The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min) degree provides three years of applied academic preparation beyond the Master of Divinity degree--further equipping individuals for Christian leadership in pastoral and educational responsibilities. The program stresses integration of biblical, historical, theological, and ministry studies, and it relates them to the practice of ministry. 

As a graduate of the Doctor of Ministry program, you will be able to:

• Minister with an increased understanding of your personal calling and giftedness in ministerial leadership. In doing this, you will demonstrate of a level of self-awareness about your spiritual growth and personal development.
• Approach ministry practices with a better understanding of the nature of the congregational context. This will require you to acquire an explicit theory of the congregation as an authentic and viable expression of Church and clarity about the congregation’s purpose and mission.
• Understand the function of ministerial leadership related to your calling and position in the congregational setting. This will require you to assess the effectiveness of your practice of leadership as a critical dimension of the practice of ministry.

Doctor of Ministry: Program Details

The three-year program requires each student to be engaged in ministry while completing the degree. During the first two years, the student must devote two three-week terms, in August and January, to required core D.Min seminars on campus in Richmond, Virginia. Fall and spring terms in the first two years include elective work. Students may take additional electives either in the winter terms of the first and second years or in the summer of the third year in order to meet the total requirement of six credits in elective/concentration work. 

The third year is devoted to the D.Min project. In the summer term, each student refines project plans, and he/she implements the project the following fall. Each student develops a written project report during the winter term and then submits and defends the project in the spring. 

As a D.Min student, you may vary the program according to your individual needs; however, the four core seminars and the project must be taken in the sequence and at the times indicated. No more than two elective credits may be transferred into the twelve-credit program. Work must be completed within a maximum of six years.

More about the D.Min Application Process

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For additional information about the Doctor of Ministry program, please contact:

Dr. Dan Bagby Theodore F. Adams Professor of Pastoral Care Director, Doctor of Ministry Program 804.204.1204
Tiffany Kellogg Pittman Director of Admissions 804.204.1208 888.345.2877