Bradley Hambrick
Advanced Degrees
The Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry is a 31-hour advanced degree program designed for those in active vocational ministry (and have a ministry-related master’s degree from an accredited institution) seeking further training to serve at a new level of excellence in ministry.
The program will be no fewer than three and no greater than six academic years.
Entering students must understand the high level of commitment that is required to actively participate in this degree program year round for this period of time. Throughout the degree plan of study, students will acquire new ideas, tools, strategies and techniques that will increase effectiveness and expand opportunities within current and future roles.
Ways to Study
- Fully Online
- Modified Residency
- Residential
More Information
- DMin (Biblical Counseling)
- DMin (Biblical and Theological Studies)
- DMin (Chaplaincy)
- DMin (Christian Leadership)
- DMin (Church Growth & Revitalization)
- DMin (Disciple-Making)
- DMin (Expository Preaching)
- DMin (Faith and Culture)
- DMin (Great Commission Student Ministry)
- DMin (Ministry to Women)
- DMin (Missions and Evangelism)
- DMin (Next Generation Ministry)
- DMin (Pastoral Ministry) (Non-Specialization)
- DMin (Worship)
The Doctor of Ministry program seeks to meet accreditation standards for Master of Divinity equivalency by evaluating students through a wide range of academic and ministerial aspects. The DMin Committee will review completed applications by assessing the applicant’s degree, graduate institution accreditation, graduate GPA, total years of ministry experience, responses to ten key theological integration questions, vita, personal statement, sample research paper, and quality of references. Applicants are required to have a master’s degree from an accredited theological institution in a ministry-related field to be considered for admission. Accredited refers to ATS, SACSCOC, or any nationally recognized accrediting agency. Exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis and applicants may be asked to complete the Qualification Packet for MDiv-Equivalency.
First Semester:
- Program Orientation (1 hour)
- 1st Seminar 8X0X (3 hours)
- Contextualized Learning Experience (CLE) 8111 (2 hours)
Second Semester:
- The Minister as Person and Professional (3 hours)
- 2nd Seminar 8X0X (3 hours)
- Integrative Theology Workshop (2 hours)
Third Semester:
- 3rd Seminar 8X0X (3 hours)
- Contextualized Learning Experience (CLE) 8112 (2 hours)
Fourth Semester:
- Project Design Workshop (8141) (3 hours)
- 4th Seminar 8X0X (3 hours)
Fifth Semester:
- Project 8151 (3 hours)
Sixth Semester:
- Project 8152 (3 hours)
- Total Hours (31 hours)
- Oral Exam must be scheduled at the completion of the Project Report.
- Report to the library for instructions on the presentation of the Project Report to the library.
- Graduation
- Program Orientation Workshop (1 hour). Students will complete this workshop during the same semester of the first seminar. The workshop will meet online shortly after the application deadline and on-campus prior to their first seminar.
- Minister as Person and Professional (3 hours). Students will complete the online workshop during their second semester. The workshop will meet for two full days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Integrative Theology Workshop (2 hours). Students will complete the online workshop during their second semester. The workshop will meet online for two full days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Seminars (12 hours). Students will complete four three-day intensive seminars following a prescribed sequence with peer cohort groups. for the Modified Residency program, the seminars will normally be offered Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the Winter and Summer terms on campus. For the Fully Online Cohort, the seminars will normally be offered Wednesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. online via Zoom during the Fall and Spring terms.
- Contextualized Learning Experience (6 hours). Students will complete two required CLE’s with online learning components during the first and third semesters.
- Project Design Workshop (3 hours). Students will complete a two-day online workshop from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. during their fourth semester. Students will receive approval to proceed with a project proposal at the end of this workshop.
- Ministry Project and Project Report (6 hours). Students will complete the ministry project within their chosen specialization while in that particular field of ministry. The ministry project will not be conducted until the student has completed all coursework and received approval from the faculty chair to proceed from the project proposal to project implementation.
Student Status
Active Status
Students are required to maintain continuous year-round enrollment for the length of the entire program. This program demands a high level of commitment from each student to actively participate with a cohort group for at least three years.
Program Delay Status
A student in the degree program missing a semester will be charged a program penalty fee of the equivalent of one credit hour of tuition and must register for DMN 8000-Continuous Enrollment. Each semester missed will be counted toward the maximum program length of 6 years.
Extension Status
The Doctor of Ministry program requires a minimum of three years and a maximum of six years. Extensions in time beyond the six-year limit require the consent of the director of the D.Min. program each semester. If continued enrollment status is granted, the student must enroll in DMN 8000-Continuous Enrollment (see Continuous Enrollment Extension Request DM Form 4) and pay a one credit hour tuition continuous enrollment fee for the semester in which the extension occurs. Extensions will not exceed four semesters.
Non-degree status
A graduate or student from another school may enroll for a seminar or workshop in the D.Min. program but will be required to complete a non-degree partial application form.
Audit status
A D.Min. graduate may return to audit a D.Min. seminar or workshop at any time for a reduced tuition cost. Graduates should contact the D.Min. office for audit instructions.
Seminar Attendance
- Seminars will begin at 8 a.m. and normally end at 6 p.m.
- Class participation will affect the student’s final grade.
- Students are required to attend every session of the seminar. Any absence may necessitate repeating the seminar. An approved absence would require the approval of the professor and director of the D.Min. program and will only be approved under unusual circumstances (funerals or other emergencies).
- Missing a seminar may cause the loss of a student’s position in his or her cohort group.
- Any student dropping or not showing for a workshop and/or seminar must contact the D.Min. office immediately. Failure to do so may result in dismissal from the program.
- Dress for seminars will be business casual. Please note the weather conditions during the seminar. The variance in winter to summer temperatures is great in North Carolina.
Necessary Forms
Who Will Teach Me?
All Major ProfessorsContact the Office of DMin Studies
Email Us-
DMin Coordinator
Frequently Asked Questions
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- 3-year minimum/6-year maximum
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- A ministry-related master’s degree from an accredited institution
- 3.0 GPA in graduate work (will consider a lower GPA based on strength of application)
- Significant vocational ministry experience
- Current ministry position
Students can seamlessly complete a Master of Arts or Master of Divinity followed by a Doctor of Ministry degree in 5 years or more. The Doctor of Ministry program seeks to meet accreditation standards for Master of Divinity equivalency by evaluating students through a wide range of academic and ministerial aspects, graded on a comprehensive rubric. To meet the six criteria established by ATS for MDiv equivalency, students without an MDiv must complete a Qualification Packet in which they demonstrate mastery in theological integration. The DMin Committee evaluates each applicant’s qualification packet to verify that each of the six criteria has been met. All DMin applicants must receive a minimum score on the comprehensive rubric, as well as have three or more Committee members recommend acceptance to the DMin program to be unconditionally admitted.
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Modified Residency
- 2 visits per year for the first 2 years for seminars on SEBTS campus in Wake Forest, NC.
- Workshops and CLE’s are completed through a synchronous learning format online via Zoom.
- Seminars and Workshops are usually 9 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Seminars occur in the Summer and Winter terms
Fully Online Cohort
- All courses are completed through a synchronous learning format online via Zoom.
- Seminars and Workshops are usually 9 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- Seminars occur in the Spring and Fall terms.
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Complete and submit the online application materials here.
Submit official transcripts (Bachelor, MDiv and any other graduate work) to the DMin office:
Doctor of Ministry Office
P.O. Box 1889
120 S. Wingate Street
Wake Forest, NC 27588-1889
Phone: 919-761-2216
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- 4 three-day seminars
- 4 workshops in a synchronous learning format online via Zoom
- 2 contextualized learning experiences in a synchronous learning format online via Zoom
- Ministry Project (final year)
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Please reference the official Tuition and Fees page for SEBTS.
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The director of the DMin program will consider the transfer of credit hours from accredited programs on a case-by-case basis. Minimally, all transfer students must complete at least 12 credit hours of DMin work at Southeastern, including the Ministry Project and Project Report (6 credit hours), the Project Design Workshop (3 credit hours), and one seminar (3 credit hours).
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Proofreader support for the project proposal and the project report is a service provided to students for the cost of $2 per page and will be arranged through the DMin office. This service requires a student to send a digital copy of each document to the DMin office. This service is provided because students have faced difficulty finding a qualified person who understands the seminary standards for formal writing to proofread these documents. The DMin office has secured the services of our top proofreaders on campus for proofreading to help our students. This service will provide evaluation consistent with the seminary expectations. Students may request a second reading for the cost of $1 per page. While the service is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended due to the style and form problems experienced by so many students. Final proofreading of the project report is required for all students.
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The Doctor of Ministry is a professional degree offered in ministry while students serve in a ministry position. During each Contextualized Learning Experience (CLE), students will utilize seminar content and ministry assessments to determine critical needs within the ministry context, leading toward a ministry project. Each CLE will be offered during the first and third semesters. Students will examine their ministry settings, participate in online dialogue with their cohort, and receive expert guidance from the professor in developing their ministry projects.
Each CLE course will:
- Offer 2 hours credit
- Include an online component through which students maintain interaction with their focus cohort and professor
- Prepare for the Ministry Project
- Learn to think critically in addressing ministry concerns
- Develop skills in assessing the ministry context
- Provide practical ministry for the field
- Require additional reading and research
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Seminars are offered in very intensive sessions, typically meeting Wednesday-Friday, during which students will engage with faculty and guest lecturers selected for their expertise and accomplishments in specific fields.
Each seminar will require a significant amount of work to be completed prior to the first meeting. This pre-work will include significant reading, writing papers and other possible assignments. Due to the amount of work involved, students will be expected to begin preparation months before the selected seminar. These assignments can be found in the seminar syllabus provided months before the seminar week. Students should also be prepared to complete assignments during the seminar week and following the seminar week. Each seminar offers three credit hours.
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In the two-day workshop, students will learn how to build biblical and theological foundations for ministry actions. Opportunities for inter-disciplinary dialogue will be encouraged as students discuss theological foundations for particular ministries. Attention will be given to sound hermeneutics and appropriate theological understanding of a passage of scripture. This course offers 2 credit hours.
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The workshop will provide specific preparation for selecting a ministry project, writing the ministry project proposal, conducting the ministry project, and completing the ministry project report.
Following the conclusion of the course, students should be equipped to submit a final version of the ministry project proposal for approval to their faculty supervisor and the director of the DMin program. The approved proposal will become the basis for the first chapter of the ministry project report. This course offers 3 credit hours.
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This workshop is designed in a two-day format and helps students consider the minister’s life from a personal and professional perspective. Special attention will be given to understanding emotional, relational, and spiritual issues that hinder ministerial effectiveness. Ministerial ethics will also be considered, especially in the areas of abuse reporting, confidentiality, dual relationships, and counseling. This course offers 3 credit hours.
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Many students receive funding from their sending churches, denominational scholarship support, and SEBTS institutional aid. Information regarding Southeastern’s available scholarships can be found here. For further inquiry, students are encouraged to contact the Doctor of Ministry office.
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