Doctor of Ministry
The program leading to the Doctor
of Ministry is designed to equip those actively
involved in a vocational ministry with a higher level of competence
in the practice of a Biblically and theologically oriented
ministry. This program concentrates on developing expertise
in the theory and practice of ministry. The D.Min. is the
highest professional degree for those engaged in local ministries.
The goals of this program are to enable students:
To become aware of new trends and literature in their vocation.
To be challenged and encouraged through dialogue with fellow
professionals.
To acquire a doctoral degree which is practically rather
than academically oriented.
To enhance their ability to communicate the Gospel.
To meet the needs of their constituents in a more effective
manner.
Admission
The D. Min. applicant must hold the Master of Divinity or
an equivalent degree from a recognized seminary or school
of theology, and have an overall grade point average of 3.0
on a 4.0 scale. Applicants also must have a working knowledge
of the original languages of the Bible. Applicants with the
Master of Arts degree are required to make up deficiencies
in basic requirements for the Master of Divinity. This may
be done at California Graduate School of Theology prior to
admission to the D.Min. program.
The D. Min. applicant must have at least two full years of
full-time involvement in a significant professional Christian
ministry. The applicant must give evidence of growth and competence
in ministerial skills or leadership and must presently be
involved in an ongoing ministry. The applicant must supply
the requisite written admission materials and must have a
personal interview with a member of the faculty or administration.
Degree requirements
A candidate for the D.Min. must have completed a total of
48 units of academic credit, of which 39 are composed of coursework,
and 9, of a dissertation. A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on
a 4.0 scale is required.
A maximum of 21 semester units of comparable work may be
transferred toward the D.Min. degree from recognized graduate
theological schools. In addition, students may petition to
substitute some electives for required courses if they have
previously taken and passed courses of the same content elsewhere.
A maximum of 3 units of independent study are allowed per
semester, with the total for the degree not to exceed 9 units.
Completion of the minimum requirements does not automatically
qualify the student for the D.Min. degree. He or she must
have shown evidence, to the satisfaction of the Degree Committee,
of consistent Christian character, effectiveness in Christian
ministry, and commitment to the primacy of the divinely authoritative
inerrant Scriptures, which are interpreted with in the framework
of evangelical theology.
Dissertation
Nine units of a dissertation, maximum 60,000 words, on a
topic selected in consultation with the student's academic
advisor, must be completed and approved by one internal and
one external examiner. The criteria of acceptability for this
dissertation are, in order of weight, (1) significant research
in and contribution to the field of study, (2) in-depth knowledge
of the area of research, and (3) clear, concise presentation
according to proper grammar, style, and academic format. A
previously written work, or one which has already been awarded
academic credit, will not be accepted. After the completion
of all course work, student has one year to submit a dissertation
without a continuation fee.
A maximum of three years is the time normally allowed for
writing a dissertation following the completion of all course
work. If it is not completed within that time, the student
must file an application in the Registrar's office for an
extension, and may be required to complete additional coursework.
