Doctor of Ministry

Admission Requirements

Procedures for Admission to the Doctor of Ministry Program

The criteria used in determining admission to the doctoral program include:

• An earned undergraduate degree from an accepted accredited institution with a CGPA of 2.7 or better on a 4.0 scale OR
• An earned undergraduate degree from an accepted accredited institution with a CGPA of 2.7 or better on a 4.0 scale during the applicant's last 60 semester hours or 90 quarter hours earned on the bachelor's degree and/or subsequent graduate work OR
• An earned graduate degree from an accepted accredited institution with a CGPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.
• Interview with the Program Director/Chair or Dean of the College.
• Submission of official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended, with submission due within 5*/10 weeks of initial start date. *Effective March 22, 2022 - Students beginning classes at the Montgomery campus or High Point Off Campus Instructional Site will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation. ​*Effective April 1, 2022 - Students beginning classes at the Richmond and West Palm Beach campuses will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation. *Effective May 31, 2022 - Students beginning classes at the Tampa and Orlando campuses will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation. *Effective July 12, 2022 - Students beginning classes at the Austin and Columbia campuses will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation. *Effective August 16, 2022 - Students beginning classes at the Savannah and Virginia Beach campuses will have five weeks to submit acceptable documentation.
• Applicants for whom English is a Second Language (ESL) must submit a minimum paper-based TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 550 or the electronic-based score of 79-80 to be considered for the program.
• Completion of an application for admission.
• Applicants who are not citizens of the United States should refer to the section in the South University catalog entitled International Student Admissions Policy.

Exceptions to the Minimum GPA

Applications with CGPA lower than the stated program minimum (2.7 for the bachelor's degree and 3.0 for a graduate degree/coursework) may be considered for admission on the basis of evidence of academic and professional potential demonstrated by career and/or personal accomplishments indicated in a personal statement of academic and professional goals, a career resume or curriculum vita, and two letters of academic and/or professional recommendation.  The Program Director/Chair in consultation with the Dean of the College or designee must approve exceptions.

Students admitted on an exception basis will be admitted as regular students on provisional status for the first quarter of enrollment.  In order to remain enrolled after completion of the first quarter the student must achieve a CGPA of at least 3.0.

Program Tracks

Standard Track: If you have a bachelor’s degree and are involved in the ministry and/or exploring if ministry is for you, the DMin program’s Standard Track may be right for you. You’ll start with foundational courses that introduce you to the various disciplines required for effective ministry leadership. Then, through ministry skills courses, advanced ministry studies, and a final project, you’ll explore and refine techniques for integrating biblical and theological perspectives into your practice of ministry.

Advanced Track: If you’re already active in the ministry and have completed a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree (with a 3.0 GPA) or related graduate degree with credits equivalent to the M.Div, you may be eligible to earn your doctorate in less time with the online DMin program’s Advanced Track. In this track, you’ll take a shorter path through the ministry study and skills courses, eventually tackling your final project before completing your degree.

Transfer credit is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. South University offers no guarantee that credit earned at another institution will be accepted into a program of study offered by South University.

Course Requirements

Outcomes

Offered at Richmond, Montgomery, and Online Programs. 

Note: Not all Online Program offerings are available to residents of all U.S. states. Please contact an admissions representative for further information.

The Doctor of Ministry degree at South University is a 96 credit hour program and is designed to be the first-professional degree to prepare ministry practitioners to seek or advance in vocational or bi-vocational ministry.  The program can help to develop a student's understanding of the nature and purpose of ministry, enhance the student's competencies in ministry skills, and promote the student's growth in spiritual maturity.

The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree program at South University is designed to equip ministry practitioners to provide ministry leadership and spiritual care in the following roles:

• Pastors, ministry staff, and lay ministers in local churches/parishes
• Program staff leaders in parachurch organizations
• Chaplains and spiritual care coordinators in a variety of institutional settings
• Program staff leaders in non-profit service agencies, community development, advocacy and justice ministries
• Social entrepreneurs pursuing business as mission, and commercial and industrial chaplaincy

Program Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates will be able to:

1. Articulate a biblically informed and theologically reasoned understanding of the helping relationship that is consistent with the student's faith tradition and the needs of the student's chosen ministry setting.
2. Explain the nature of the practice of ministry and exhibit a commitment to its ethical and professional expectations appropriate to the context.
3. Display knowledge of the nature and causes of interpersonal conflict and strategies to resolve disputes and achieve resolution and reconciliation among parties in ministry settings.
4. Formulate an awareness of the diversity found in ministry, and an ability to work effectively with differences of religious beliefs (or none), denominational differences, racial and ethnic differences, generational differences and gender differences.
5. Acquire the specific skills required for competent practice of ministry in a variety of settings.
6. Engage complex issues and problems of ministry settings and demonstrate the capacity to design and implement strategies to successfully overcome and/or resolve them.

The Standard Track of the D.Min. program is designed for students seeking to prepare for vocational or bi-vocational ministry.  Foundational courses provide an introduction and overview to the various disciplines required for effective ministry leadership.  Ministry skills courses, advanced ministry studies courses, and the final project further integrate biblical and theological perspectives into the practice of ministry.  Students can have the opportunity to gain lifelong learning skills that will enable them to continue their personal, intellectual and professional growth.

The Advanced Track of the D.Min. program is designed for students who have completed a graduate degree or a significant amount of coursework in biblical, theological, and ministry studies, and who are currently engaged in vocational ministry.  Students in the Advanced Ministry Study can further develop their understanding of the nature and purpose of ministry, enhance their ministry skills, and continue their growth in spiritual maturity.

Career Outlook

The online DMin program equips you to offer leadership and spiritual care in the following roles:

• Pastors, ministry staff, and lay ministers in local churches/parishes.
• Program staff leaders in parachurch organizations.
• Chaplains and spiritual care coordinators in a variety of institutional settings.
• Program staff leaders in non-profit service agencies, community development, advocacy and justice ministries.
• Social entrepreneurs pursuing business as mission, and commercial and industrial chaplaincy.

Online Classroom

Haven’t experienced online learning before or wondering what it’s like to earn your degree online at South University? While the mode of learning is different from the traditional classroom experience with added convenience and flexibility, we hold the same high standards of academic excellence in the online classroom. 

South University’s online programs combine a curriculum designed for student outcomes and a classroom designed for flexibility and engagement. Our online classroom learning platform, Brightspace, provides you with a host of features to enhance your learning experience, including:

• Advanced media content
• Personalized navigation
• Simplified online learning atmosphere
• Access to digital books
• Emailing and instant messaging options

We provide more than just an online classroom, bringing a range of campus experiences and services online. In addition, the online classroom is accessible on the go via mobile devices and with tools like the Pulse App. Pulse helps you stay connected and on track with your course by providing a number of features such as course calendars, readings and assignments, feedback and grades, and announcements.

Read more about online requirements here.