Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministry

Program Snapshot

32	Credit Hours	10 Classes
3	Years to Complete
Online or Modular
	Next Start Date	June 1

Hone various skills as an expert-practitioner with the ability to choose from a wide array of courses that works best for your ministry context.

The Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministry is specifically designed to provide students with an opportunity to custom tailor a doctoral education towards sharpening specific ministry skills in key areas.

Modular or online format – relocation to Louisville not required.

Students will complete this program with trips to campus twice each year for doctoral seminars in January and July.

Online students will attend seminars via virtual meeting synchronously with the on-campus seminars.

You may view the program schedule here.

The church deserves the very best leaders.

Foundational Seminars
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
80610	Intro to Doctoral Research and Writing	1
80600	Project Methodology	1
Total		2

Christian Ministry Seminars
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
	Four Foundational Seminars¹	16
Total		16

Writing and Project Stage
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
	Contextualized Writing Seminars	8
	Ministry Research Project or Thesis	6
Total		14

Total Doctor of Ministry in Christian Ministry: 32

Students will choose four seminars from the list areas listed below.

This program of study is also offered as a 46 hour Doctor of Educational Ministry degree.

Seminar-area options:

*The Christian Ministry concentration may be completed online by taking online seminars from the Applied Theology, Global Missions, and Biblical Counseling concentrations.

Special permission required for:

Frequently Asked Questions

Student wearing cap and gown on graduation day

The D.Min. degree at Southern Seminary exists to train leaders to be expert practitioners in their area of study.

The degree culminates in a Ministry Research Project (100-125 pages) where students will apply professional knowledge and documented research into the context of their ministry.

Examples of past projects include:

Integrating Biblical Counseling into the Small Group Discipleship Model at Foothills Church
Equipping Students of Chaparral Hills Baptist Church to Meditate on the Bible
Training Men towards Pastoral Ordination at Watson Memorial Baptist Church
Anchored in Identity: Opposition and the People of God in 1 Peter

The Doctor of Ministry is for anyone serving in a ministry or leadership capacity who wants to increase in skill and knowledge. It鈥檚 about helping church and ministry leaders improve what they鈥檙e actively doing every week.

This concentration require a regionally-accredited master鈥檚 degree (M.Div., MACE., or M.A.) totaling no fewer than 48 hours, with at least twelve hours in biblical or theological studies and at least twelve hours in leadership, administration, education, or ministry studies, with a GPA of at least a B (3.0).

If you have previous masters-level credit but do not have the required hours for admission, you may submit a to the admissions office to find out if you qualify for 网曝吃瓜 DMin programs.*

For a complete listing of DMin admissions requirements, see the “Admissions” tab.

*International transcripts must be evaluated by a for both admissions consideration and for equivalency requests.

Our unique structure ensures the timely and successful completion of your degree program, as you begin work on your doctoral project writing from day one.

Students will visit campus twice a year for seminars during their first 2 years in the program. Click here to view a sample schedule.

Students receive program advising from the Office of Professional Doctoral Studies throughout the entire program of study. Upon completion of Project Methodology (80600), the student is assigned to a faculty supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for guiding the student鈥檚 progress through the Ministry Research Project or Research Thesis.

D.Ed.Min. students will follow the same curriculum as the D.Min., but will also take 14 additional hours of educational and pedagogical seminars (for a program total of 46 hours).

Note that program costs differ between the D.Min. and D.Ed.Min.

Admissions

Admissions Prerequisites

To be considered for the D.Min. or D.Ed.Min. program, we require the following for applications:

A qualified master’s degree in a discipline relevant to your intended area of study.
- Students applying for the D.Min. or D.Ed.Min. in Old Testament Exposition, New Testament Exposition, Biblical Theology, and Expository Preaching must have a minimum of 9 hours in biblical languages.
- The D.Ed.Min. in Professional Leadership requires a regionally-accredited professional doctorate degree (e.g., M.D., J.D., or D.M.D.) with a GPA of at least a B (3.0).
While there is no minimum GPA requirement for admission, an applicant’s GPA in previous academic work will be one of the factors taken into account in the admissions process.
For more information about the application process and requirements, please email admissions@sbts.edu.
International transcripts will require an official evaluation from a NACES approved organization (World Evaluation Services is preferred).

Application Requirements

All applicants must receive a reference from the local church where they are a member. Family members may not complete this reference. If you are the pastor of your church, please select another church leader (associate pastor, elder, deacon, etc.) to complete the church recommendation. You will enter your recommender’s information on the “Recommendations” tab of the application.
Two additional recommendations. We suggest that a professor or a business acquaintance who can speak to academic performance complete the 2 additional recommendation forms required for doctoral students.
Transcription from the educational institution or institutions that conferred any required degrees should be submitted to the Admissions Office. Contact the registrar or academic records office of your previous institution(s). They may e-mail the transcripts (directly or via 3rd party such as Parchment) to admissions@sbts.edu or mail copies to our physical address. Transcripts must come directly from schools either electronically or in sealed/unopened envelopes.
Complete a Ministry Field Essay (click here to access Ministry Field Essay prompts) of 750-1,000 words in response to a case calling for the application of biblical and theological insights into a ministry situation. You may upload your field essay directly onto the application.
Submit a Ministry Resume outlining your present and past ministry experience. You may upload your ministry directly onto the application.
$45 application fee – paid after application submission.
Non-native English speakers, including those who have graduated from any U.S. school, must submit an official score report of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores must meet a minimum of 90 for DMin or DEdMin programs.

Application Deadlines

March 15 – Summer entry
October 15 – Winter entry

Ready to Learn More?

Prospective doctoral students are invited to visit Southern Seminary.

Doctoral Visit Opportunities

Program Cost

$1,000 down payment, and remaining balance due equally over 36 months.

	Total Cost	Monthly Payment
Total cost for SBC students	$12,748	$326.33
*Total cost for 网曝吃瓜 alumni (SBC rate)**	$11,248	$284.66
Total cost for non-SBC students	$16,657	$434.92

Program tuition shown is for the 2026-2027 academic year. Additional fees are subject to the current fee schedule.

*网曝吃瓜 alumni receive a $1,500 discount if they matriculate by Summer 2026.

Textbooks, lodging, food, travel, and graduation costs are not included in the program fee. Any remaining balance of the program fee is due upon graduation. Students who take longer than six semesters to complete the degree will be charged a continuation fee each semester.

Engage with our Faculty

When you choose a seminary, you choose a faculty.

Learn how the professors at Southern Seminary can equip you for a Lifetime of Faithfulness through one of our upcoming virtual Q&As or doctoral events.

Faculty and Program Q&As Virtual and In-Person Doctoral Events

Top down shot of Southern Seminary seal monument

Questions?

Contact Admissions

Phone: (502) 897-4200

Text: (502) 305-3554

Email: admissions@sbts.edu

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