Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership

The Doctor of Ministry degree (DMin) is a professional doctoral degree designed to enrich religious leaders in traditional and non-traditional settings, to deepen their understanding of and commitment to ministry, and to refine its practice.

Learning Outcomes

The primary learning outcomes of the DMin include:

  • an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of transformational religious leadership;
  • enhanced competencies in contextual analysis and leadership skills;
  • growth in one’s capacity for a robust embrace of and engagement with social and theological diversity and one’s capacity to relate across difference;
  • the integration of knowledge, contextual analysis, and leadership skills into a theologically reflective vocational praxis;
  • new knowledge about religious leadership in global contexts;
  • continued growth in spiritual maturity, and development and appropriation of a personal and professional ethic.

Program Requirements

The format of the DMin is a combination of intensive, on-site seminars and distance education courses that students can take from their home locations. The DMin has a single, main track in “Transformational Leadership” comprised of four intensive seminars (12 credits), three cohort courses (12 credits), one elective course (4 credits), and 4 credits of directed study for the thesis project—a total of 32 credits.

Applicants must have the MDiv or equivalent degree from an Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) accredited seminary with a minimum GPA of 3.3. Applicants also must have completed a minimum of three years of full-time professional ministry or its equivalent. Admission to the DMin program will be determined by the policies set by the Doctor of Ministry Committee and implemented by an Admissions committee appointed by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

The DMin Director serves as faculty advisor during the first year, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs appoints faculty project advisors in the second year of study. Students may change faculty advisor only by consent of the new advisor and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

A minimum grade of B is required in all courses taken to fulfill DMin requirements. Coursework may be completed on a part-time or full-time basis, but most students will enter the program on a part-time basis. Part-time students can expect to complete the program in three years. All students must complete the program in no more than five years.

Specific Doctor of Ministry Course Requirements

The student is required to take 32 credits as follows:

4 Intensive Seminars (offered in-person, 1-week intensives in August and January):

  • Transformational Leadership (4 credits)
  • Contextual-Theological Analysis (4 credits)
  • Research Methods (2 credits)
  • DMin Project Colloquium (2 credits)

3 Cohort Courses: Cohort courses are offered online and students take them together as a cohort. All cohort courses must be taken at STH (12 credits).

1 Elective Course from any area: This 800-level course may be taken online or, in special circumstances, may be petitioned to be taken on-campus at STH. The elective course can be taken through the BTI (4 credits).

2 Directed Study Courses to conduct DMin Project research and writing (4 credits)

The Doctor of Ministry in Transformational Leadership

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3
Fall “Transformational Leadership” seminar in Boston in August (4 cr) “Research Methods” seminar in Boston in August (4 cr) Directed Study project (2 cr)
Online cohort course (4 cr) Online cohort course (4 cr)
Spring “Contextual Analysis” seminar in Boston in January (4 cr) DMin Project Colloquium seminar in Boston in January (2 cr) Directed Study project (2 cr)
Online cohort course (4 cr) Online elective course (4 cr)