Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program is designed to help religious professionals deepen their understanding of and commitment to ministry by providing a context in which to update and refine their theological knowledge, sharpen old skills, and learn new ones. The aim is to help students bring together previous experiences and new academic studies to create a fresh synthesis of theory and practice.

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.

Coursework may be completed on a part-time or full-time basis. Full-time students could expect to complete the program in two-and-a-half to three years. All students must complete the program in no more than six years.

The Dual Degree in Doctor of Ministry and Social Work (DMin/MSW) program will require three or more years of study to complete (depending on the length of time the student takes to write the thesis), with a maximum of six years allowed. The second year of Field Education internship for the MSW replaces the Supervised Ministry requirement of the DMin Pastoral Counseling degree.

Specific Doctor of Ministry Course Requirements

The student is required to take 10 courses (40 credits minimum):

• five courses from the plan of study (20 credits minimum)
• one elective from another area that is related to the student’s area of interest (4 credits)
• two supervised ministries (8 credits)
• one theology course (4 credits)
• one research methods course: STH TZ 901 (.5 credit)
• 991/992 Continuing Student Directed Study (2 credits each/total 4 credits) every semester after completing coursework and supervised ministry requirements, with the student’s project director, focused on conducting the project and writing the project thesis

Theology Course: Because theological reflection about the practice of ministry is a critical area of the DMin program and the project thesis, all students will be required to take one course that explicitly focuses on the theological aspects of their plan and is chosen in collaboration with their advisor.

Supervised Ministry: Students will register for two semesters of Supervised Ministry in settings related to their plan of study. In consultation with the advisor and one of the co-directors of Contexual Education, the candidate is responsible for selecting an appropriate setting and arranging for a qualified supervisor. Options for settings are detailed in the DMin Handbook. The candidate and proposed supervisor of the supervised ministry must complete the Proposal for Supervised Ministry and submit it for approval to the Advanced Studies Committee (ASC). Upon approval, the candidate may begin the supervised experience. At mid-semester, the supervisor is expected to complete the Process/Progress Report. At the end of each unit, the candidate and supervisor both must complete evaluations using the Guidelines for Evaluation in the DMin Handbook.

All courses taken in the DMin program will be at the 800 or 900 level or equivalent courses designed for doctoral study. Undergraduate and 700-level courses will not count toward the required coursework for the DMin program. Directed studies will seldom be allowed and then only by petition to the advisor and ASC. Four of the seven courses must be completed at Boston University. If, in a semester, a student is taking a course in the Boston Theological Institute (BTI), an equivalent number of units need to be taken at the School of Theology.

Plans of Study

It is important that students have a coherent plan of study to integrate a solid academic foundation with practical work in the field. For this reason, we have developed several plans of study that a student may take, depending on availability of instructors.

Plan of Study: Pastoral Counseling

Students must choose at least one from each of the following sections for a total of five courses.

Psychology and Religion

At least one course from

• TY 801 Religion and Mental Health
• TY 803 Psychology of Religion
• TY 842 Psychology of Healing

Theories of Personality

At least one course from

• TY 806 Life Span: Human Learning and Faith Development
• TY 809 Personality Theory for Pastoral Relationships I
• TY 864 Pastoral Psychology: The Self
• TY 911 Object Relations and the Study of Religion

Integration of Theory and Practice

At least one course from

• TY 830 Pastoral Care in the Community
• TY 948 Pastoral Psychotherapy
• TY 956 Pastoral Psychology and Theology

Application of Theory: Special Interests

At least one course from

• TY 807 Pastoral Psychology of Women
• TY 826 Psychodynamics of Marriage and the Family

Plan of Study: Spirituality

Five Core Courses

Foundation course (required for all spirituality studies students)

• TC 912 Classics in Christian Spirituality

Choose four

• TC 822 Spirituality for Ministry
• TC 823 Spiritual Guidance in the Christian Tradition
• TC 825 Prayer and Social Engagement
• TC 827 Community & Spirituality: 20th Century Protestant Experiments
• TC 828 Women’s Spirituality for Ministry
• TC 833 Spirituality for Everyday Life
• TT 855 Theology of Christian Mysticism
• TC 909 Spiritual Autobiographies
• TC 937 Work and Faith
• TJ 976 Church and Theology in the Contemporary World

Additional courses may be available upon consultation with the advisor.

Plan of Study: Evangelism

Four core courses

• TC 835 Evangelism and Contemporary Cultures
• TC 890 New Church Development or TC 838 Church Renewal
• One course in urban ministry
• An additional course in evangelism or congregational development

Also required

• One course, pre-approved by petition to the ASC, from those courses in Mission Studies designated by the letters TM, for example, TM 815 The Debate over Modern Mission and TM 825 Emergence of the Modern Church in Third World Perspective.

Plan of Study: Liturgical Studies

Students are required to complete a total of five courses from the primary liturgical studies curriculum, plus seven additional required courses (see below).

Five Core Courses

Foundation course (required for all liturgical studies students):

• TZ 954 Proseminar in Liturgical Bibliography

The remaining four courses can be fulfilled in one of the following combinations:

Liturgical History

Choose one or two

• TO/TC 821 Book of Psalms
• TA 810 Hymns and Their Music
• TC 846 Liturgical Environment (arts/architecture)
• TC 862 Liturgical Year— History and Arts
• TC 863 Pastoral Offices (includes ritual studies, feminist liturgy)
• TC/TH 868 Worship in the Wesleyan (and Anglican) Tradition
• TC/TH 933 Liturgical Traditions of North America

Liturgical Theology

Choose one or two

• TC 825 Prayer and Social Engagement
• TC 851 Preaching and Worship in the African American Traditions
• TC 861 Theologies of Church Music (liturgy/culture)
• TC 863 Pastoral Offices (if not counted as History)
• TC 833 Doxology and Doctrine: The Trinity in Hymns
• TC/TT 919 Sacramental Theology

Congregational Studies/Practical Theology

Choose one

• TR 802 Sociology of Religion (other 800- and 900-level TR courses, as appropriate)
• TJ 876/976 Church and Theology in the Contemporary World
• SED RS 652, 752 Qualitative Research Methods

Additional Required Courses

• 1 elective from related area
• 2 supervised ministries
• 1 theology course
• TT 940 (Ecclesiology) recommended
• 991/992 Continuing Student Directed Study (2 credits) every semester after completing coursework and supervised ministry requirements, with the student’s project director focused on conducting the project and writing the project thesis
• If no introductory worship course has been taken, TC 817 should be audited

Other Plans of Study

Consult with the director of Admissions for additional plans of study that may be offered. Occasionally, substitutions will be permitted in the plans of study upon approval of a petition by the advisor and its acceptance by the Advanced Studies Committee and academic dean.

Academic Requirements

A minimum grade of B is required for all courses. No grade lower than B is acceptable for use in satisfying the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree. An automatic academic review occurs if a student receives a grade lower than B. Two unsatisfactory course grades result in termination of candidacy, except by approved petition to the Advanced Studies Committee (see the DMin Handbook).