The Doctor of Ministry degree is a three-to-four-year, 32-hour degree program and is the highest professional degree offered by a theological school. The McAfee Doctor of Ministry Degree program was developed to help those seeking to enhance their ministry by providing the level of knowledge, theoretical clarity, and competence of practice commensurate with the highest earned degree for the profession and practice of ministry. Students remain in their fields of service for the entire program, coming to McAfee for classes and focused collegial interaction, for individual study at the library, or to engage in consultation with the student’s faculty supervisor.
Faculty Supervision
Each doctoral student will work closely with a Faculty Supervisor in their area of specialization. Faculty Supervisors provide advising in the program process, collaboration on integrating research and ministry, and supervision of the Project Thesis.
Mentoring and Advanced Research Integration
Students complete three classes of mentoring through spiritual direction and coaching. A Spiritual Director or a Ministry Coach works with the student in each unit and serves on the student’s oral defense committee. Guided by faculty and Directors or Coaches, students will focus on their own vocation, context, and specialization as they explore spirituality, vocation, contextual competency, and research while working towards developing a project proposal for their thesis.
Seminars
Students will attend three seminars on campus of 2 weeks duration each, normally scheduled in summer. One week is online and the second week is on campus.
Project Thesis
The culmination of the D.Min. program is the completion of a Project Thesis. The Project Thesis reflects the research skills learned in the program and demonstrates the student’s capacity to integrate biblical, theological, historical, and contextual research with a specific ministry project that is practical and reflective of the student’s abilities as a leader and minister.