Advanced Degrees

• 3 year minimum/6 year maximum

• A ministry-related master’s degree from an accredited institution
• 3.0 GPA in graduate work (will consider a lower GPA based on strength of application)
• Significant vocational ministry experience
• Current ministry position

Students can seamlessly complete a Master of Arts or Master of Divinity followed by a Doctor of Ministry degree in 5 years or more. The Doctor of Ministry program seeks to meet accreditation standards for Master of Divinity equivalency by evaluating students through a wide range of academic and ministerial aspects, graded on a comprehensive rubric.  To meet the six criteria established by ATS for MDiv equivalency, students without an MDiv must complete a Qualification Packet in which they demonstrate mastery in theological integration. The DMin Committee evaluates each applicant’s qualification packet to verify that each of the six criteria has been met. All DMin applicants must receive a minimum score on the comprehensive rubric, as well as have three or more Committee members recommend acceptance to the DMin program to be unconditionally admitted.

Modified Residency

• 2 visits per year for the first 2 years for seminars on SEBTS campus in Wake Forest, NC.
• Workshops and CLE’s are completed through a synchronous learning format online via Zoom.
• Seminars and Workshops are usually 9 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Seminars occur in the Summer and Winter terms

Fully Online Cohort

• All courses are completed through a synchronous learning format online via Zoom.
• Seminars and Workshops are usually 9 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
• Seminars occur in the Spring and Fall terms.

Complete and submit the online application materials here.

Submit official transcripts (Bachelor, MDiv and any other graduate work) to the DMin office:

Doctor of Ministry Office

P.O. Box 1889

120 S. Wingate Street

Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889

Phone: 919-761-2216

• 4 three-day seminars
• 4 workshops in a synchronous learning format online via Zoom
• 2 contextualized learning experiences in a synchronous learning format online via Zoom
• Ministry Project (final year)

Please reference the official Tuition and Fees page for SEBTS.

The director of the DMin program will consider the transfer of credit hours from accredited programs on a case-by-case basis. Minimally, all transfer students must complete at least 12 credit hours of DMin work at Southeastern, including the Ministry Project and Project Report (6 credit hours), the Project Design Workshop (3 credit hours), and one seminar (3 credit hours).

Proofreader support for the project proposal and the project report is a service provided to students for the cost of $2 per page and will be arranged through the DMin office. This service requires a student to send a digital copy of each document to the DMin office. This service is provided because students have faced difficulty finding a qualified person who understands the seminary standards for formal writing to proofread these documents. The DMin office has secured the services of our top proofreaders on campus for proofreading to help our students. This service will provide evaluation consistent with the seminary expectations. Students may request a second reading for the cost of $1 per page. While the service is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended due to the style and form problems experienced by so many students. Final proofreading of the project report is required for all students.

The Doctor of Ministry is a professional degree offered in ministry while students serve in a ministry position. During each Contextualized Learning Experience (CLE), students will utilize seminar content and ministry assessments to determine critical needs within the ministry context, leading toward a ministry project. Each CLE will be offered during the first and third semesters. Students will examine their ministry settings, participate in online dialogue with their cohort, and receive expert guidance from the professor in developing their ministry projects.

Each CLE course will:

• Offer 2 hours credit
• Include an online component through which students maintain interaction with their focus cohort and professor
• Prepare for the Ministry Project
• Learn to think critically in addressing ministry concerns
• Develop skills in assessing the ministry context
• Provide practical ministry for the field
• Require additional reading and research

Seminars are offered in very intensive sessions, typically meeting Wednesday-Friday, during which students will engage with faculty and guest lecturers selected for their expertise and accomplishments in specific fields.

Each seminar will require a significant amount of work to be completed prior to the first meeting. This pre-work will include significant reading, writing papers and other possible assignments. Due to the amount of work involved, students will be expected to begin preparation months before the selected seminar. These assignments can be found in the seminar syllabus provided months before the seminar week. Students should also be prepared to complete assignments during the seminar week and following the seminar week. Each seminar offers three credit hours.

In the two-day workshop, students will learn how to build biblical and theological foundations for ministry actions. Opportunities for inter-disciplinary dialogue will be encouraged as students discuss theological foundations for particular ministries. Attention will be given to sound hermeneutics and appropriate theological understanding of a passage of scripture. This course offers 2 credit hours.

The workshop will provide specific preparation for selecting a ministry project, writing the ministry project proposal, conducting the ministry project, and completing the ministry project report.

Following the conclusion of the course, students should be equipped to submit a final version of the ministry project proposal for approval to their faculty supervisor and the director of the DMin program. The approved proposal will become the basis for the first chapter of the ministry project report. This course offers 3 credit hours.

This workshop is designed in a two-day format and helps students consider the minister’s life from a personal and professional perspective. Special attention will be given to understanding emotional, relational, and spiritual issues that hinder ministerial effectiveness. Ministerial ethics will also be considered, especially in the areas of abuse reporting, confidentiality, dual relationships, and counseling. This course offers 3 credit hours.

Many students receive funding from their sending churches, denominational scholarship support, and SEBTS institutional aid. Information regarding Southeastern’s available scholarships can be found here. For further inquiry, students are encouraged to contact the Doctor of Ministry office. Please click here to see a tuition breakdown.