DMin Admission Requirements & Procedures

Admission Requirements and Procedures

Applicants should be currently embedded in an active ministry setting for at least one year, and should have at least three years of total ministry experience.

Applicants should have an accredited Master of Divinity (MDiv) degree. If one does not hold this degree, admissions guidelines follow the Standards set forth by the Association of Theological Schools for DMin admissions:

"Students without an accredited Master of Divinity degree may be admitted, provided the school has publicly stated admissions criteria that address the following six areas and provided the school documents how each applicant meets each of these criteria: (a) the ability to thoughtfully interpret scripture and the theological tradition of one’s ministry context, (b) the capacity to understand and adapt one’s ministry to the cultural context, (c) a basic self-understanding of one’s ministerial identity and vocational calling, (d) a readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation for one’s ministry, (e) an accredited master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling, and (f) significant ministerial experience that enables the applicant to engage as a ministry peer with other students in this advanced professional doctorate."

Applicants should have a demonstrated capacity for undertaking independent academic research, as evidenced by prior academic performance and a strong reference from at least one professor from the applicant’s masters program.

Applicants should normally have earned a minimum GPA of 3.0 in their masters work. Applicants who do not meet this standard may still apply, and in doing so provide evidence of excellent potential and an explanation of the circumstances of their masters GPA. Applicants will be asked to articulate their interests for a potential DMin Project (see DMin Project Options). Although the project may change and evolve during the course of study, at the point of application students should have a sense of the kind of project they would like to pursue. Knowledge of particular languages is not required, except as they are necessary for the successful completion of the proposed project.

Applicants will be asked to submit two letters of reference. One should be an academic reference from the applicant’s masters program that is able to speak specifically to the applicant’s ability to undertake independent academic research. One should be from a ministry colleague who is able to speak to the applicant’s experiences in leadership in a ministry context.