What distinguishes the Semiotics and Future Studies DMin degree from academic doctorates such as the PhD, ThD, and STD is 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 ministry experience.

• Doctor of Ministry admissions requirements
• Doctor of Ministry Equivalency Evaluation
• Transfer of credit
• International students

Doctor of Ministry Admissions Requirements

Admission to George Fox Evangelical Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program is based on the following criteria...

1. Possession of the MDiv degree or its educational equivalent from an accredited institution:
   • Applicants not holding the MDiv and requiring 18 hours of leveling work or less may be admitted into the program.
   • Applicants with greater than 18 hours will not be permitted to enter the DMin program until he or she has reduced the remaining amount of required leveling work to 18 semester hours or less.
2. Possession of a competitive grade point average as reflected in one’s transcripts.
3. Documentation of full-time participation in ministry for at least three years after the completion of the MDiv degree.
4. Possession of writing skills sufficient to excel in an ATS-accredited DMin program.

   As a part of the application process, applicants will submit a series of short essays. The essays are evaluated on the basis of form (demonstrating a basic grasp of the mechanics of good writing) and content (demonstrating the ability to engage in critical thinking).

5. Possession of appropriate computer equipment and skills.

   Applicants must own or have access to an up-to-date laptop, three years old or newer, with appropriate software and Internet connectivity. Applicants must be proficient in their use of MS Word. Additionally, they must be capable of performing basic Internet tasks such as sending and receiving e-mails with attachments, using social media services like Facebook, and conducting queries with search engines like Google™. They must also be able to type at least 30 words per minute with minimal errors. See the technical requirements page for hardware and software requirement details.

6. English as a second language.

   If English is a second language for the applicant, he or she must also demonstrate proficiency in the English language.

   International Applicants: Learn more

Doctor of Ministry Equivalency Evaluation

1. ATS admissions standards:

   As a degree program approved by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), George Fox Evangelical Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry program supports ATS admission standards. ATS standard F.4.1.1 states: “Admission to the DMin program requires the possession of a Board-approved MDiv degree or its educational equivalent. Ministerial experience is not considered the equivalent of or a substitute for the MDiv degree.”

2. The “MDiv Equivalency Evaluation”:

   When one applies to George Fox Evangelical Seminary's DMin program with a master’s degree other than the MDiv degree, the program director, or a member of the DMin program’s administrative staff, performs an “MDiv equivalency evaluation” to assess the degree to which the applicant’s educational background meets the “educational equivalent” of the MDiv degree. If it is determined that the applicant’s educational background does not meet MDiv equivalency, a list of suggested “leveling courses” will be provided as a pathway to gain equivalency. The meeting of MDiv equivalency does not result in the conferral of the MDiv degree. Its sole purpose is to qualify the applicant for admission to the DMin program.

   • Students with less than 18 semester hours of leveling work: Non-MDiv holding applicants may begin their studies in the DMin program if they have 18 semester hours of required leveling work or less. Students with leveling work to be completed are admitted to the DMin program with “provisional status,” which remains in place until all leveling work is completed. All "leveling courses" must be completed in order to graduate.
   • Students with 19-30 semester hours of leveling work: Applicants with 19 to 30 hours of leveling work may proceed with the application process, but they will not be permitted to begin the program until they have reduced the balance of required leveling work to 18 semester hours or less.
   • Students with more than 30 semester hours of leveling work: If the applicant needs more than 30 semester hours of leveling work to achieve MDiv equivalency, he or she is ordinarily considered ineligible for the DMin program. Accordingly, no such list is provided.
   
   
3. Standards for completing leveling work:

   Students may complete required leveling either by taking the specific courses stipulated in the “MDiv equivalency evaluation”, which are offered by George Fox Evangelical Seminary, or by taking comparable courses offered other by ATS-accredited institutions. Students living at a distance may seek to satisfy required leveling work in the form of independent studies under the guidance of resident faculty members of George Fox Evangelical Seminary. Students who wish to complete required leveling work through another institution must obtain approval from the DMin program director prior to registering for the courses in question.

   Records of all leveling work are maintained by the DMin office. All non-George-Fox leveling work will be credited toward MDiv equivalency when the DMin office receives the institution’s official transcript (unofficial copies will not be accepted). All transcripts must be mailed to:

   DMin Office, George Fox Evangelical Seminary
   12753 SW 68th Avenue
   Portland, OR 97223

4. Audits of leveling work:

   The DMin Office conducts regular audits of non-MDiv holding students. It will notify students in writing of outstanding leveling work once the student is eligible for candidacy. Students must complete all leveling work in order to graduate.

Transfer of credit

Due to the nature of the program, there is no transfer of credit for the DMin degree from other graduate programs or any other seminary, college, or university.