DOCTOR OF MINISTRY

The program leading to the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) 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 ministry. The goals of this program are to enable students:

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• 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.

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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.

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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.

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Course 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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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