Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership

Overview

The Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership is designed for pastors and ministry staff of churches as well as for those carrying leadership responsibilities in other Christian organizations. For persons in the program, it will develop personal and spiritual well-being for ministry effectiveness and satisfaction; increase capacities for understanding congregations and leading effectively in situations of change; and, provide opportunity for development of understandings and skills in one or more of the major strategic areas of ministry leadership.

Earning the Doctor of Ministry in Church Leadership degree requires completion of 48 semester credits and the completion of the Mid-Career Assessment Process. In addition to the thesis process, concentration courses, and elective courses, all persons in the program will take 18 credits of required courses: Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness; Integral Research and Writing; Thesis Proposal Foundations; and Thesis Proposal Workshop. The remaining work in the program can be spread over a number of ministry areas or may be focused in a concentration.

Degree Requirements

Doctor of Ministry: Self Directed Programs

Doctor of Ministry students are required to complete 7 Class Units (3 credit course plus a 3 credit course project) and a Thesis Project.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Core Requirements
GS 001	Graduate Research Seminar	0
GS 801 & GS 801P	Integral Research & Writing and Integral Research & Writing: Project	6
ML 810 & ML 810P	Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness and Personal Well-Being and Ministry Effectiveness: Project	6
GS 901 & GS 902	Thesis Proposal Foundations and Thesis Proposal Workshop	6
Concentration, Theology, and Elective Courses ^{See Footnote: "Conc. Notes" for more details}
Concentration Course		6
& Concentration Course Project
Concentration Course		6
& Concentration Course Project
Bible/Theology Course		6
& Bible/Theology Course Project
Elective Course (from any concentration)		6
& Elective Course Project
Thesis Project Courses and Requirements ^{See Footnote: "Thesis Notes" for more details}
GS 991	Thesis Project A ^Pass/Fail	3
GS 992	Thesis Project B ^Pass/Fail	3
GS 993	Thesis Project C	3
Oral Defense, Final Editorial Revisions, & Colloquium ¹		0
Mid-Career Assessments
TL 005	Doctor of Ministry Assessments ¹	0
Total Credits ²		48-51

Fees apply.

48 semester credits are required for graduation in the DMIN program for students who have less than 9 doctoral credits transferred into the doctoral program. 51 credits are required for those transferring 9 or more credits into the doctoral program. The student is responsible to meet all graduation deadlines and requirements.

General Notes

If a student fails to complete a project course in a succeeding term of the Content/Intensive course, they will follow the same process as a directed study, subject to fees.
Students must attend the intensive portion of an intensive course to receive a passing grade.

Conc. Notes

These courses are the student’s choice based on course offerings and personal interest. Generalists can take any course within their track to meet the two concentration class unit requirement.
Students are encouraged, but not required, to take at least one fully distance online content course.
Students who transfer less than 9 doctoral credits into the program can waive one 3-credit project course for any concentration, theology, or elective class unit, reducing the total credits needed for the program from 51 to 48. Students transferring 9 or more credits into the D.Min. Program are not eligible for a course project waiver. Students may not waive ML 810P, GS 801P, GS 901, and GS 902.

Thesis Notes

The student must meet all of the thesis deadline submissions and requirements, as listed in the current version of the student manual (section 6).
Students who want to work on their thesis longer than 3 terms, can remain in extension status for up to a total of 6 years in the program
All M.Div. Equivalency courses (if required at admission) must be completed by the student’s oral defense the year of intended graduation. All official transcripts must be sent to the D.Min. office.
Students will be required to register for Thesis Project courses once they complete Thesis Proposal Workshop. They will also be required to register for thesis extension status each term between the time of completion of the three required Thesis Project courses (GS991/2/3 for 9 credits) and their actual thesis completion and graduation.

Seminary

Seminary San Diego

Doctor of Ministry: Missional Effectiveness Cohort Program