Doctor of Ministry

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The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is a professional degree program intended for those actively engaged in full-time Christian ministry. The primary purpose of the program is to enhance the participants' professional competence in the area of their gifts and calling. Practical in nature while at the same time maintaining the highest academic standards for theological reflection on the practice of ministry, the program seeks to integrate learning into the context of each participant's ministry and can be shaped to meet individual needs. Opportunities for persona and spiritual growth are woven into the fabric of the entire program.

This program focuses on developing strong Pentecostal ministers. Today's vital and growing ministries demand Spirit-anointed, effective leadership. If leaders expect to remain on the cutting edge of complex, demanding and ever-changing ministry, they must prepare themselves now. In the DMin program, "We build leaders who build the Kingdom."

Program Design

The DMin curriculum has three primary components:

1. Core Courses. Establish and enrich the participant's foundation for effective ministry.

2. Elective Courses. Offers in-depth training in specific areas relevant to the practice of ministry.

3. Tracks: Participants may select one of five tracks offered:

Contextual Leadership
Spiritual Formation
Biblical Preaching
Military Chaplaincy for qualifying military chaplains
Self-Directed

Professional Project

The participant's ministry context will be the subject of a professional project at the conclusion of the elective phase. Throughout the core and elective courses, participants are mentored to build research toward their doctoral project. After core and elective courses are complete, a Project Design course prepares the participant to write a professional project integrating and applying significant program learning in a ministry context. Participants must complete all core and elective courses before taking the Project Design class. Any exceptions must be approved by the program director. The project enriches the larger church through publication on the ProQuest Internet database.

Cohort Format

One dynamic element of the program is involvement in a Doctor of Ministry cohort comprised of individuals from a variety of ministry backgrounds. The cohort remains together for the core phase, allowing deep and meaningful relationships to form and, in the case of specialty cohorts, remains together for the duration of the program. "As iron sharpens iron," the cohort provides a challenging and motivating peer-learning environment.

Program Learning Outcomes

The DMin experience focuses on giving participants the opportunity to expand their influence by growing into ministers who exhibit:

1. Spiritual Maturity. Demonstrate growth in spiritual maturity by appreciating the historical and theological contributions of the Pentecostal-Charismatic tradition, cultivating disciplines of self-leadership, communicating the role of Spirit-empowered ministry for effective leadership, and integrating Pentecostal spirituality into the practice of leadership arts.

2. Leadership Competencies. Demonstrate leadership competency by integrating missional leadership into their ministries, by acquiring and applying new knowledge and skills to the practice of ministry, by developing leaders worth following--catalysts for transformation, and by creating an expanded awareness of the implications of globalization within the overall ministry of the Church.

3. Scholarly Integration. Exhibit scholarship integration by synthesizing and integrating insights of biblical and practical theology, by writing high-quality academic papers that demonstrate ability to integrate scholarship with practice of ministry, and by developing professional research and writing skills.

4. Ministry Network. Utilize ministry networks through development of mutually beneficial long-term personal connections with other ministry professionals and connecting with resources for ongoing ministry enhancement.

Program Schedule

The DMin is an in-service degree completed while participants remain active in ministry. The program is designed around a three-semester academic year (fall, spring, and summer) and participants take one course per semester. Courses are hyrbid and are accomplished primarily through online interactions with minimal onsite expectations (a 4-5 day residency per course). Most summer courses are fully online (no onsite residency required) so that many participants will be on campus only twice per year. Course residency periods are preceded by personal reading/preparation followed by written assignments that apply course materials to the participant's ministries. The 30-hour program consists of eight 3-credit hour courses, three 1-credit hour research seminars, plus the final DMin project (3 credit hours). Thus, in its entirety, the degree will take approximately three and a half to four years to complete. Full-time enrollment is three credit hours per semester; half-time enrollment is one-credit hour per semester.

Admission Requirement

Applicants for the DMin Program must meet the following requirements:

Have earned MDiv degree or a ministry-related master’s degree from an accredited graduate school.
Give evidence of ability to do doctoral level work as indicated by a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in previous, accredited graduate study.
Demonstrate significant ministry experience.
Be currently involved in full-time or co-vocational ministry (e.g., pastor, teacher, missionary, denominational or para-church organizational leader, chaplain, evangelist, counselor, etc.).

Application Procedures

To apply for admission:

Contact the Doctor of Ministry Office for details and complete the application.
Submit a completed application with the nonrefundable fee of $75 along with a recent photograph.
Request that official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended be sent to AGTS. (Transcript request forms are included with the application materials.)
Distribute personal, ministerial and academic recommendation forms, and instruct those filling them out to return them within ten days to the AGTS DMin Office. (Forms are included with the application materials.)
Complete a five-page “Ministry and Theological Reflection” paper. (The DMin Office will provide you with instructions regarding this paper.)

Upon action by the Admissions Committee, applicants will be notified in writing regarding the status of their acceptance into the DMin Program.

DMin Academic Policies

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

Academic Probation. A participant is placed on academic probation at the conclusion of any course in which his or her grade point average falls below the required minimum (3.0 cum GPA) necessary to maintain satisfactory academic progress in the degree program. Participants who fail to raise their grades to the required level or higher by the end of two courses on academic probation are subject to dismissal from the program.

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

Concurrent Enrollment. Doctor of Ministry participants interested in concurrent enrollment at another seminary or graduate school for the purpose of transferring credits back into the AGTS Doctor of Ministry Program must secure approval in advance from the director of the Doctor of Ministry Program. Credits must follow transfer credit policy.

Course Attendance. Due to the accelerated pace of each course, regular and punctual attendance is expected of each participant for all course activities. Because attendance is such a crucial element of the cohort peer-learning process, a participant cannot be absent for more than four hours of class and still receive credit.

Withdrawal and Readmission. Students who withdraw from the seminary and desire to return must apply for readmission. If the withdrawal is made during the project writing phase, participants must pay the readmission fee and retake the Project Design class at their own expense.

Military Chaplains Transfer Credit. Qualified chaplains endorsed for U.S. military service may receive up to 12 transfer credits for approved specialized chaplain training (contact the Veterans Center coordinator for details). Chaplain participants who have already transferred in 12 credits for their military work may not transfer in additional elective credits for additional military classes or doctoral work completed.

Ministry Requirement. It is assumed that each participant will remain involved in full-time ministry throughout the duration of the program. Any participant who leaves the ministry for any reason while pursuing the DMin degree must petition the DMin Committee for continuation in the program.

Professional Project. The professional project is the culmination of the DMin experience in which the ideas and applications of the program are measured and evaluated. Throughout the core and elective courses, participants are mentored to build research toward their doctoral project. After core and elective courses are complete, a Project Design course prepares the participant to write a professional project integrating and applying significant program learning in their ministry context. Participants must complete all core and elective classes before taking the Project Design class. Exceptions to this will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For further information on the project guidelines, contact the DMin Office.

Program Duration. The degree requires approximately 3 1/2 to 4 years to complete, including the project. This schedule is set to avoid unnecessary pressure on the participant’s responsibilities to family and ministry. Participants are required to complete the degree within six years beginning from the date of their first attendance in a doctoral course. In some cases, an extension may be granted (e.g., for those on overseas military assignment). Any extensions must be granted by the DMin Committee. Extending the program into the fifth year will incur additional fees. An extension is not granted past the eighth year. (See the Financial Information section of this Catalog for DMin Program Extension Fees information.)

Transfer Credits. An individual may transfer in a total of 6 doctoral credits. Individual appeals for transfer credits will be evaluated based upon the following considerations:

Transfer credits must be from ATS/CHEA accredited institutions or those recognized by an approved foreign accrediting body.
Student must have earned a minimum grade of “B” (3.0 on a 4.0 scale).
Transfer credits must be relevant to the DMin degree.
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.)

AGTS will accept up to 6 doctoral credits for valid/supervised clinical pastoral education provided the CPE units were not used to fulfill the master’s ministerial degree. The institution and credit must be recognized by the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education, Inc. accreditation commission.

To request transfer credit, official transcripts must be received by the Assistant Registrar for Online and Graduate Studies before consideration for doctoral credit will be given. Requests must be submitted when applying for admission. (Any exceptions to the standard policy must be recommended by the DMin Committee and approved by the Seminary Academic Council.)

Courses Open to Unclassified Doctoral Level Students. A limited number of persons who are not pursuing a DMin degree at AGTS may be allowed to take courses if they satisfy admission requirements for the DMin Program. Contact the DMin Office for further 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 $90 processing fee.

Other Course Offerings: AGTS also offers an occasional course for the Doctor of Ministry program off-site. When courses in the DMin program are offered off-site, announcements will be made well in advance so interested students can apply. For information, contact the DMin Office.

Graduation Requirements. To satisfy graduation requirements for the DMin degree, the participant must:

Satisfactorily complete all DMin Program requirements. This typically includes the completion of 30 credits of course work (12 from Core Courses, 9 from Elective Courses, and 9 related to the completion of the project). Participants in the extended program will have additional credit requirements, as specified in their degree audits.
Maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0, including no more than one C. (A participant cannot graduate with a C- on his or her transcript. A participant must retake the course, at his or her expense, to earn a grade higher than C-.)
Be in good standing at the Seminary.
Complete an acceptable and approved DMin project.
Make an acceptable oral presentation of the DMin project at the DMin Project Symposium.
Students are required to submit a graduation application by the graduation deadline in the university's academic calendar.
Receive approval to graduate from the DMin Committee and Seminary Academic Council.
Attend the Symposium, Baccalaureate, and Commencement exercises.

DMin Program Courses

Core Courses (12 credits)

PTH 901 (3 credits)
PTH 911 (3 credits)
PTH 902 (3 credits)
PTH 905 (3 credits)

Elective Courses (9 credits)

Following completion of the Core Courses, a participant may choose a specified track (9 credits): Contextual Leadership, Spiritual Formation, Biblical Preaching, Military Chaplaincy, or Self-Directed. Those with the Self-Directed track may work with the DMin Team to construct a combination of courses, directed research and other experiences to produce an educational experience that is a precise fit to his or her specialty and context.