Doctor of Ministry
Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) at Vision International UniversityThe Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree program is specifically designed to provide a higher level of pastoral competence and integration of theological principles with practical ministry than typically achieved through an M.Div. degree. This advanced program addresses the continuing educational needs of practicing ministers by renewing their faith, enhancing their professional skills, and deepening their theological understandings.
Program Goals:Upon completion of the Doctor of Ministry program, graduates will be able to:
- Engage in continuous ministerial education that rejuvenates their personal and professional lives.
- Renew their commitment to faith and spiritual growth.
- Enhance their professional competencies in various aspects of ministry.
- Stimulate ongoing development in biblical and theological knowledge to support effective ministry practices.
- Candidates must have completed at least 15 graduate credit hours in Biblical Studies or Theology before admission.
The Doctor of Ministry program consists of 45 credit hours, which includes 35 credit hours of coursework and a 10 credit hour doctoral project. The coursework is designed to refine ministerial skills and deepen theological understanding while participants continue to engage in their current ministry settings.
Core Courses:Students will complete seven core courses (5 credit hours each), involving extensive research and a 20-page paper on each topic. The course selection can be tailored to the student’s interests unless adjustments are needed based on previous academic performance. Upon completing the core courses, students advance to candidacy for the doctoral project. Core courses include:
- Leadership in Pastoral Care
- Church Growth and Leadership
- Cross-Cultural Perspectives in Pastoral Leadership
- Counseling, Family Life, and Pastoral Leadership
- The Media, Leadership and the Church
- Spiritual Development of the Pastor, Church and Community
- Ethics and the Church Today
- Conflict Management and Resolution in Church Life
- Contemporary Theology and Evangelical Belief, among others.
- Human Behavior:
- Focuses on integrating psychological theories with pastoral counseling and addresses clinical applications, psychopathology, psychotherapy, and personal integration of psychology and theology.
- Education and Leadership:
- Prepares students for leadership roles in educational settings, covering conflict resolution, human behavior management, learning psychology, and educational philosophy.
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) degree program is designed to equip the student for a higher level of competence in the practice of ministry than that achieved in the foundational work normally resulting in an M.Div. degree. The Doctor of Ministry degree program is designed to serve the need of ministers for an experience of continuing education which renews the personal life of faith, further develops professional competence, and stimulates continued growth in biblical and theological foundations for ministry.
Program Goals
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Serve the need of ministers for an experience of continuing education.
- Renews the personal life of faith
- Develop professional competence
- Stimulates continued growth in biblical and theological foundations for ministry
Prerequisite
The Doctor of Ministry requires a prerequisite 15 graduate credit hours in Biblical Studies or Theology.
Nature of the Program
The program of studies leading to the Doctor of Ministry degree is a 45-credit (consisting of 35 credit hours in coursework and 10 credit hours for the doctoral project) program of study beyond the Master’s designed for men and women who are engaged in pastoral and related ministries. The candidates are challenged to develop their ministerial skills and to refine and articulate a biblical theology of ministry while in a setting of ministry.
Core Courses
The student will complete the following seven courses, each of which constitute five semester credit hours. A 20-page paper is to be written on each topic. The choice is the student’s, unless the committee determines a weakness in the students’ prior academic background. Upon completion of the core topics the student will be advanced to candidacy. Completion of each core topic earns 5 credit hours. Course descriptions are provided to the student in a separate document as requested. The student has the option to choose seven core courses OR choose one emphasis.