The Doctor of Ministry (D.MIN.) in Contextual Leadership
Palmer Theological Seminary’s Doctor of Ministry in Contextual Leadership trains Christian leaders to nourish the connection between healthy spiritual life and sustained vitality in ministry. On this foundation, the curriculum prepares students to discern the interpersonal dynamics that complicate changes in community life. Since local communities and ministries exist within wider societies and cultures, assessing the connections between local and global movements requires additional skills. These skills guide envisioning, implementing, and assessing contextually relevant, cutting-edge ministries. A stream running throughout the program is a transformative understanding of the nature and mission of the church that honors the past while adapting to ever-changing contexts. Students may choose to study the General Curriculum, or they may select a concentration track that consists of two courses in one of three concentrations: Prophetic Teaching and Preaching; Religion and Public Policy; or Personal and Spiritual Transformation.
Requirements for Palmer’s Doctor of Ministry degree consist first of four modules of course work taken over a period of two-years. Courses are hybrid, with most work to be completed online, and a brief, one-week residency in each of the four modules. Students fulfill their residency requirement either at Eastern University’s main campus at St. Davids, PA; or one of its satellite locations in Philadelphia; or at Parchment Valley Conference Center in Ripley, WV. Two of the four modules include independent work on integrative professional papers. One requires attendance at a colloquium and a reflection paper responding to the speaker. The second major requirement is a qualifying assessment interview, which precedes enrollment in the summative Project Thesis courses. The minimum GPA for moving to the Project Thesis is 3.0. This capstone project will be of significance for the ministry of the student in her or his setting, and for others in ministry as well. It normally is defended in the third year of studies. Submission of the Project Thesis and a successful oral defense mark the culmination of the program.
Graduation Requirements
To be recommended for the D.Min. degree, the candidate must:
- Satisfactorily earn 36 credit hours, including all of the prescribed course requirements, plus fulfillment of financial and library obligations.
- Satisfactorily complete and defend their project.
D.MIN. Core Curriculum
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Sustained Spiritual and Professional Maturation | ||
| DMIN 911H | Spiritual Practices & the Growing Leader | 3 |
| DMIN 912H | Enduring Models of Leadership for Renewa | 3 |
| DMIN 919 | Leadership Integrative Professnl Paper (Concentration focused) | 3 |
| The Psychosocial Dynamics of Renewal | ||
| DMIN 921H | Leading the Dynamics of Change Mission Oriented Church | 3 |
| DMIN 943H | Congregational Renewal 1 | 3 |
| DMIN 926 | Colloquium Reflection Paper (in relation to the cluster theme) | 3 |
| Global and Local Ministries in Current and Future Worlds | ||
| DMIN 923H | Missional Renewal in Age of Globalizatn Culturally Diverse World | 3 |
| DMIN 931H | Contexts, Perspectives, and Ministries In the 21st Century 1 | 3 |
| DMIN 929 | Missional Integrative Paper (Concentration focused) | 3 |
| Qualifying Assessment Interview for Proceeding to the Project Thesis | ||
| Methods of Study and Professional Project (Thesis) | ||
| DMIN 933H | Project Proposal Workshop and Resources Church Resources | 3 |
| DMIN 939H | Project Proposal Seminar | 3 |
| DMIN 960 | Project Completion and Oral Defense I | 1.5 |
| DMIN 961 | Project Completion and Oral Defense II | 1.5 |
| Total Credit Hours | 36 | |
- 1
Elective courses may be substituted for up to two concentration specific courses. Standard electives are regularly added to the curriculum based on perception of student interest and specialization.