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Doctor of Ministry

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Program at a Glance

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Overview

The Doctor of Ministry, often referred to as D.Min. or DMin, is offered through Talbot School of Theology at Biola University. Designed to help ministry leaders, ministry professionals and church leaders improve their ministry skills, the Doctor of Ministry degree program allows you to continue in your full-time ministry while you learn, reflect and polish the gifts God has given you within a strong community.

Students are asked to come to campus only two weeks a year for training by some of the world’s best faculty in small classes filled with people with passion for ministry, Christ, community and more. Biola's location, just outside the great city of Los Angeles, California, makes it easy for individuals from all over the world to come and learn with us while pursuing doctoral degrees. The Doctor of Ministry program cost is modest, while the value of what can be gained is priceless. We invite you to join us and “fan into flame the gift of God that is in you” (2 Tim. 1:6).


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Program Tracks

D.Min. Program Distinctives

Talbot’s Doctor of Ministry program offers the first-class, ministry-oriented education that you have always wanted. Here is some of what will set your experience apart.

  • Cohort-Based. We believe the best learning occurs within relationships and community. We limit the size of our cohorts so you can develop personal relationships with each other. Your academic pilgrimage will be with classmates who share your passion within a ministry setting. You may come from different geographic and ministry backgrounds, but you will gather here to learn together and form friendships that will last a lifetime.
  • Faculty-Mentor Led. The faculty are recognized experts in their fields who want to share their lives, as well as their expertise. Because we limit the size of the cohorts, that can happen. From start to finish, and beyond, our faculty-mentors care about you as a person.
  • Practitioner-Sensitive. Our program gives you the opportunity to focus on ministry in general or on a specific aspect of ministry. Talbot offers numerous specialty tracks, not a generic “one size fits all” program, to help you develop deep expertise in the area of ministry that you are most passionate about. We do not waste your time with academic busy work. Your assignments will be integrated into and designed to assist your ministry. This program is intensely practical.
  • Spiritual Formation-Focused. The faculty-mentors and Talbot's Institute for Spiritual Formation work together to help you to develop the mind and spiritual character necessary for effective ministry.

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Program Structure

Talbot’s Doctor of Ministry program is designed to fit into your busy ministry schedule. We offer a selection of “specialty tracks” designed to enhance your area of ministry by exposing you to the latest scholarship and world-class experts.

Talbot’s Doctor of Ministry program has two parts: residency coursework and the writing of a doctoral project. The residency work is completed in an uninterrupted sequence of two weeks per year over three years. During your first three years, you will spend two continuous weeks per year in intensive coursework. At the end of the third year, you will submit your doctoral project proposal and begin writing your doctoral project. You have six years to complete the entire program.

  • Residency Preparation (3 times). The semester before each residency, extensive reading and preparation are assigned by the faculty-mentor. You should plan to devote one day per week in preparation for the residency.
  • Residences (3 times). Each year’s two-week residency consists of two one-week courses. The courses are designed sequentially so you acquire increasing competency in the selected area of concentration, both in terms of conceptual understanding and praxis, from one year to the next. The focus of each year is the pre-residency work, the residency itself, and a major post-residency ministry project to be carried out following each residency. You must successfully complete your post-residency projects in order to advance in the program.
  • Spiritual Formation Retreat (1 time). During the first weekend of the first residency every student will participate in a spiritual formation retreat along with his or her cohort. This retreat will be led by Talbot’s Institute for Spiritual Formation and will encourage you to experience continued growth in spiritual maturity.
  • Doctoral Project (1 time). Your doctoral project is the capstone project of the program. It is the culmination of previous learning in the program and a demonstration of your ability to engage in ministry as a scholar-practitioner in a given area of specialization. In addition to the faculty-mentor, you will be assigned a reader. With the faculty-mentor playing the lead role, these two faculty members form the project committee and guide you through the process, approving each aspect of the doctoral project from the initial proposal through to the final draft. Doctoral project proposals will only be accepted from students who have maintained a cumulative 3.0 GPA. The final requirements for degree completion is a successful presentation of the completed doctoral project to your mentor and the reader, and the presentation of an acceptable project to the D.Min. office.

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Program Goals

  • Demonstrate, from a Christian framework, an understanding of biblical and theological principles and research procedures derived from scholarly research and personal Bible study, that will inform both the student's scholarship for and the practice of Christian educational ministry, as well as the student's personal spiritual formation and growing relationship with God.
  • Demonstrate competency in critical thinking about and knowledge of the field of Christian educational studies and ministry that will guide the development of philosophies of ministry and knowledgeable utilization of social science research to inform the student's scholarship for and the practice of Christian educational ministry from an integrative perspective (theology, philosophy and social sciences) as displayed in both written and oral communication.
  • Demonstrate enhanced competence as a faculty member, in teaching suitable for higher education and other formal and informal settings in effective course design, in providing educational leadership in curriculum development, and a commitment to the vocation of academic scholarship in its dimensions of teaching, learning, research and service (this applies to both programs, but especially the Ph.D. program).
  • Demonstrate competence and ethical practices in designing and carrying out sound field research to address local or institutional needs.
  • Locate, analyze, critically evaluate, synthesize, and apply knowledge from the literature of the broad field of educational studies to address the needs of educational and ministry settings.
  • Demonstrate proficiency in carrying out biblical and theological research, integrating theological and social science data to inform and guide educational and ministry practice.
  • Demonstrate teaching abilities and skills suitable for higher educational settings.
  • Demonstrate the needed writing skills to communicate with both academic audiences and educational and ministry practitioners.
  • Give evidence of ongoing personal openness and spiritual responsiveness to God and a desire to continue to grow in relationship with God.

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Admissions & Deadlines

As a Christian institution, Biola seeks to admit applicants whose backgrounds clearly demonstrate scholarly aptitude, a commitment to the historic Christian faith, personal character and integrity, and a positive service-oriented motivation toward their field of study. Biola does not discriminate on the basis of the applicant's race, color, sex, socio-economic status, disability, or national or ethnic origin.

Education and GPA Requirements

  • You must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited educational institution, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • You must also have a master's degree or its educational equivalent in a ministry-related area from an accredited educational institution, with a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
  • While this is evaluated by the Doctor of Ministry Office on a case-by-case basis, we typically look for at least 36 semester credits of graduate theological education in the areas of Biblical Studies, Christian Thought, and Ministry Praxis. Applicants will also be required to demonstrate the following:
    • The ability to thoughtfully interpret scripture and the theological tradition of one’s ministry context
    • The capacity to understand and adapt one’s ministry to the cultural context
    • A basic self-understanding of one’s ministerial identity and vocational calling
    • A readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual formation
    • An accredited master’s degree (or its educational equivalent) in an area related to one’s ministry setting or vocational calling
    • Significant ministerial experience

Sometimes partial credit for applicable undergraduate units (two undergraduate credits = one graduate credit) may be counted, up to a maximum of ten graduate semester credits.

Prerequisites

  • In order to be eligible for our Doctor of Ministry program, applicants must demonstrate significant ministerial experience. While this is evaluated on a case-by-case basis, we typically look for at least three years of vocational ministry experience in church or parachurch organizations. We are willing to consider appropriate part-time or full-time, paid or unpaid, ordained, licensed, or appointed ministry leadership positions.

English Proficiency Requirements

  • If English is not your first language, you are required to display your English proficiency before admittance into a Biola University graduate program. See “English Proficiency” in the application steps section below.

Application Deadlines

  • General Deadline: November 1

Visit Biola

Explore our sunny Southern California campus in person or virtually. Learn more about your program of interest and the admissions process by scheduling an appointment with an admissions counselor.

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Meet Your Admissions Counselor

If you have more questions about the program, admissions process or Biola in general, schedule a phone call or send an email to your admissions counselor.

Graduate Admissions Counselor

Photo of Mike Klunder
Mike Klunder

Email: michael.klunder@biola.edu
Phone: (562) 906-4115
Book a Phone or Virtual Appointment

International Graduate Admissions Counselor

The Office of International Admissions serves students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Email: grad.international@biola.edu
Book a Phone or Virtual Appointment

Application Steps

  1. Complete and submit the online application

  2. Submit a non-refundable $65 application fee

  3. Submit supplemental application materials through your online application portal:

    4. Official Transcripts

    • Submit all official transcripts from previous academic institutions.
      • Request official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
      • If enrolled at the time the application is filed, be sure to request transcripts of work finished to date and final transcripts upon completion of your course of study.
      • Transcripts will be considered official only when a) mailed directly from the institution to Biola, b) sent electronically through an approved vendor or c) physically delivered in an untampered envelope sealed by the institution. Final approval for admission is contingent on receiving an official transcript.
        • Mail transcripts to:
          Biola University Office of Graduate Admissions
          13800 Biola Avenue, La Mirada, CA 90639
    • Note for International Students: All international transcripts need U.S. grade equivalencies noted (i.e. GPA on a 4.0 scale). If your transcripts do not show U.S. grade equivalencies, you must have them evaluated by a credential evaluation agency like SpanTran (Biola Discount), World Education Services (WES) or Foundation for International Services (FIS). Be sure to choose "course by course report" and have SpanTran/WES/FIS send them directly to Biola University via online portal or post (13800 Biola Ave, La Mirada, CA 90639) in order to be considered official.

    Four Reference Letters

    • One clergy member reference
    • One lay person reference
    • One spouse reference (if applicable)
    • One church ministry statement of support
    • Note: Additional instructions can be found in the online application.

    Six Essays

    • Three ministry essays (100–300 words each)
      • Tell us about your ministerial experience.
      • Tell us about your personal strengths and weaknesses.
      • Tell us about your objectives in pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree.
    • Three salvation essays (100–300 words each)
      • Explain in your own words the Scriptural basis for your salvation.
      • Describe your conversion experience.
      • State briefly the cardinal points of your faith.
    • Note: The essay prompts can be found in the online application.

    English Proficiency (required for non-native English speakers)

    • Evidence of English proficiency is required for all students to support student success. Proficiency must be shown through one of the methods described below:
      • Minimum test score on a qualifying standardized test
        • TOEFL: minimum score of 100 iBT
        • IELTS: minimum score of 7.5
        • Duolingo: minimum score of 125
      • A degree (bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral) issued by an institution where English is the medium of instruction.
        • Official written communication from the institution (Registrar, Controller of Examinations Office, or Undergraduate College)
        • Official degree statements or transcripts may be accepted given English is stated as the medium of instruction
        • Official catalog verification
        • Note: For universities from non-Anglophone countries, further language assessment may be required.
      • Completion of the English Language Scholars (ELS) with passing status on the ELS's final exit exam, which must be approved by the ELS Director in collaboration with the academic program committee. An updated TOEFL or IELTS score may be used at the end of a term to test directly into the graduate program for the following term.
      • Qualify for English Language Scholars (ELS), which allows students who do not meet the minimum TOEFL, IELTS or Duolingo scores to still enroll in their graduate degree program. Students would be taking academic English courses concurrently with the graduate degree program courses. 
        • Students eligible for ELS will be assessed by the ELS Director to determine the total number of academic English courses to take while enrolled in their graduate program courses. The following are the scores needed to qualify for ELS: TOEFL iBT 90 / IELTS 7.0 / Duolingo 110–124.
        • Note: Students must be admitted to the graduate program first to be considered for ELS.

     

    Additional Forms

     

    Things to Note

    • Track your application status at any time. You do not have to complete the application in one sitting. You can complete a portion and finish at a later time. Your information will be saved. When you apply, to guarantee confidentiality, you will be asked to create a user name and a password, and will receive a personalized identification number. Track your application status by logging in to the online application.
    • Official documents presented for admission or evaluation become part of the student’s academic file and normally cannot be returned or copied for distribution.
    • International students who will be studying on campus are required to apply for an F-1 student visa. For more information, visit biola.edu/international/admitted-students.

Common Questions

The D.Min. degree is a “professional” degree. What does that mean?

The Doctor of Ministry degree is designed to help participants to further develop the highest levels of expertise in church, parish, parachurch, and missionary service. The D.Min. degree is similar to other professional degrees like a J.D. or M.D. in that it provides students with a practical education focused on perfecting practical skills. The D.Min. degree is designed for those working in a full-time ministry capacity.

Why should I get a D.Min. from Talbot?

Talbot’s Doctor of Ministry program has four distinctives: it is cohort-based, faculty-mentor led, specialty-focused and practitioner-sensitive. You will be part of a small learning group (cohort) led by one of our expert faculty leaders (faculty-mentor) in a ministry area that you are passionate about (specialty-focused) that will help you develop the highest levels of expertise (practitioner-sensitive) in ministry. You will be trained in a ministry context while pursuing your degree in one of the best doctor of ministry programs.

What if I don’t have an M.Div.?

An M.Div.is no longer required for admission. A student must have completed either an M.Div. or an M.A. in a ministry-related field from an accredited institution, with at least 36 credits of Bible, theology, and/or praxis coursework at the Master's level. Please review the admission requirements for more information.

What if I don’t have three years of ministry experience post graduation?

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program is designed for vocational ministers. The ministry experience requirement validates that a student is actually ministering. If you wonder if your experience qualifies, please contact the D.Min. office.

How long will it take to get my D.Min. degree?

Successful completion of the Doctor of Ministry program includes three years of residency work and the completion of a doctoral project, which may take an additional year or two. Most students complete their degree in five years. However, students are permitted up to six years to complete the program.

I’m in ministry and have a family, can I still find time to complete the D.Min. program?

The Doctor of Ministry program is designed for adult learners, serving in full-time ministry. Most students spend about one day a week on program assignments. We will not bog you down with academic busy work, but instead focus on the effectiveness of assignments. What you do in the classroom will be directly and immediately relevant to your ministry and ministry setting, however you will need to utilize your time-management skills to balance ministry, family and this advanced study.

How much time do I need to spend on campus?

D.Min. students are required to be on campus for an annual two week residency during the first three years of the program. In addition, students may need to set aside time to come to campus to meet with their faculty mentors as they work on their doctoral project. Students are required to be present for the formal presentation of their doctoral projects and the Graduation Ceremony.

What is a “residency”? How many are there?

“Residency” refers to the two-week time period in which students receive classroom instruction that usually meets on campus. Students will meet eight hours a day, Monday through Friday of each week. This time will be used to interact with the pre-residency readings and course assignments as well as learn new material and embark on new projects.

What is a faculty-mentor?

Your faculty-mentor will be a Talbot professor who teaches your specialty track and oversees and approves the required work.

Do I have to write a thesis or dissertation?

The writing of the doctoral project is the culmination of your work in the program and is a requirement to obtaining your D.Min. degree. This doctoral project is similar in scope and effort to a Ph.D. dissertation, but your doctoral project will address a practical ministry issue relevant to you or your local church.

Is there a doctoral project oral defense?

The doctoral project is not “defended” like a Ph.D. dissertation, however there is a formal presentation to and evaluation by your faculty member and the rest of your thesis committee when your doctoral project is complete.

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Format

Hybrid (On Campus and Online): This program includes a blend of course formats, including online and in person at Biola University's Southern California campus.

Total Credits

Every program at Biola University features rigorous academics, biblically integrated curriculum and vocational preparation.

Cost per Credit

This is the cost per credit; total tuition costs for each term will differ for part-time and full-time students.

Standard Completion Time

This indicates the standard duration of this program. Completion time may vary depending on transferred coursework and preferred courseload.

Accreditation

Biola University is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission. Additional accreditations may apply to specific programs.