Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies

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The AGTS Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies (DAIS) program serves missions leaders by:

Enhancing missionary practice and resources
Preparing participants to teach missiology at any level
Building foundations for training missionaries overseas
Equipping leaders for compassion ministries

The DAIS recognizes the priority of the Holy Spirit’s person and power in accomplishing the mission of God (Missio Dei) and creates an environment in which students can experience the kind of learning that connects them more deeply to the Spirit’s work in mission and allows them to focus their program on specific application of their learning in the field.

The AGTS Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies consists of 48 credits earned in 11 courses and a 1 course professional project, and is built around several components:

Pentecostal perspective: Distinctive emphasis on Spirit-empowered mission in a global context.
Lifestyle fit: Relocating to Springfield is not necessary; in fact, the DAIS requires only five visits to AGTS over the course of the program.
Course convenience: Hybrid semester-long courses with one-week residency periods that are scheduled back-to-back so students can attend two course residency periods on one airfare.
Cohort experience: Learning and growth occur through the bonds formed with other career missionaries in a diverse small group setting.
Contextualized study: Area studies, special study with an approved educational provider and/or tutelage offer field-based training.

Program Goals

The Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies program will provide students with:

a deepening biblical and theological understanding of Missio Dei and the kingdom of God;
a distinctively Pentecostal theology of intercultural ministry;
an understanding of the historical development of the Christian movement and the participant’s role in the contemporary world;
the ability to discern the Holy Spirit’s direction in the fulfillment of the mission of God in diverse cultural settings and to contextualize effective expressions of the Gospel;
an emphasis on the priorities of evangelism, church planting, leadership formation, and compassion ministries;
a continuing commitment to personal spiritual formation and growth as a member of God’s missionary people;
a working knowledge of the close relationship between the local church and missions; and
a scholarly contribution to the understanding and practice of intercultural ministry through the completion of a DAIS major applied project that integrates theoretical and empirical disciplines important to a specific ministry.

Program Design

Following a sequence of core classes, the DAIS offers tracks in Missiological Studies (MS) and Christian Relief and Development (RD), in addition to elective courses, and culminates in the writing of a professional project.

Participants earn their 48 credits in:

5 Core courses
3 Track courses (Missiological Studies or Christian Relief and Development)
3 Elective courses
Project

All courses consist of three components:

Pre-residential assignments that begin at the start of the semester. They differ from course to course, but generally include reading assignments, processing audio-visual or online resources, and/or engaging the student in online dialogues with his/ her colleagues.
An on-site residential session presented by the professor of record for the subject that allows the student to engage in academic dialogue with the professor during class hours and presents the student with the opportunity to utilize the library research facilities after class hours.
Post-residential assignments that differ from course to course, but that generally include the submission of a major research project and could also include online dialogue with colleagues on the assignment.

In addition to the course residency periods, the student will be required to attend one Value Added Week (VAW) at the seminary during the program. VAW elements include student research presentations with peer critique, onsite interviews with a mentor and guidance Committee, peer and faculty interaction, and video conferencing with field experts during study. A final four credits are earned through the satisfactory completion and oral defense of the project.

Admission Requirements

An MA in an appropriate theological or missiological discipline from an acceptable school with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Not less than two years of appropriate intercultural ministry experience.
For applicants whose primary language is other than English, a TOEFL score of 585 or equivalent.
Submission and approval of a writing sample that demonstrates graduate-level research skills.
Second language proficiency. In exceptional cases, this requirement may be substituted by petition. When a request for language waiver is submitted, the Admissions Committee may require six credits of relevant studies in the applicant’s area of research. This will be implemented at the discretion of the Committee in a case-by-case situation based on transcripts and experience.
Official approval of administrative superiors (e.g., missions board or agency).
Acceptable computer and Internet competencies.

Co-requisites. In cases in which candidates for admission are considered to have insufficient background in biblical, theological or missiological disciplines, the Seminary may require them to complete 15 credits of missiology foundation courses, 15 credits of theological foundation courses, or both as a co-requisite.

Application Procedures

To apply for admission:

Complete the online application with a $75 non-refundable application fee ($15 for readmissions), a recent photograph, academic writing sample, and evidence of second language competency (e.g., language school transcript).
Request that official transcripts of all post-secondary institutions attended be sent to the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Office at AGTS.
Distribute academic, ministerial, and personal recommendation forms and request those filling them out to return these documents within ten days to the AGTS Intercultural Doctoral Studies Office.
Request that written documentation of administrative approval be sent to the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Office. Email is acceptable.

Acceptance into the Doctor of Applied Intercultural Studies Program. Applicants will be evaluated by the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee and referred to the Admissions Committee for consideration. Subsequently, they will be notified in writing regarding the status of their acceptance into the DAIS program.

DAIS Academic Policies

(See the Seminary Academic Policies and Procedures section in this Catalog for other policies and procedures that apply to all programs.)

Academic Status. Participants will remain in good academic standing in the DAIS Program if they maintain a minimum cumulative 3.0 GPA, meet all financial obligations to the seminary, and conduct their personal lives with spiritual, moral and professional integrity, maintaining fitness for ministry. The administration reserves the right to dismiss any participant whose integrity in any of these areas is deemed unacceptable.

Probation and Dismissal. A student making one “C” in the four core courses is placed on probation and should retake the course. A student will be dismissed upon making two “C's.”

Professional Project. Participants write a professional project that reflects on the practice of ministry in their context.

Program Duration. A typical DAIS participant will finish the program in approximately four years. Students that exceed five years will have pay an extension fee. Extensions normally are not granted after the ninth year. (See the Financial Information section of this Catalog for DAIS Program Extensions Fees information.)

Transfer Credits. An individual may transfer in a total of eight doctoral credits. Individual appeals for transfer credits will be evaluated based upon the following considerations:

Transfer credits must be from appropriately accredited institutions or those recognized by an approved foreign accrediting body.
Student must have earned a passing grade of “B” or higher (3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
Transfer credits must be relevant to the DAIS program.
Recent time frame of courses taken will be reviewed. Extenuating circumstances of the participant will be considered (e.g., missionary in a situation that makes it difficult to take courses in a timely fashion.)

To request transfer credit, official transcripts must be sent to the Assistant Registrar of Online and Graduate Studies before consideration for doctoral credit will be given. (Any exception to the standard policy must be recommended by the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee and approved by the Seminary Academic Council.)

Note: The transfer of credits does not waive or change the Program Fee.

Courses Open to Unclassified Doctoral-Level Students. A limited number of non-degree, post-MA persons who are not pursuing a DAIS degree at AGTS may be allowed to take DAIS courses if they satisfy admission requirements for the DAIS program. Contact the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Office for more information.

Audit Policy. Graduates of AGTS doctoral programs are eligible for one free master or doctoral-level audit (3-4 credits) per academic year, on a space-available basis. There is a $90 processing fee.

Graduation Requirements

Satisfactorily completed of all DAIS Program requirements. This includes completion of 48 credits of course work (20 from Core courses, 12 from Track courses, 12 from Elective courses, and 4 from the Project phase) and one Value-Added Week.
Maintained a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, including no more than one C.
Remained in good standing at the Seminary.
Passed the DAIS Qualifying Examination.
Completed an acceptable and approved DAIS Project.
Made an acceptable oral defense of the DAIS Project.
Submitted a graduation application by the deadline in the university's academic calendar.
Received approval to graduate from the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee and Seminary Academic Council.
Attended the Commencement exercises.

DAIS Program Design/Degree Requirements

Core Courses (20 credits)

MSS 901: Core 1 - Leaders in a Global Context (4 credits)
MSS 902: Core 2 - Missio Dei and the Contemporary World (4 credits)
MCC 903: Core 3 - Intercultural Communication and Missions Anthropology (4 credits)
MCC 904: Core 4 - Theological Issues, Contextualization and Area Studies (4 credits)
MSS 905: Core 5 - Methods of Missiological Research (4 credits)

Track Courses (12 credits)

Following the Core Courses, DAIS students will choose between two tracks: Missiological Studies or Christian Relief and Development. Each track involves 12 credits (three courses) of study in a specialized area.

Missiological Studies Track

MTH 910
MCC 911
MSS 912

Christian Relief and Development

MCC 920
MSS 921
MSS 922

Elective Courses (12 credits)

Students will select three classes from the available elective courses to deepen their study of specific topics. One elective course in Area Studies is required.

MSS 900
MCC 929
MSS 930
MSS 931
MCC 932
MSS 933
MSS 934
MSS 935
MSS 939

Project Course (4 credits)

MCC 999

Qualifying Exam

The qualifying examination is intended to demonstrate an acceptable level of competency in missiology and the ability to apply the literature to a set of circumstances. The student is required to submit to the qualifying exam within a three-year period of the start of his or her first course and is eligible to take the examination upon successful completion of the following core courses:

Core 1 – Leaders in a Global Context

Core 2 – Missio Dei and the Contemporary World

Core 3 – Intercultural Communication and Missions Anthropology

Core 4 – Theological Issues, Contextualization and Area Studies

A list of recommended readings to support competencies developed in the core courses will be provided at the beginning of the program.

The qualifying examination is composed of two exams. One exam is based on the missiological content and disciplines of study introduced in the core courses MS/MSS 901 Leaders in a Global Context and MH/MHT 902 Missio Dei and the Contemporary World; the second is based on MC/MCC 903 Intercultural Communication and Missions Anthropology and MC/MCC 904 Theological Issues, Contextualization and Area Studies. Each exam will be comprised of two questions. One question will be selected from two summative questions developed and approved by the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee, one for each core course; and the second question will be a context specific question selected by the committee from questions submitted by the student.

The student will submit to the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee two summative context-specific questions for each exam (a total of four questions, one for each core course listed above) which seek to integrate and apply the content of the courses to the student’s specific missional environment. If the questions are not approved, they will be returned to the student with suggestions for resubmission. If approved, the committee will select one question for each exam. The questions for each of the two exams will be sent electronically to a preapproved proctor.

The student will plan with the proctor to schedule and take the exams in an appropriate context on a computer that is not connected to the Internet and contains no files related to the exams. For each exam the proctor will present the two selected questions to the student who will write a response to each. Each exam should be minimally 2000 words (1000 words per question¹) referencing the appropriate literature (author only, bibliographic reference not required). Four hours will be allowed for each exam. The two exams are to be taken within a two-week period. Upon completion of each exam the proctor will email the student’s response in electronic format to the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee, retain one copy as a backup and provide one copy to the student (e.g. by email, thumb drive). Each exam will be graded by a specialist in the field and by a generalist according to the following classifications: Superior, Satisfactory, Marginal or Unsatisfactory. Any grade of unsatisfactory by either grader or marginal by both will require retesting in that discipline/course. A marginal or unsatisfactory score by either grader on the retest will result in disqualification from the program.

¹ The average exam response is between 2800 and 3800 words (1400-1900 words per question).

Project Prospectus

At the conclusion of Core 5, Methods of Intercultural and Missiological Research, a formal project prospectus must be presented to and approved by the Intercultural Doctoral Studies Committee. The prospectus should include project title, a problem statement or thesis, research questions or hypothesis, an annotated bibliography of literature related to the research, methodology to be employed, a description of how track, elective, and research courses will be integrated in the research design, an explanation of how the findings will be reported, categories for the conclusions and recommendations, and a preliminary outline of the project. A draft prospectus must be presented at the “Project Design Seminar” during a “Value-Added Week” for peer and faculty critique. With the successful completion of the qualifying exam and the approval of the project prospectus, the student will be assigned a guidance committee comprised of the project coordinator, a content-specialist advisor, and an outside reader whose research expertise is directly related to the projected research identified in the prospectus to develop the study program.

Project

A research project advances knowledge in the field of study and enables the participant to integrate and apply his or her learning in an intercultural ministry context. Upon the completion, acceptance, and successful oral defense of a written project which makes a scholarly contribution to the discipline and practice of intercultural ministry, four credits will be recorded on the transcript.