DMin in Leadership and Spiritual Formation

At A Glance

38 Semester credit hours

$604* Cost per semester credit hour

3 Years Program length

Accreditation

ATS (Association of Theological Schools), NWCCU

Format

Online, with 4 retreat intensives in Cannon Beach, Oregon

Tuition cost for entire program

$22,952* (plus $1,700 per retreat intensive)

* All stated financial information is subject to change. Financial aid available.

students conversing in classroom

Influencing like Christ

from the Inside Out

At Portland Seminary, we hold to this conviction: Who you are directly impacts all whom you serve. We recognize that your formational journey will directly influence your vocational one.

It’s a belief that drives our Leadership and Spiritual Formation Doctor of Ministry (DMin) program, which produces graduates who are serving as pastors, chaplains, nonprofit leaders, counselors, educators and innovators around the world.

What Will I Experience?

Under the guidance of Dr. MaryKate Morse, the program emphasizes:

The leader's inner world: Using course materials, experiences and group discernment, you will critically evaluate your inner and outer world to create a Rule of Life for the long haul of ministry.
Leadership and spiritual formation literature: You will expand your imagination and critical thinking skills by exploring the historical and biblical roots of leadership and formation.
Personal and organizational transformation: You will explore current research on the physical, relational, systemic and spiritual complexities of transformation processes.
The role of art and culture in change: You will actively experience the formational value of differing cultures, artistic expressions, and engaging with justice concerns.
Guided research: You will address a ministry challenge from your own context through the Project Portfolio process.

Course Work

As a student in this program, you will gain:

A more authentic understanding of yourself and a refreshed relationship with Christ
An increased capacity for managing and influencing complex, diverse systems
A lifelong learning community
Expertise to become a "Doctor of the Church"

Program Details

Lead-mentor Directed

Seminary dean and lead mentor Dr. MaryKate Morse sets the overall inspiration, ethos and course work. She invites spiritually mature guest mentors with unique content expertise to help guide students through their program experience.

Together with Dr. Morse, the other mentors design each retreat experience to create a formational environment, teach four core courses, facilitate online conversations, and participate in the Project Portfolio examination.

Portland Seminary program cohort meets in small peer groups

Online and Flexible

You will join a cohort that meets once a week for a video-conference conversation with program mentors and engage in online forum discussions with the cohort throughout the week. You will also regularly interact with their project faculty in small peer groups each semester.

Cohort-based

Each fall semester, students are organized into a cohort of 12 to 18 that journey together through the program. The cohort provides a learning community for sharing research, insights and personal ministry experiences.

Academic Retreats in Cannon Beach, Oregon

You will participate in one online orientation to begin the program and attend four academic retreats over the course of your studies. Retreats typically last six to eight nights each and provide spiritually formative experiences as well as academic content.

Retreats will give you the opportunity to follow a daily rhythm of prayer with your cohort under the guidance of Dr. Morse, fellowship around meals, and find space for reflection. You’ll also engage with guest experts and with project faculty.

Due to the rapidly evolving COVID-19 crisis, we are prepared to adjust retreat experiences as necessary to ensure student and faculty safety.

Portland Seminary faculty mentor talking with students

Project Faculty

You will be paired with a project faculty member for three years. Project Faculty join students at key retreats and meet regularly online to guide them in their research.

Project Portfolio

You’ll journey through a series of research milestones to generate the final Project Portfolio that addresses a Need, Problem, or Opportunity (NPO) in your context.