial leadership." [3]

135 ATS accredited schools offer the degree. [4] Doctor of Ministry concentrations vary by institution and include biblical studies, applied theology, evangelism, pastoral counseling or the psychology of religion, homiletics, spiritual formation, ethics, church growth, church leadership, apologetics [5] and Bible translation.

Australia

Under the Australian University of Theology standards, the D.Min. degree is within the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF level 10) doctoral award, which is equivalent to a Ph.D. or Th.D. [6] which enables graduates to "have systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and/or for professional practice." [7] The degree consists of a coursework component (96 credit points) and a research component (192 credit points). Applicants to the degree program must be able to demonstrate a minimum of 5 years of significant contribution in their ministry context since completion of their first degree. [8]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Standards of Accreditation for The Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools (PDF). June 2020. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2025.
  2. ↑ Smith, Nancy-Jane (2009). Achieving Your Professional Doctorate: A Handbook. New York: McGraw Hill. p. 6. ISBN   978-0-335-22721-1.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools. "Degree Program Standards: Doctor of Ministry". Standards of Accreditation (PDF). Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada. pp. 124–126. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-11-19. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
  4. ↑ Tanner, Tom (February 2020). "New data to consider on duration of Doctor of Ministry degree" (PDF). Colloquy Online. The Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting.
  5. ↑ "DMin Concentrations". Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Retrieved 17 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "Doctor of Ministry". Australian University of Theology. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  7. ↑ "AQF levels". Australian Qualifications Framework. 2015-02-06. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
  8. ↑ "Doctor of Ministry". Australian University of Theology. Retrieved 2025-06-23.
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