Doctor of Ministry Academic Calendar 2015-2016

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 699)

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 DMin Handbook 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 699 ^ CHR 671 *	CHR 699 ^ CHR 672 *
Year 4	NONE	CHR 699 ^	CHR 699 ^
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 699 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

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, religious creed, 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 $25 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 of 42 graduate hours.
3. 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.
4. Three hours of preaching at the graduate level.
5. Official transcripts from all baccalaureate and graduate degrees.
6. 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 with preaching responsibilities.
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 $12,000. Students pay $500 upon enrolling in the program, and an additional $1,000 prior to attending their first seminar. The remainder of the program fee is paid through a 36-month interest-free payment plan. (There is a modest fee to establish the payment plan.) Students must remain current with their payments in order to enroll in their next seminar.  Textbooks, lodging, food, travel, and graduation costs are not included in the tuition fee.

Should a student need to extend their program beyond the normal four-year period, an extension fee of $150 per month will be required (up to a maximum of $1,800 per year), to cover the cost of ongoing supervision and other expenses.

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.

Doctor of Ministry Academic Calendar 2016-2017

Residency Seminars	July 25-29, 2016
Methodology Seminar	July 29-30, 2016
Colloquium CHR 601	August-December 2016
Event Seminar - John A. Broadus Lectures	October 18-21, 2016
Colloquium CHR 602	January-May 2017
Residency Seminars	May 22-26, 2017
Methodology Seminar	May 26-27, 2017
Event Seminar - International Congress on Preaching (Cambridge, England)	August 7-11, 2017

 

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