(DMin degree)
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree is the highest professional degree for those in parish or related ministries. It is designed for educated, experienced practitioners who desire to stimulate renewal in themselves and in their ministries through the integration of their experience with advanced training, research, and reflection. The DMin is distinctive from academic doctorates such as the PhD, ThD, and STD in that its primary focus is on the practice of ministry. The DMin is also distinctive from other professional degrees such as the EdD and the PsyD in that it builds on the three-year master of divinity (MDiv) and at least three years of post-MDiv ministry experience.
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Leadership in the Emerging Culture program explores the character and shape of effective Christian leadership in the emerging culture.
The delivery system of the Doctor of Ministry in Leadership in the Emerging Culture (DMin LEC) includes participation in several seminars and conferences around the country and abroad; personal mentoring by both the lead mentor and select faculty advisors; online interactivity with cohort members and professors; three "advance" face-to face experiences; as well as reading, reflection, research, and writing.
Students select one of two available tracks in the program:
To enable students to:
To enable students to:
Applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Ministry program must hold an ATS-accredited MDiv degree or meet the seminary's MDiv-equivalency requirements†, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:
†Equivalency Procedures
An applicant who holds a master's degree but does not hold the MDiv degree from an ATS-accredited seminary may qualify for admission to the DMin program by meeting the requirements for MDiv equivalency.
The 84-semester-hour MDiv program at the seminary, as outlined below, serves as a guide for assessing equivalency:
| Biblical Studies | 21 |
| Christian History and Thought | 18 |
| Spiritual Formation and Discipleship | 6 |
| Pastoral Studies | 27 |
| Concentration requirements or electives | 12 |
Upon submission of official transcripts from all prior graduate work, the DMin program director will assess the coursework correspondence to the MDiv at the seminary and make recommendations to the DMin Committee concerning the applicant's equivalency status. Applicants needing extra graduate-level course work to attain equivalency status may be admitted to the program with the stipulation that the appropriate course work be completed before enrollment in Module Three of the program. This course work must be taken from an ATS-accredited seminary. Course grade points must average a minimum of 3.0.
No transfer credit is allowed toward the Doctor of Ministry program. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.
All 36 hours required for the Doctor of Ministry program must be completed through George Fox University. All work leading to the DMin must be completed within six years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires approval of the DMin Committee. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Program extension requests must be received prior to the conclusion of the sixth year, citing extenuating circumstances and specifying an expected date of completion. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.
The Doctor of Ministry program is generally three years in length with 36 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. A maximum of 16 semester hours of course work may be completed during one calendar year, requiring a minimum of two years for the completion of the course work. All coursework must be completed within six sequential semesters, starting with the fall semester of year one and ending with the summer semester of year two. Students must attend conferences and seminars conducted by teaching churches and other entities (such as educational institutions, parachurch organizations, and missionary societies) within this timeframe. The dissertation may be completed in the third year. Of the total hours required for the degree, 28 are in prescribed Leadership in the Emerging Culture courses, 4 in research, and 4 dissertation hours.
In addition to coursework, students in the DMin LEC program must complete two learning plans, attend two conferences or seminars per year, and attend summer advances in years one and two. Students are also required to have at least one cross-cultural experience, either in the form of attending a conference or seminar abroad or by attending an event hosted by a group of another cultural or ethnic tradition.
Conference Attendance
Students select specific conferences in light of their educational and vocational goals and in consultation with their faculty advisors. Students then draft a learning plan for each semester that customizes assignments around their experiences and maximizes the realization of their educational goals. The lead mentor and faculty advisor oversees the process and engages students both individually and collectively through asynchronous discussion postings, e-mails, and weekly synchronous group meetings via the course website.
The amount of collateral work beyond attendance at conferences and seminars is governed by several factors:
Students are responsible for all costs associated with transportation, conference registrations, conference housing, books, and technology support.
Leave of Absence
Because of the cohort model used for this DMin program, students must maintain full attendance throughout each module experience. However, a student in good standing who must interrupt his or her studies for compelling reasons may petition the DMin Committee for a leave of absence of not more than two years. Students who discontinue enrollment without an official leave of absence will be withdrawn and required to apply for readmission.
Candidacy
Students are eligible for admission to candidacy upon completion of all coursework (32 semester hours). To qualify as a doctoral candidate, each student must:
When these steps have been completed, the DMin program director will present a report and recommendation to the resident DMin faculty for consideration of the student's qualifications for candidacy. Students advanced to candidacy continue in the program. Students not advanced to candidacy are given specific guidelines for reevaluation. The doctor of ministry office will notify students of their status following the second year of the program.
Dissertation
To complete the DMin program, a dissertation is required. Between the first and second year of the DMin LEC program, students are paired with a Dissertation Advisor who will guide them in the process of research, development, and completion of the dissertation. The dissertation involves research and writing at both the theoretical and practical levels and serves to evaluate the student's competency in a specialized area of ministry related to his or her personal experience and interest. By engaging in the research courses and through the support of a Dissertation Advisor, each student receives guidance in choosing a research topic and preparing a proposal for the dissertation. As a prerequisite to candidacy, the student's proposal is submitted to the DMin Committee for approval. When the dissertation is complete, the candidate submits the dissertation to two advisors: the Dissertation Advisor and a Secondary Advisor selected by the DMin Committee. As part of the evaluation, the candidate must give an oral defense of the dissertation before the advisors.
Track 2 Dissertation (Optional)
As an optional alternative to the traditional (written) dissertation, students in the DMin LEC program may produce a Track 2 Dissertation, which is composed of two parts: a Track 2 Artifact and a Written Statement. The Written Statement explicates the theoretical underpinnings of the Dissertation. The Track 2 Artifact incarnates a practical, real-world solution to the stated ministry problem utilizing one or more of the following media forms: audio, video, web, print. When completed, the candidates submits the Track 02 Dissertation, which includes both the Written Statement and Track 2 Artifact, to the Dissertation, Secondary, and when necessary, Expert Advisors. As part of the evaluation, the candidate must give an oral defense of the dissertation before the advisors.
In order to graduate with the doctor of ministry degree students must:
Leadership in the Emerging Culture Courses (28 hours) |
|
| DMIN 516 Contours of Leadership in Emerging Culture | 3 |
| DMIN 517 Engaging Leadership Concepts | 2 |
| DMIN 526 Vision and Voice in Postmodern Culture | 3 |
| DMIN 527 Developing Leadership Strategies | 3 |
| DMIN 528 Spirituality and Leadership | 3 |
| DMIN 536 Leadership in Cross-Cultural Perspective | 3 |
| DMIN 537 Thinking Globally and Leading Locally | 2 |
| DMIN 546 Theology and Practice of Leadership in the Emerging Culture | 3 |
| DMIN 547 Distilling a Dream for Leadership in the Emerging Culture | 3 |
| DMIN 548 Spiritual Leadership in Christian Community | 3 |
Research Courses (4 hours) |
|
| DMIN 513 Introduction to Research and Resources | 1 |
| DMIN 523 Research Topic/Literature Review | 1 |
| DMIN 533 Designing a Research Model | 1 |
| DMIN 543 Writing the Dissertation | 1 |
Dissertation (4 hours) |
|
| DMIN 550 Dissertation | 4 |
| DMIN 555 Dissertation Continuation (continuation as needed‡) | 1 |
‡Students must maintain continuous enrollment in the dissertation continuation until completion. DMIN 555 is required for students who do not finish their dissertation research within the minimum 4 hours. DMIN 555 is repeatable each fall and spring semester until the dissertation is finished.
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