Program Mission Statement

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) is a professional doctoral degree. The degree differs significantly from the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in that the latter is primarily a research degree with a lesser focus on practical issues in ministry. The D.Min. program guides students in seeking understanding not for its own sake, but rather for practical ends. Therefore, the contribution is primarily to the practice of ministry, specifically the role of preaching in ministry. The degree program will be appropriate for students with experience in ministry who desire to hone their preaching skills.

Program Overview

The Doctor of Ministry is a 35-hour degree program delivered through a hybrid approach, involving independent, seated, and online study. The D.Min. requires:

Three Residency Seminars	9 hrs.
Three Event Seminars	9 hrs.
Four Colloquia	8 hrs.
Project Methodology Workshop	2 hrs.
Ministry Project	7 hrs.
Total Hours	35 hrs.

Residency Seminars (CHR 641-643)

The three residency seminars each require one week of classroom study. Each seminar requires a substantial amount of preparation prior to the seminar. The preparation includes a substantial amount of reading and the completion of written assignments. The three residency seminars are:

CHR 641 - Historical, Theological and Practical Foundations for Biblical Preaching in the 21st Century  

CHR 642 - Creativity, Culture, and Biblical Preaching  

CHR 643 - Issues and Trends in Biblical Preaching  

Event Seminars (CHR 671-673)

The event seminars coincide with a major preaching-related event sponsored by Anderson University’s College of Christian Studies. These events include the annual John A. Broadus Lectures on Preaching (held on the Anderson campus each fall), the National Conference on Preaching (typically held in a major U. S. city in May), and the International Congress on Preaching (held overseas every four years).  D.Min. students will participate in the event and the seminar. A professor from the College of Christian Studies will facilitate the seminar, and it will concentrate on the theme of the event. Students must attend each seminar at least once.  (The International Congress on Preaching will fill the role of the National Conference on Preaching every four years.)

Sermon Colloquia (CHR 601-604)

The Sermon Colloquia will provide DMin students with a semester-long, guided lab for honing their skills in preaching.  The online course will generate peer and instructor evaluation of the student’s sermons.  The evaluations will analyze both content and delivery.  This workshop will help students apply the concepts learned in residency and event seminars to the sermons that they preach in their ministry setting.

Project Methodology Workshop (CHR 690)

This workshop is aimed at preparing students for their Ministry Project. It is a two-day workshop that communicates to students the expectations for the Ministry Project. The workshop provides students with insight into the kind of research and writing that will be required in the Ministry Project.

Ministry Project (CHR 695)

Each student must implement (in action) and evaluate (in writing) a significant ministry project in the field of preaching designed to enhance the student’s understanding and practice of ministry. (See next section for further details).

Sequence

	Summer	Fall	Spring
Year 1	CHR 641	CHR 601  Colloquium CHR 671 *	CHR 602  Colloquium CHR 672 *
Year 2	CHR 642   CHR 690	CHR 603  Colloquium CHR 671 *	CHR 604  Colloquium CHR 672 *
Year 3	CHR 643  (Students should have an approved prospectus prior to the beginning of CHR 643)	CHR 671 *	CHR 672 *
Year 4	NONE	CHR 695  ^	CHR 695  ^
Year 5	If students do not complete the program in four years, they will need to pay additional fees to continue in year 5.

*Students are required to take each event seminar at least once with a total of three event seminars, (CHR 671, 672).

^Credit for CHR 695 will be assigned in the semester when students complete their project.  Until completion of the project students will receive IP - “In Progress”. 

Faculty

Dr. Michael Duduit, Dean of the College of Christian Studies & Professor of Christian Ministry

Dr. Kristopher Barnett, Associate Dean, Clamp Divinity School & Associate Professor of Christian Ministry

Dr. Charles Fuller, Associate Professor of Christian Studies

Dr. James Noble, Assistant Professor of Pastoral Ministry

Dr. Ben Brammer, Assistant Professor of Christian Studies

Admission

Anderson University accepts students on the basis of academic qualification, character and evidence of the potential to benefit from the university experience. Each applicant’s record will be examined for evidence reflecting potential for intellectual and social growth, strength of character, and seriousness of purpose. The University considers all qualified applications without regard to race, place of national origin, sex, disability, or ethnic group. Admission will be on a competitive basis, with the best qualified students receiving priority.

Applicants are required to provide the pertinent admission information in order to be considered for admission into the D. Min. program. The D. Min. Admission Committee will make final decisions regarding the acceptance of applicants. In some cases, the committee may ask for further information or a personal interview prior to a decision regarding admission into the program. All applicants are required to pay a $40 non-refundable application fee.

Applicants for admission into the D. Min. program at Anderson University must meet the following academic prerequisites:

A. Academic Prerequisites

1. A Master of Ministry or Master of Divinity degree (or equivalent).
2. A minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale. Applicants with a GPA slightly below the minimum requirement may be admitted on a probationary status.
3. Three hours of preaching at the graduate level.
4. Official transcripts from all baccalaureate and graduate degrees.
5. An academic recommendation. The recommendation should be from a former professor or someone who can vouch for the applicant’s academic ability.

B. Professional Prerequisites

1. A minimum three years of experience in a ministry vocation.Students applying for the D. Min. in Biblical Preaching should be serving in a ministry position that offers consistent preaching opportunities.
2. A video (DVD, Vimeo, YouTube, etc.) or audio sermon that displays the applicant’s approach to biblical preaching.
3. A professional recommendation from someone that can speak specifically about the applicant’s abilities as a minister.

C. Personal Prerequisites

1. An essay explaining the reason for your application and the potential impact of the D.Min. degree on your ministry. The purpose of the essay is to establish the applicant’s motivation for pursuing the degree and the applicant’s professional goals.
2. A five-hundred-word essay that explores the following question:  What role does preaching play in the life of the pastor today?
3. A personal recommendation.
4. If one of the previous recommendations provided is not from the applicant’s pastor, there must be a recommendation of the applicant on behalf of the church in which the applicant is a member.

Transfer hours

A student can transfer up to nine hours into the DMin program.  The Dean and Associate Dean will determine transferability of hours based on equivalence to courses required in the D.Min. program.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Tuition

Tuition for the Doctor of Ministry is $12,480. Students pay $480 per credit hour for the first 26 hours they complete in the program.  After the student completes 26 hours, additional courses are not billed, unless the student exceeds the time limit on their project.

Students can register for the project seminar for four consecutive semesters before they incur additional fees. Beginning with the fifth semester, students will pay $600 per semester to continue in the program. 

Textbooks, lodging, food, travel, and graduation costs are not included in the tuition fees.

All fees are subject to change. Any subsequent changes will be announced separately. Application fee is waived for Anderson University graduates.

Graduate School Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office is committed to helping students find appropriate ways to finance their education.  Students can receive private loans to help pay for the cost of the program.  The Financial Aid Office can provide instructions for receiving these loans.

The University does not currently provide institutional scholarships for graduate students. A variety of private scholarships are available for students preparing for ministry, and D.Min. students are encouraged to apply for such aid.

For more information regarding financial aid, please call the Financial Aid Planning Office at 864-231-2020.

 

For Academic Policies, Current Academic Calendar, and Information on the Ministry Project see the DMin Handbook.