The Degree

The Doctor of Ministry is a professional degree providing qualified students the opportunity to achieve a high level of excellence in the practice of ministry. The degree is built on prerequisites including the Master of Divinity degree or equivalent theological preparation, high intellectual achievement and professional capability, and substantial professional experience in ministry between completion of the Master of Divinity degree program and application to the Doctor of Ministry degree program.

How are courses delivered?

The Doctor of Ministry program is conducted in three trimesters per year. The Winter Trimester runs from November-February, with most seminars and workshops meeting the second and third week of January. The Spring Trimester runs from March-June, with most seminars and workshops meeting the two weeks after the Spring graduation in May. The Fall Trimester runs from July-October, with most seminars and workshops meeting the two weeks in September immediately after the week of Labor Day.

Workshops and seminars are offered on the New Orleans, Atlanta, Orlando, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Shreveport, Pineville, Birmingham, Nashville, and Little Rock campuses. Many seminars and workshops held on the New Orleans campus are broadcast via Compressed Interactive Video (CIV) to the various extension center sites. Workshops and seminars meet in a variety of formats. Selected workshops are available in a one-weekend format.  Other seminars follow two-weekend, one-week, or other concentrated formats. Periodically Special Event Seminars are offered in conjunction with selected campus and off-campus events like convention meetings, local church conferences, mission projects, etc. These seminars normally involve interaction with an elected faculty member at the event location. The delivery format for each course is noted on the schedule for each trimester.  A current list of workshop/seminar offerings can be obtained from the CME website.

Where are courses offered?

In addition to the New Orleans campus, workshops and seminars will be offered at the Atlanta, Orlando, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Shreveport, Pineville, Birmingham, Nashville, and Little Rock locations via on-site professors and/or Compressed Interactive Video (CIV) unless such a broadcast cannot be justified due to low student enrollment.

A student likely can complete his or her program from an extension center site in the same amount of time as a student at the New Orleans campus. Students may take seminars from any of the campus locations.

What are the program's requirements?

WORKSHOPS (7 hours)

• Program Overview and Research Writing (2 hours)
• Mid-Career Assessment (2 hours)
• Project in Ministry Design (2 hours)
• PDRC8100 Intro to NOBTS, the SBC, and the Cooperative Program (1 hour - no tuition)

SEMINARS (18 hours)

• Three divisional seminars, one from each of three of the five academic divisions (9 hours)
• Three specialization seminars germane to a designated specialization (9 hours)

PROJECT IN MINISTRY (6 hours)

• Project Implementation, Project Report, and Exit Interview

What Kind of on-campus work is involved?

WORKSHOPS

ON-CAMPUS SEMINARS

At least three of the six seminars must be taken at one of the campus locations (New Orleans,  Atlanta, Orlando, Jacksonville, Pensacola, Shreveport, Pineville, Birmingham, Nashville, or Little Rock). Two of these seminars must relate to the student's area of specialization.

DIRECTED STUDY SEMINARS

Three of the student's six seminars (including Special Events) may be taken independent of on-campus meetings under the direction of an elected faculty member.

• Directed Studies Paralleling On-Campus Seminars: Students may choose to take an on-campus seminar as a directed study.
• Specialized Directed Studies: Students may petition a professor to design a directed study which addresses some specific area related to his/her specialization, project, or other area of interest.

How long does the program take to complete?

DURATION: Normally 3-5 years
COURSE LOAD: 8 hour maximum per trimester

How much does the program cost?

TUITION AND FEES

• $230 per trimester hour (x 30 hours) for Southern Baptist students
• $460 per trimester hour (x 30 hours) for Non-Southern Baptist students

HOUSING AND FOOD

Available on campus and at near-by locations at minimal cost.

BOOKS

Dependent on respective courses

How does the admissions process work?

STEP #1

Complete an Application Request Form on this website reflecting:

• An M.Div. from an ATS accredited school, or its equivalent (MACE/MRE/MARE students may earn equivalency in a number of ways, or may choose to pursue the Doctor of Educational Ministry degree).
• A 3.0 out of 4.0 GPA (2.0 out of 3.0) - Probational enrollment may be granted for GPAs from 2.75 - 2.99 contingent upon satisfactory completion of the Graduate Record Exam (GRE).
• Three years of substantial post-M.Div. ministry experience.

STEP #2

Upon receiving a formal application packet from the Office of Professional Doctoral Programs, submit the following:

• Official transcript(s) verifying the above requirements (forwarded by the respective institution)
• An autobiographical essay
• A statement of church endorsement
• A health certificate and immunization form
• Personal, professional, and academic references
• Verification of Internet/e-mail capability (not required but strongly encouraged)
• Completion of English as a second language requirements (foreign students only)

STEP #3

The application process is completed after a phone interview with the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program

STEP #4

Complete additional requirements specifically related to your specialization (if any).

What prior education do I need?

The Doctor of Ministry degree requires an M.Div. or its equivalent. Those whose seminary degrees were either the Master of Religious Education (MRE), the Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE), or the Master of Arts in Religious Education (MARE) should first contact the Office of Professional Doctoral Programs via the Contact Information to inquire about the various possibilities for attaining equivalency or about pursuing the Doctor of Educational Ministry degree.

Normally for the D.Min. degree, a student holding a MRE, MACE, or MARE degree must earn additional credit hours in Biblical, Theological/ Historical, and Pastoral studies. This equivalency must be satisfied completely before application can be made for any of the D.Min. specializations. The successful completion of the equivalency program in no way guarantees admissions into the D.Min. program.

Normally, an equivalency student may elect any combination of the following:

• Register for regular masters-level or academic workshops as a non-degree student. Two credit hours are earned by the successful completion of each course or workshop.
• Register for regularly scheduled D.Min. seminars as a non-degree student, earning 3 hours of master's credit toward equivalency. None of those seminars selected for the purpose of equivalency can be used later in the D.Min. program.
• Earn graduate hours from other accredited institutions.

How do I get started?

WINTER TRIMESTER

• Admissions Steps #1, #2, and #3 completed by August 1st.
• Approval notification by September 1st.
• Registration deadline October 15th.
• Syllabi available by November 1st.

SPRING TRIMESTER

• Admissions Steps #1, #2, and #3 completed by December 1st.
• Approval notification by January 1st.
• Registration deadline February 15th.
• Syllabi available by March 1st.

FALL TRIMESTER

• Admissions Steps #1, #2, and #3 completed by April 1st.
• Approval notification by May 1st.
• Registration deadline: June 15th.
• Syllabi available by July 1st.