Doctor of Ministry


The Doctor of Ministry is a doctorate in religious ministry. It includes an original research component, and may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in ministry. It is categorized as an advanced doctoral degree that prepares for religious leadership, teaching, and pastoral scholarship. The Doctor of Ministry is primarily concerned with the "acquisition of knowledge and research skills, to further advance or enhance professional practice"

Doctor of Ministry by Country

United States and Canada

accreditation standards requires matriculants to have a Master of Divinity or its equivalent and no fewer than three years of full-time ministry experience, and candidates to complete at least one year of coursework before the doctoral dissertation or research project. The degree requires a minimum of 30 semester credits. Normally, the degree requires between three and six years to complete. The degree's purpose is to "enhance the practice of ministry for persons who hold the MDiv or its educational equivalent and who have engaged in substantial ministerial leadership."
135 ATS accredited schools offer the degree. Doctor of Ministry concentrations vary by institution and include biblical studies, practical theology, evangelism, pastoral counseling or the psychology of religion, homiletics, spiritual formation, ethics, church growth, church leadership, apologetics and Bible translation.

Australia

Under the Australian University of Theology standards, the D.Min. degree is within the Australian Qualifications Framework doctoral award, which is equivalent to a Ph.D. or Th.D. which enables graduates to "have systematic and critical understanding of a complex field of learning and specialised research skills for the advancement of learning and/or for professional practice." The degree consists of a coursework component and a research component. Applicants to the degree program must be able to demonstrate a minimum of 5 years of significant contribution in their ministry context since completion of their first degree.