American Leadership Institute and Seminary
DOCTOR OF MINISTRY DEGREE PROGRAM
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program is offered to qualified men and women who desire to serve at the highest levels in Christian leadership, including as Senior Pastors and as leaders in other vocations. The D.Min. is a practical degree that requires a practical project.
The Doctor of Ministry program builds upon a Master of Divinity degree (or its equivalent). An appropriate curriculum designed to be completed with a minimum of 3 years of study provides qualified students with opportunities for both academic advancement and practical achievement designed to develop increased ministerial competencies.
Characteristics Of The Program
The American Leadership Institute and Seminary Doctor of Ministry degree program is designed to provide ministry analysis, guidance, and training to increase ministerial competency. The study programs seek to provide direction in the following seven ministry areas: Professional Assessment, Research/Writing, Bible-Based Communication, Administration/Leadership, Pastoral Care/Counseling, Theological/Exegetical acumen, and Great Commission Strategies.
Admission Requirements
Admission requirements the Doctor of Ministry are:
1. A Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree, or its equivalent.
2. An acceptable, verifiable, employment experience;
3. An acceptable, verifiable history showing good professional standing, adherence to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, and good Christian character and conduct; and
4. A cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in recognized Master-level work
Applicants who do not meet all of the above criteria, but who have another theological degree of at least 60 semester hours, may enter ALIS as a "special student" and make up the deficit hours between their Master degree and the M.Div. (30 hours maximum) by taking specifically assigned Master-level courses from ALIS at the regular M.Div. tuition cost. No M.Div. degree will be awarded. Alternatively, one may wish to enroll in the ALIS M.Div. program and transfer as many hours as are applicable to the M.Div. degree (60 hours maximum). In this case, the M.Div. degree is awarded and the student applies for entrance into the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.).
Applicants whose Master’s degree is not equivalent to the M.Div., but have at least 60 semester credit hours of graduate course work, may choose from the following options:
1. Enroll in the Master of Biblical Leadership or M.Div. program and complete at least 30 semester credit hours of master-level work, to be awarded a degree.
2. Enroll as a non-degree seeking special student and take just graduate-level courses to make up the deficit between their degree and the 90 hour M.Div.
The M.Div. degree will not be awarded if less than 30 semester credit hours of such compensatory work is done. Students desiring the M.Div. degree should enroll in that program.
Award of the M.Div. degree or completion of the deficit credit does not guarantee acceptance into the D.Min. program. Once the M.Div. or its equivalency has been completed, the student should begin normal application procedures for the D.Min.
1. Complete Application Form;
2. Submit the application with the $100.00 application fee; and
3. Request official transcripts from each institution attended be sent directly to ALIS.
Program Objectives
This program provides the student with the ability to do the following:
1. Demonstrate an advanced understanding and integration of ministry in relation to the biblical, theological, and pastoral disciplines;
2. Articulate a comprehensive and critical theory of ministry and apply that theory to his specific leadership role;
3. Demonstrate skills and competencies that are required for the practice of ministry at its most mature and effective level. These skills and competencies include abilities in critical thinking and problem solving, biblical exposition, communication, administration, research and writing, personal relationships, pastoral care, and great commission strategies.
4. Plan, implement, and critically evaluate major undertakings in ministry to the advancement of the purposes of God.
5. Experience continued personal growth in the Faith.
6. Serve in senior pastoral leadership positions.
Degree Requirements
The Doctor of Ministry program consists of 33 semester hours with a 3.0 grade point average (GPA).
Enrollment
Consecutive, continuous enrollment is required until all doctoral study is completed and all graduation requirements are fulfilled. Students complete the program at their own pace, but are required to pay for a minimum of 36 months. Students who take longer than this are responsible for continuous enrollment and tuition through the last month in which all graduation requirements are fulfilled (except the Colloquy). Students falling behind more than three months in payments will be dropped from the program. The actual time required to complete the program depends on the student's background and the amount of time devoted to studies. Payment of the tuition begins when the student receives his or her letter of acceptance. The maximum amount of time allowed in the D.Min. program is 7 years.
Upon acceptance, the candidate will receive a Status Sheet which shows the Modules and Electives to be taken. A student desiring to graduate in May must have satisfactorily completed DMPR 945 by August 15 of the previous year, and DMPR 950 by February 1 of graduation year. He must receive final approval by the Graduate Committee no later than April 1.
Since the ALIS Doctor of Ministry program is for persons already engaged in ministry, the length of time to complete the program varies. Normally the program is completed in 3 years. It may not be extended beyond 7 years.
If extenuating circumstances should force a student to suspend D.Min. studies for a prolonged period of time, the Office of the President must be notified in writing of the student's intention to withdraw from the program. Upon withdrawal, the student may be "on hiatus" for up to one year.
This leave of absence will not count toward the program's time limits, nor will billing continue during the period of inactivity. When the student is ready to resume studies, a "Reactivation Application" should be accessed through Institution. Upon receipt of that completed application, billing will resume and the student may return to the D.Min. coursework.
For more information, see "Readmission Policies" and "Withdrawal from the Institution."
The Doctor of Ministry student must earn a minimum grade of "B" in each course. Failure to achieve a grade of "B" will necessitate repeating the course or taking an approved substitute course.
For information on dropping below a 3.0 grade point average, see the section on "Academic Probation, Suspension, and Dismissal."
All modules are three hours each, except the D.Min. Colloquy, which is required but receives no credit.
Curriculum
The Doctor of Ministry program consists of 33 semester credit hours. The assignment of credit is as follows:
CORE Module 12 semester credit hours
D.Min. Electives 15 semester credit hours
Major Ministry Project 3 semester credit hours
Major Ministry Project Report 3 semester credit hours
Doctor of Ministry Total 33 semester credit hours
Program Costs
Please see the Academic Catalog for a complete listing of all tuition and fees.
|
Tuition Charge (per semester hour) |
200.00 |
|
Library and Technology Fee (per semester) |
50.00 |
|
Audit (per course) |
100.00 |
|
Graduation Fee |
300.00 |