Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry program is made up of eight (8) units (1 unit is approximately equivalent to 5 credit hours). Each unit consists of a week long classroom instruction during the specified time (virtual option also available during the pandemic). The timeline to complete the program is three (3) years.

Program Start

The program typically begins mid-August, with subsequent units being offered in mid-August, early January, and the first week of May. Please refer to the Program Courses menu below. Courses are outlined chronologically with the first unit being offered in mid-August.

Entrance Requirements

• A Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent from an accredited college or seminary which maintains academic standards similar to those of Providence Theological Seminary.
• Evidence of ability to do doctoral-level work, as indicated by a minimum grade-point average of 3.0 (on a scale of 4.0) in previous graduate work.
• A minimum of three years of professional ministry experience following the Master’s level degree, which is evaluated positively by one’s supervisor and/or peers.
• One year in the current ministry situation with the expectation of that ministry remaining stable during the study/research period.
• Letters of recommendation of academic and professional competence from knowledgeable individuals.
• A self-study of personal and academic goals.
• Support from the local church/institution of the candidate’s desire for advanced study.
• Completed Doctor of Ministry program application forms, along with the submission of requisite application credentials.
• The Millar Analogies Test will be required, at the discretion of the Doctoral Studies Committee, of applicants whose previous work is not from an accredited school. A score of at least 55 is expected.
• Students whose first language is not English may be required to achieve a TOEFL score of 600 or CLB score of 10.
• An interview may be required.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Please look to the Academic Calendar for full information and course lists. If there are discrepancies between the information listed here and in the Academic Calendar, the Academic Calendar is definitive.

1. Personal Development and Orientation (1 unit) – offered mid-August, in your first year
2. Negotiating Change, Conflict & Renewal in Church & Ministry Settings (1 unit) – offered early January, in your first year
3. Nurturing Spiritual Formation and Care (1 unit) – offered first week of May, in your first year
4. Leadership Theory and Practice (1 unit) – offered mid-August, in your second year
5. Thinking and Interpreting Theologically (1 unit) – offered early January, in your second year
6. Research and Project Development (1 unit) – offered first week of May, in your second year
7. Project/Dissertation (2 units) – taken during your third year

Counselling and Mental Health Practice Track

1. Personal Development and Orientation (1 unit) – offered mid-August, in your first year
2. Advanced Psychotherapy and Clinical Supervision (1 unit) – offered early January, in your first year
3. Counselling and Mental Health Support (1 unit) – offered first week of May, in your first year
4. Religion and Psychology (1 unit) – offered mid-August, in your second year
5. Thinking and Interpreting Theologically (1 unit) – offered early January, in your second year
6. Research and Project Development (1 unit) – offered first week of May, in your second year
7. Project/Dissertation (2 units) – taken during your third year

Jeff Anderson, M.Div. D.Min. 
Seminary Dean & Program Director

Daryl Climenhaga, D.Miss.
Associate Professor of Global Studies

Robert Dean, Th.D.
Associate Professor of Theology & Ethics

Stan Hamm, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus of Educational & Christian Studies

Laura Vander Velden, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology

Your Doctor of Ministry education can lead to careers in:

• Christian Counselling
• Para-Church Administration
• Global Missions Administration
• Christian Higher Education
• Pastoral Leadership