Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Spirit-filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora

The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree is the highest professional degree for those in parish or related ministries. It is designed for educated, experienced practitioners who desire to stimulate renewal in themselves and their ministries through the integration of their experience with advanced training, research, and reflection. The DMin is distinctive from academic doctorates such as the PhD and ThD in that its primary focus is on the practice of ministry. The DMin is also distinct from other professional degrees such as the EdD and the PsyD in that it builds on the three-year Master of Divinity (MDiv) and at least three years of post-MDiv ministry experience.

The Doctor of Ministry in Spirit-filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora focuses on forming Leaders who are interested in the integration of Christian spirituality and the richness of African culture in a global ecclesial context. 

The Spirit-filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora DMin program is organized around the foci of Bishop T.D. Jakes’ life and ministry which includes: 

1. Leadership development: Students develop a plan over four semesters that details their ministry philosophy and interest in cultural diversity. This plan demonstrates the integration of personal and ministry narratives, along with Christian leadership values. And, they develop mentoring skills, with habits and practices for sustainable leadership. The final version of the plan will locate their own ministries within a global context. 
2. Communication techniques: Students analyze and practice the TD Jakes’ method of preaching to enhance their own art of communication. Learning to use the discipline and skills of responsible biblical exegesis that is sensitive to community situational awareness, they will foster an innovative approach to homiletics as guided by the Holy Spirit. 
3. Innovative ministry experience: Students pursue research topics under the supervision of a faculty advisor in subjects arising from their ministry context. They meet Christian leaders who transform lives, empower communities, and engage in social entrepreneurship. Students demonstrate an advanced understanding of a cultural blend and comprehensive awareness of the global ecclesial context influenced by the African diaspora.
4. Expanded perspective: Students will be required to participate in four ‘Advance’ face-to-face intensives: 1) one African Advance during their enrollment in the DMin Program, in locations such as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, or Nigeria; 2) two of the annual International Leadership Summits (ILS), to participate in sessions with guest lecturers from a wide variety of disciplinary, theological, and demographic perspectives; and 3) one of the annual Jakes Divinity School Symposiums in Dallas, TX. Students will be challenged with core readings and supplemental materials. From a Texas pastor to an Asian non-government organization, students explore how to join God's work within the African diaspora in light of their own context. Because the world is made smaller and smaller through migrations and online technologies, it is crucial for the ministry leader to expand her or his leadership skills and perspective to respond to global concerns with contextual and social awareness. Students will demonstrate their expanded perspective through integrative reflection reports.  

The delivery system of the Doctor of Ministry in Spirit-filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora program includes participation in several seminars, conferences, or 'field research' experiences around the country or abroad; coursework with faculty specialists, personal academic mentoring by select faculty advisors; online interactivity with cohort members and professors; four (one international and three US based) face-to-face intensives; as well as reading, reflection, research, and writing.

Graduates of the Spirit-filled Global Leadership in the African Diaspora Doctor of Ministry track will:

1. Demonstrate a critical understanding of dynamics of African leadership and their ethical application within the African Diaspora, with particular concern to inform each student’s leadership context. 
2. Gain skills and competencies in DMin research process, critical thinking, academic voice, and ministry application.
3. Gain expertise in a chosen need, problem, opportunity (NPO) research area.
4. Contribute to the understanding and practice of ministry through the completion of a doctoral-level project.

Graduates serve in roles such as pastors in small towns, pastors of megachurches, mission pastors, international senior pastors, and leaders of NGOs, charities, or educational institutions. 

Applicants seeking admission to the Doctor of Ministry program must hold an ATS-accredited MDiv degree or meet the seminary's MDiv-equivalency requirements†, with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

• Completion of the DMin application form and payment of application fee.
• Submission of one official transcript from each college, seminary, or university attended.
• Curriculum vitae or resumé.
• Documentation of ministry experience that demonstrates that the applicant possesses the level of competence and reflection appropriate for advanced, professional ministerial studies. This is normally reflected in the applicant's documentation of full-time participation in ministry for at least three years after the completion of the MDiv degree.
• Three letters of reference (as specified in admissions materials).
• Five self-assessment essays that outline the applicant's spiritual pilgrimage, leadership experience, purpose for pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree, and research interests.
• An academic writing sample.
• An entrance interview with the director or associate director of the DMin program (by invitation only).  In some instances, a second interview may be required by the Partnership institution.
• Non-native English speakers must submit a TOEFL score of 80 (Internet-based) or IELTS 6.5 and complete the Declaration of Finance.  For more information, international applicants can reference the International Graduate Admissions page.

†Equivalency Procedures

An applicant who holds a master's degree but does not hold the MDiv degree from an ATS-accredited seminary may qualify for admission to the DMin program by meeting the ATS requirement of an educational equivalent. The criteria below serve as a guide for assessing equivalency:

• The ability to thoughtfully interpret scripture and the theological tradition of one’s ministry context,
• The capacity to understand and adapt one’s ministry to the cultural context,
• A basic self-understanding of one’s ministerial identity and vocational calling,
• A readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation for one’s ministry,
• An accredited master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling, and
• Significant ministerial experience that enables the applicant to engage as a ministry peer with other students in this advanced professional doctorate.

Upon submission of official transcripts from all prior graduate work, the DMin program director or associate director will assess the correspondence between the applicant's educational portfolio and the MDiv standard and make a recommendation to the DMin Committee concerning the applicant's equivalency status. Applicants needing extra graduate-level coursework to attain equivalency status may be admitted to the program with the stipulation that the appropriate 'leveling' coursework be completed to graduate.

Note:

• Applicants not holding the MDiv and requiring 18 hours of MDiv equivalent leveling work or less may be admitted into the program.
•  Applicants with greater than 18 hours of MDiv equivalent leveling work will not be permitted to enter the DMin program until the remaining amount of required leveling work has been reduced to 18 semester hours of MDiv equivalent leveling work or less.
• Students may complete the 'leveling' work at Portland Seminary or any other ATS accredited institution. Course grade points must average a minimum of 3.0.

Transfer credit from another doctoral program may be allowed up to a maximum or 19 semester hours. Transferability of credits earned at this institution and transferred to another is at the discretion of the receiving institution. Consult the registrar's office for information on eligibility of transfer credit.

All work leading to the DMin must be completed within seven years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires the approval of the DMin Director. Program extension requests must be received prior to the conclusion of the sixth year. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Because of the cohort model used for this DMin program, students must maintain full attendance throughout each module experience. However, a student in good standing who must interrupt his or her studies for compelling reasons may petition the DMin Director for a leave of absence of not more than one year. Students who discontinue enrollment without an official leave of absence will be withdrawn and required to apply for readmission.

The Doctor of Ministry program requires three years and the completion of 36 semester hours of coursework as a minimum for graduation. A maximum of 16 semester hours of coursework may be completed during one calendar year unless a student takes an approved leave of absence or works out an alternative plan with the DMin Director. The dissertation is completed in the third year. Of the total hours required for the degree, 16 hours are in the prescribed 'taught' courses and 20 hours in the research sequence. The program also requires participation in four ‘advance’ face-to-face intensives.

Advances will be for 5-10 days at the following locations: 

Fall, Year 1:

Advance fees cover most meals, lodging, and ground transportation to assigned tours. All transportation costs round trip and other lodging from the country of origin and back from the visiting country are the responsibility of the student.

Students are eligible for admission to candidacy upon completion of all coursework (32 semester hours). To qualify as a doctoral candidate, each student must:

1. Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 with no course grade lower than a B-
2. Submit a topic for the final dissertation and gain approval from the Dissertation Advisor

Students advanced to candidacy continue in the program. Students not advanced to candidacy are given specific guidelines for reevaluation. The Doctor of Ministry office will notify students of their status following the second year of the program.

All Portland Seminary Doctor of Ministry programs include the design and completion of a dissertation during the third year of the program. The dissertation addresses both the nature and the practice of ministry.  As such, the goal of the dissertation is not to offer a unique contribution to ministry in general, but to apply theological research skills to a significant real-world ministry problem.

From the outset of the program, students are paired with a faculty advisor, who supervises the four customized courses over the first two years of the program. This person normally goes on to serve as a student’s dissertation advisor who will guide them in the process of research, development, and completion of the dissertation. The dissertation involves research and writing at both the theoretical and practical levels and serves to evaluate the student's competency in a specialized area of ministry related to his or her personal experience and interest. By engaging in the research courses and through the support of a dissertation advisor, each student receives guidance in choosing a research topic and preparing a proposal for the dissertation. As a prerequisite to candidacy, the student's proposal is submitted to the dissertation advisor for approval. When complete, the candidate submits the dissertation to the dissertation committee, which consists of a primary dissertation advisor and a second advisor at a minimum. Committee members must include representatives from both partner institutions. As part of the evaluation, the candidate must give an oral defense of the dissertation before the advisors.

Track 2 Dissertation (Optional)

As an optional alternative to the traditional written dissertation, students in the program may produce a Track 2 Dissertation, which is composed of two parts: a Written Statement and a Track 2 Artifact. The Written Statement explicates the theoretical underpinnings of the Dissertation. The Track 2 Artifact incarnates a practical, real-world solution to the stated ministry problem utilizing one or more of the following media forms: audio, video, web, print. When completed, the candidates submit the Track 02 Dissertation (consisting of both the Written Statement and Track 2 Artifact) to the dissertation committee, which includes at least primary dissertation advisor, second advisor, and expert advisor. Committee members must include representatives from both partner institutions. As part of the evaluation, the candidate must give an oral defense of the dissertation before the advisors.

In order to graduate with the doctor of ministry degree students must:

• Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 36 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
• Achieve no grade lower than a B- in all core courses. If a grade of a C+ or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).
• Fully participate in all face-to-face intensives.
• Complete any additional MDiv equivalency courses, as may be required.
• Achieve candidacy for the degree.
• Successfully defend the dissertation.
• Be recommended by Portland Seminary faculty and Jakes Divinity School for graduation from George Fox University.