Doctor of Ministry

Note: Information regarding the Doctor of Ministry Degree for the School of Theology contained in this catalog is an overview of the basic requirements for completing the degree. Students enrolled in the program are accountable for the policies and procedures contained in the most recent edition of the Doctor of Ministry Degree Handbook.

Persons interested in additional information regarding entry to the program should contact the Doctor of Ministry Office by mail at P.O. Box 22720, Fort Worth, TX 76122-0720, by phone at (817) 923-1921, ext. 6633, or by email at dmin@swbts.edu.

Doctor of Ministry Handbook PDF

Philosophy & Purpose

The Southwestern Doctor of Ministry degree is designed to enhance the practice of ministry for those who are currently engaged in positions of ministerial leadership.

Admission Requirements & Procedures

Prerequisites for Admission

• Prior to admission into the D.Min. Program, applicants must have completed the Master of Divinity degree from an institution accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) or an affiliate of the council of regional accrediting groups or its educational equivalent.

• Applicants must have served in a vocational ministry position acceptable to the committee for at least 3 years after graduation with the M.Div. or its equivalent.

• For the preaching cohort, the course work in the Master of Divinity or other master’s level work must meet the following language requirements: one full-year of Hebrew and one full-year of Greek. Please note that an applicant without the minimum language requirements may complete the requirements by taking additional hours in the biblical languages while they are seeking approval to the program.

• Students must have maintained a 3.00 GPA or higher on a 4.00 scale in masters level studies in religion or theology. If your GPA is below the standard 3.00, you will be required to submit original copies of your MAT and/or GRE test scores to the Doctor of Ministry Office. Applicants wishing exception to the required 3.00 GPA rule must submit a letter to the D.Min. Committee asking for the exception and explaining any unusual circumstances that contributed to the low scholarship level attained during their master's level work. Applicants must score above a 400 on the MAT or, on the GRE, a minimum of 500 on the Verbal Reasoning section and a minimum of 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section. Applicants with less than a 3.00 may be admitted on probation, upon approval of the DMin Committee.

• Applicants must be employed or hold an official position in vocational Christian ministry during the time they are enrolled in the degree.

Instructions for Application Process:

• Complete online admissions application at www.swbts.edu/applynow. All applications must be entirely complete by February 1 in order to begin in July of the same year.

• As part of the online application, applicants must write a short essay about their conversion and call to ministry.

• As part of the online application, applicants will submit two personal references. A personal reference may not be anyone that is under the applicant's leadership or authority. A space will be provided on the online application to enter an email address for these references. They will be automatically emailed a reference form.

• Applicants must also complete the "Confidential Academic Reference" form and submit this form to the Admissions Office.  This form must be completed by a professor with whom they have completed a graduate level course. The professor must have an earned doctorate degree from an accredited institution. Click here to obtain the "Confidential Academic Reference" form.

• Doctor of Ministry applicants may omit the church endorsement form on the online application because the attached “Statement of Ministry Endorsement” will be accepted in lieu of a church endorsement. The purpose of this document is to demonstrate that the applicant’s place of service is in support of the applicant’s intention to enter the Doctor of Ministry program. Click here to obtain the "Statement of Ministry Endorsement" form.

• The Admissions office will need official copies of the applicant's graduate level transcripts. Please contact your school and send your official transcripts to the Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 22740, Fort Worth, TX, 76122. If you attended multiple graduate schools/seminaries, the office will need original copies from each school. Those applicants who have not completed an M.Div. degree, but have completed another type of master's, must contact the Doctor of Ministry Office to request a transcript evaluation. Some applicants may need to complete leveling work before their master's degree can be considered equivalent to the M.Div. degree. Please note: All leveling work must be completed before applicants can begin seminars.

• A transcript from an international institution will require certification to demonstrate its equivalency to graduate-level work in the United States. Students must contact World Education Services in order to obtain transcript evaluations, www.wes.org.

• The general admission application fee is $35.00. Applicants may pay by credit card during the online application process, or may mail a check to the Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 22740, Fort Worth, TX, 76122. Checks should be made out to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Please note: once the application has been submitted the applicant may not go back and pay the application fee online.

• The D.Min. application fee is $20. Applicants must mail a check to the D.Min. Office at P.O. Box 22720, Fort Worth, TX 76122. Checks should be made out to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Please note: the application fee for the D.Min. program is separate from the $35 general application fee.

• Applicants are required to submit a research paper, as part of the application process, to the D.Min. Office via email at dmin@swbts.edu.  The research paper should meet the following criteria:

  • The paper must indicate the ability to do doctoral level research. Applicants may utilize a previously written paper. However, the applicant should examine this paper for weaknesses in argumentation or logic as well as form and grammar and make appropriate corrections.
  • In the research paper, the student must make an argument and pursue a research question. Do not send exegetical papers (or any papers) that are in outline or bullet form and that do not show evidence of the student’s ability to do research.
  • The paper must demonstrate clear and succinct skill in developing and proving a thesis statement.
  • As needed, the student must demonstrate the ability to interact with the original biblical language(s).
  • The student must use primary sources rather than secondary sources.
  • We recommend applicants have someone else critique the paper as he or she might observe problem areas that otherwise might have gone unnoticed.
  • The paper should be at least ten pages.
  • Please note: The paper can be a result of a previous Master’s level assignment.  However, it should be revised, edited, and conformed to an acceptable style form such as Turabian, MLA, APA, or the latest edition of the Southwestern Seminary Manual of Style.

• In addition to the research paper, applicants must submit an autobiographical essay to the DMin Office via email at dmin@swbts.edu. The autobiographical essay should include:

  • Primary life events (and what meaning they have)
  • Significant persons and relationships (including role models, the impact of the family of origin, and the nuclear family)
  • The minister's understanding of his or her spiritual pilgrimage (particularly focusing on conversion, times of doubt or struggle, and growth experiences).
  • The minister's understanding of motivation and call to ministry and significant persons and events in that process.
  • A brief history of both secular and ministry-related experiences (significant difficulties, successes, and epiphanies about ministry).

Suggestions for an Effective Autobiographical Essay:

• • Be authentic - admit and evaluate your personal strengths and weaknesses. Avoid statements that appear as prideful; however, do not be so self-effacing that it comes across as insincere humility.
  • Be specific regarding events and people that shaped your life. Avoid generalities that are unhelpful in the assessment of your life events.
  • Include how your life experiences influenced your theology.
  • You are encouraged to write this essay using the informal (first person) perspective in order to make the paper more personal.
  • Papers must conform to an acceptable style form such as Turabian, MLA, APA, or the latest edition of the Southwestern Seminary Manual of Style.
  • The paper should be approximately ten pages.

• Interview: After submission of all application materials, schedule a personal interview with the Associate Dean of the Doctor of Ministry Program or a member of the Doctor of Ministry Committee. Applicants should be prepared to discuss the reasons why they are seeking a D.Min. degree and how this degree will better equip them for ministry.

 

Return D.Min. Application Documents to:

Office of Admissions
P. O. Box 22740
Fort Worth, TX 76122
1-800-SWBTS-01
817-923-1921 ext. 2700
Fax: 817-921-8758
admissions@swbts.edu

International Students

For admission, all non-U.S. citizens will be required to take the internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as an admission requirement. The minimum score for unconditional admission is 100 (those who score between 90-99 may enter the program conditionally; those who score less than 90 may not enter the D.Min. program). The computer based TOEFL will be accepted if it is less than two years old. The minimum score for unconditional admission is 250 (those who score between 233-249 may enter the program conditionally; those who score less than 233 may not enter the D.Min. program). Citizens of the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada and other non-U.S. citizens who have successfully completed an accredited English-language based bachelor's degree from a North American institution are exempt from this requirement.

In addition to a passing TOEFL score, the D.Min. Committee will reserve the right to require additional English proficiency courses taken concurrently with the D.Min. work where deficiencies are found to exist in order to assist students in achieving their potential and to contribute effectively to the seminars. These courses may be taken at Southwestern or in other designated institutions.

All students applying for the D.Min. program must be citizens of the U.S., permanent residents, here on an R-1 visa or plan to study on an F-1 visa.

Applicants from outside the United States must meet U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to study at Southwestern Seminary in any program. Any approval of the applicant's admission to the D.Min. program is contingent upon the applicant maintaining proper status. The International Student Services Office communicates regularly with the D.Min. program to assure that all DHS regulations are followed.

Notification Regarding Admission

Upon receipt of the complete D.Min. application, the D.Min. Office distributes the essays to members of the D.Min. Committee for evaluation. After the transcript(s), reference information, standardized test scores, personal interview and essays have been evaluated, the application will be submitted to the D.Min. Committee for consideration at the regularly scheduled meeting (first Thursday of each month).The committee will either accept an applicant unconditionally, conditionally, or decline the application.

All applicants will be notified of the Committee’s decision in writing by the Associate Dean for the Professional Doctorate Program. This notification is usually sent by mail within two weeks of the committee decision. Applicants who are accepted into the program will then receive information regarding registration for the first year of seminars.

Research and Writing Seminar

All accepted students are approved provisionally into the D.Min. Program.  The provisional status is lifted after successful completion of the Research and Writing Seminar that is conducted via the internet using BlackBoard technology.

The Research and Writing Seminar is a required six-week internet seminar that is conducted before a student can begin his first year of seminars.  The online seminar will be conducted from April to May before the seminar year begins in July.  The purpose of the seminar is to both strengthen a student’s writing skill and to facilitate growth in the area of doctoral research.  The seminar is graded upon a Pass/Fail basis and students will not be allowed to begin the first year of seminars unless the Research and Writing Seminar has been completed successfully.

Curriculum

Overall Program Guide

Research and Writing Seminar: DMNRW 6000	Pass/Fail
Major Specific Seminars (two seminars, one per year, worth 12 hours each)	24 hours
Professional Dissertation Seminar: COLLM 8000	Pass/Fail
Professional Dissertation Stage
Professional Dissertation Prospectus : COLLM 8010 A	Pass/Fail
Professional Dissertation Writing Stage: COLLM 8020 A	Pass/Fail
Successful Dissertation Defense: COLLM 8026	6 hours
Total Program Requirements	30 hours

Major Areas of Study

The D.Min. curriculum is divided into four areas of vocational interest (majors). Each D.Min. student is required to designate one area as his or her major.

Chaplaincy Ministry

The focus of the Chaplaincy Ministry major is to equip chaplains to become effective Gospel ministers by developing a biblical, theological and contemporary understanding of key pastoral issues, preparing ministry strategies, and designing and implementing effective ministry plans.

Course Title	Course Number	Hours
Research and Writing Seminar	DMINRW 6000
Chaplain Leadership - Foundation of Leadership Principles	DMNCH 6112	12
Chaplain Ministry and Counseling	DMNCH 6212	12
Professional Dissertation Seminar	COLLM 8000
Professional Dissertation Stage
Professional Dissertation Prospectus	COLLM 8010 A
Professional Dissertation in Progress	COLLM 8020 A
Successful Dissertation Defense	COLLM 8026	6
	Total	30

Christian Worldview and Cultural Engagement

The focus of the Christian Worldview and Cultural Engagement major is to equip Christian ministers to engage culture with the perspective of a biblical worldview. Students will receive foundational instruction in biblical, theological, historical, and philosophical studies that will enable them to develop effective ministry strategies for addressing key cultural issues.

Course Title	Course Number	Hours
Research and Writing Seminar	DMINRW 6000
Developing the Biblical and Theological Foundations for a Christian Worldview	DMNCW 6112	12
Christian Apologetics and Modern Culture - Engaging and Responding to a Multicultural Society	DMNCW 6212	12
Professional Dissertation Seminar	COLLM 8000
Professional Dissertation Stage
Professional Dissertation Prospectus	COLLM 8010 A
Professional Dissertation in Progress	COLLM 8020 A
Successful Dissertation Defense	COLLM 8026	6
	Total	30

Expository Preaching

The focus of the Expository Preaching major is to train pastors to exegete Scripture accurately, applying biblical truths to culture, training them to communicate skillfully the glory of God.

Course Title	Course Number	Hours
Research and Writing Seminar	DMINRW 6000
Expository Preaching - Exegesis of New Testament Literature	DMNEP 6112	12
Expository Preaching - Exegesis of Old Testament Literature	DMNEP 6212	12
Professional Dissertation Seminar	COLLM 8000	6
Professional Dissertation Stage
Professional Dissertation Prospectus	COLLM 8010 A
Professional Dissertation in Progress	COLLM 8020 a
Successful Dissertation Defense	COLLM 8026	6
	Total	30

Pastoral Leadership

The focus of the Pastoral Leadership major is to equip pastor-theologians to be more effective leader-servants by enlarging their understanding of biblical servant-leadership, by analyzing classical and current organizational leadership theories, and by developing a spiritual leadership plan for their ministry setting.

Course Title	Course Number	Hours
Research and Writing Seminar	DMINRW 6000
Pastoral Leadership - Foundation of Leadership Principles	DMNPL 6112	12
Pastoral Leadership and the Art of Effective Communication	DMNPL 6212	12
Professional Dissertation Seminar	COLLM 8000
Professional Dissertation Stage
Professional Dissertation Prospectus	COLLM 8010
Professional Dissertation in Progress	COLLM 8020
Successful Dissertation Defense	COLLM 8026	6
	Total	30

*Students completing the pastoral leadership major as an international cohort will follow an adjusted seminar schedule specifically designed for ministry in an international context.

Professional Dissertation Requirements

Professional Dissertation Seminar (COLLM 8000)

Students will participate in the Professional Dissertation Seminar during the spring at the end of their second seminar year. The seminar is an online prospectus writing course composed of a series of webinars and online assignments. The intent of this course is to guide students through the prospectus writing process. Students must complete all prerequisites for this seminar.

Professional Dissertation Stage

Upon satisfactory completion of all seminar requirements and the Professional Dissertation Seminar, students enter the dissertation stage of the DMin Program. At this stage, students will be registered in COLLM 8010-A: Professional Dissertation Prospectus. Upon approval of their prospectus by the DMin Committee, students will be enrolled in COLLM 8020-A: Professional Dissertation in Progress as they write their professional dissertation. Upon satisfactory completion of the Professional Dissertation and the oral examination, students will receive six (6) hours of credit in class COLLM 8026: Successful Dissertation Defense. The DMin office will inform the Office of the Registrar that the student has passed the Professional Dissertation. Upon that notification, the Office of the Registrar will register the student retroactively for COLLM 8026.

Termination from the Program

Students may be terminated from the D.Min. program for the following reasons:

1. Failure to complete the program in the allotted time. The program is designed to be completed in four (4) years but the maximum time allotted is six (6) years. This time is calculated from the first semester of enrollment in seminars and terminates the day of graduation for the same calendar semester of the 6th year.
2. Failure to maintain a 3.00 GPA (on a 4.00 scale) throughout the course of the program. Each student is required to maintain a 3.00 GPA (B average) in the D.Min. program.
3. Failure to remain in good standing with the seminary at large. All students of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary are required to adhere to ethical, financial, and academic standards as set forth in the seminary catalog.

Cost of the Program

Due to the Cooperative Program scholarship for Southern Baptist students, the total program cost for Southern Baptists is $8,275. The total program cost for non-Southern Baptist students is $11,275.

The Program Cost(s) are broken down in the following manner:

A D.Min. student (both Southern Baptist and non-Southern Baptist) will be charged a down payment of $1,000 due by July 1.

Years 1-3 - $2,425 per year paid in its entirety by July 1 or divided into twelve monthly payments. Note: monthly payments are processed through a payment plan. Additional information is available through the Southwestern Business Office.

Non-SBC students will be charged a yearly payment of $3,425.

If a D.Min. student's program exceeds three years, there is no charge for year 4. However, an additional extension fee of $1,100 per year will be charged to the student for year 5 and every year thereafter. Please note that a student's program may not exceed six years in total.

Financial assistance is not available through the D.Min. Office. Applications for financial assistance may be made through the Student Financial Aid office of the seminary.

All fees and dates are provisional and may be subject to change by the administrative offices of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.