Doctor of Ministry

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree is a doctorate in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, pastoral psychology or the psychology of religion, church growth, homiletics, or spiritual formation. Under Association of Theological Schools (ATS) guidelines, one needs to have completed the equivalent of 3 years of full-time ministry after the initial theological degree, normally the Master of Divinity (M.Div.). If the initial theological degree is not equivalent to the M.Div., preliminary coursework may be required before entering a D.Min. program.

The D.Min. differs from the research-oriented Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Religion or Religious Studies in that the focus is on application-oriented research. Thus, while the PhD and ThD is granted upon the successful completion of a dissertation that makes an original contribution or synthesis to a discrete field of theoretical knowledge, the D.Min. is granted upon the successful completion of a doctoral project and thesis based upon that project.

The D.Min degree is designed for working clergy, and most D.Min. programs are structured to allow for part time study by priests/pastors, missionaries, and denominational leaders. Conversely, the Th.D is considered more academically oriented with original research, language study, translation, and data analysis.

[edit] Trivia

• Université Laval in Québec City offers a Doctor of Practical Theology (DThP), which is based on the same model as the DMin.

Academic degrees v • d • e
Associate's degrees (U.S.)	AA, AAS, ABA, ABS, AOS, AS, AMusA (Australia), ASN
Foundation degrees (U.K.)	FdA, FdEd, FdEng, FdMus, FdBus, FdSc, FdTech
Bachelor's degrees	AB or BA, BAcy, BAdm, BAgrEc, BArch, BBA, BBus, BCom or BComm, BCS, BCL, STB, BD, BDent, BDS, B.Ed., BEc, BEng or BE, BSBME, BFA, BHSc, BGS,BHE, BHK, BID, BJ, BTh, BLibStud, BLIS, BMath, BMedSc or BMedSci, BMus, BSN, BPE, BPharm, BS or BSc or SB, BSc(Agr) or BSA, BSocSci, BSW, BTech, LLA, LLB, MB ChB or MB BS or BM BS or MB BChir or MB BCh BAO, MA (Cantab.), MA (Dubl.), MA (Hons), MA (Oxon.)
Master's degrees	MArch, MA, MAT, MALS or MLS, MS or MSc, MSt, DEA, MAcy, MALD, MApol, MPhil, MRes, MFA, MTech, MBA, MBI, MBT, MComm, MDes, MTh, MTS, MDiv, MEd, MMT, MPA, MPD, MPS, MSN, MProfStuds, MJ, MST, MSW, MPAff, MLIS, MLitt, MPH, MPM, MPP, MPT, MRE, MTheol/ThM/MTh, STM, LLM, MEng, MSci, MBio, MChem, MPhys, MMath, MMedSc or MMedSci, MMus, MESci, MGeol, MTCM, MSSc, BCL (Oxon), BPhil (Oxon), ThM
Licentiate degrees:	Lic Arts, LDS, JCL, STL, SSL, LSS, PhL
Specialist degrees	EdS, SSP, CAS
Engineer's degrees	AE, BE, BME, CE, CE, ChE, EE, CpE, ECS, EnvE, MSE, ME, NavE, NuclE, Ocean E, SysE, Eng
First-professional degrees	AuD, DC, DCM, DDS, DMD, JD, MD (US), DPT, ND, OD, DO (US only), PharmD, DP, PodD, DPM, MDiv, MHL, DVM, PD, STB
Doctoral degrees	PhD, DPS, EdD, DEng, EngD, DEnv, DBA, DD, JCD, SSD, JUD, DSc, DLitt, DA, MD (out of US and Canada), DMA, DMus, DCL, ThD, DrPH, DPT, DPhil, PsyD, DSW, JD, LLD, LHD, JSD, SJD, JuDr, STD, DMin