The Doctor of Ministry in
Church Leadership is an advanced professional degree offered
by Chapman Seminary to develop the leadership potential and the
ministerial skills of practicing ministers of the General Baptist
and other denominations. The program is designed to advance the
general practice of the ministry in Church Leadership.
The Doctor of Ministry is the highest
professional degree for those engaged in pastoral and staff ministry
of churches as well as those carrying leadership responsibilities
in other Christian organizations. It is distinguished from other
doctoral degrees such as the Th.D., S.T.D., and Ph.D. in that its
primary emphasis is on the practice of ministry in the local church
and Christian organizations.
Steps for Admission:
While the following steps may vary and require a different amount of time
for each person to complete, each step must be observed before a
student can be admitted to the D.Min. program. The steps include:
1. An application for admission into
the Doctor of Ministry degree program must be submitted. The application
includes a request for a letter of recommendation from a graduate
professor and an official transcript from the previous graduate
level work.
2. A typed autobiographical essay describing the student's personal
educational history, ministrial experience, and reason for seeking
a Doctor of Ministry degree must be submitted with the application.
3. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Miller Analogies
Test (MAT) must be completed. Dates and locations for these tests
can be secured through the office of the Coordinator of the D.Min.
program.
4. All students for whom English is a second language are required
to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
5. A letter of endorsement for your involvement in this program
from the congregation and/or board of the institution in which you
are affilliated.
6. A formal interview with the Coordinator of the Doctor of Ministry
program and one additional graduate faculty member is required.
The student is responsibnle for contracting this interview through
the Coordinator of the Doctor of Ministry program. The interview
will take place after the student has completed the required axaminations
and submitted the required essay.
Duration of the program:
The Doctor of Ministry degree will normally
be completed in three years with a maximum of six years allowed.
(Additional course work required of a student received under conditional
admission is not included in this six year period.) In cases where
students need additional time to conplete this program an extension
may be requested. This request must be typed and specify the rationale
for the delay and a projected timetable for completion of the program.
Although students may be granted a temporary withdrawal from the
D.Min. program, students are required to complete the degree within
six years of the commencement of their first course work.
Structure of the Doctor of
Ministry program:
The Doctor of Ministry degree consists of four major areas
of study: core course work, concentration course work, field work,
and the implementation and research of a ministry project. Graduation
requirements of the Doctor of Ministry degree include the successful
completion of thirty-six semester hours. Three hours of credit are
granted for each course taken in the four core courses, four concentration
courses, two field work courses, and two research writing courses
for the ministry project.
