Doctor of Ministry

Instructional Format

Each course is structured to include three components which incorporate the theoretical, practical, and collegial aspects of the learning experience:

1. Preliminary reading. Assigned reading that must be completed prior to the classroom experience, fulfilling a requirement of 1,800-2,000 pages of reading for a three-unit course and 2,400-2,500 pages for a four-unit course. The reading provides the theoretical basis for the analysis of practical situations in ministry.
2. Classroom experience. Classroom experience is in concentrated sessions during two-week residency periods held each January and July. The residency periods involve significant interaction with a faculty instructor in a peerlearning, seminar format. The faculty instructor serves as a facilitator of discussion in a collegial atmosphere, using his or her academic and practical experience to bring in-depth analysis, critical thinking, integration, and application to the topic.
3. Grading. Students must achieve a minimum grade of B in order to receive credit for work in a course. If a student receives a grade of C+ or lower in a course, the course may be repeated, and the new grade, if higher, will replace the former grade in the computation of the grade-point average.
4. Course project. An extensive post-classroom project provides an opportunity to synthesize the reading and the classroom discussions and apply them to a ministerial situation. The results of this reflection are then submitted in the form of a paper with a minimum length of 5,000 words (20 pages).

Classes are scheduled two times during the year – January and July.