Doctor of Ministry
{{Short description|Professional doctorate in religion}}
File:Dr. Clifford Berger read for the DMin (13940695628).jpg reads during a hooding ceremony for new DMin graduates.]]
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) is a doctorate in religious ministry. It often includes an original research component, and may be earned by a minister of religion while concurrently engaged in ministry. It is categorized as an advanced doctoral degree that prepares for religious leadership, teaching, and pastoral scholarship.{{Cite book |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250326030956/https://www.ats.edu/files/galleries/standards-of-accreditation.pdf |title=Standards of Accreditation for The Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools |collaboration=The Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting |date=June 2020 |pages=12}} The Doctor of Ministry is primarily concerned with the "acquisition of knowledge and research skills, to further advance or enhance professional practice"{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Nancy-Jane |title=Achieving Your Professional Doctorate: A Handbook |publisher=McGraw Hill |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-335-22721-1 |location=New York |pages=6}}
Doctor of Ministry by Country
= United States and Canada =
ATS accreditation standards requires matriculants to have a Master of Divinity (MDiv) or its equivalent{{cite book |author=Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools |url=http://www.ats.edu/Accrediting/Documents/DegreeProgramStandards.pdf#page=21 |title=Standards of Accreditation |publisher=Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada |pages=124–126 |chapter=Degree Program Standards: Doctor of Ministry |access-date=2012-06-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121119033829/http://www.ats.edu/Accrediting/Documents/DegreeProgramStandards.pdf#page=21 |archive-date=2012-11-19 |url-status=dead}} and no fewer than three years of full-time ministry, and candidates to complete at least one year of coursework before the doctoral dissertation or research project. The degree requires a minimum of 30 semester credits. Normally, the degree requires between three and six years to complete. The degree's purpose is to "enhance the practice of ministry for persons who hold the MDiv or its educational equivalent and who have engaged in substantial ministerial leadership."
135 ATS accredited schools offer the degree.{{Cite journal |last=Tanner |first=Tom |date=February 2020 |others=The Association of Theological Schools Commission on Accrediting |title=New data to consider on duration of Doctor of Ministry degree |url=https://www.ats.edu/files/galleries/new-data-on-dmin-duration.pdf |journal=Colloquy Online |via=}} Doctor of Ministry concentrations vary by institution and include biblical studies, applied theology, evangelism, pastoral counseling or the psychology of religion, homiletics, spiritual formation, ethics, church growth, church leadership, apologetics{{cite web|title=DMin Concentrations|url=http://www.sbts.edu/doctoral/dmin/concentrations/|website=Southern Baptist Theological Seminary|access-date=17 January 2018}} and Bible translation.
= Australia =
In Australia, under the Australian College of Theology standards, the D.Min. degree is academically equivalent to a Ph.D. or Th.D. within the same Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF level 10) research doctoral award{{Cite web|url=https://www.actheology.edu.au/our-courses/|title=Our Courses – Australian College of Theology|website=www.actheology.edu.au|access-date=2019-01-14}} which is to "qualify individuals who apply a substantial body of knowledge to research, investigate and develop new knowledge, in one or more fields of investigation, scholarship or professional practice."{{Cite web|url=https://www.aqf.edu.au/aqf-qualifications|title=AQF qualifications|last=Garland|first=Andrew|date=2015-02-06|website=www.aqf.edu.au|language=en|access-date=2019-01-14}} As such, the admission requirements, length of study, and the overall academic requirements of the three degrees are the same: candidates must submit a final thesis of 80,000-100,000 words in order to complete the degree.{{Cite web|url=https://www.actheology.edu.au/course/DMIN12/|title=Doctor of Ministry|website=www.actheology.edu.au|access-date=2019-01-14}}