View all of our D.Min programs.

The Doctor of Educational Ministry (D.Ed.Min.) degree is designed to meet the needs of leadership and church ministry professionals who desire further academic and practical training in a contemporary ministry setting, but whose ministerial responsibilities do not allow them to suspend full-time employment or relocate to Louisville to pursue that training.

Curriculum Plan

The D.Ed.Min. program consists of 44 hours of study across four component areas. Each component relates clearly and specifically to the other components of the degree program. Specific components include:

• 12 hours of foundational seminar participation with specific application to educational ministries

• 12 hours of ministry concentration seminar participation from a ministry field of choice

• 12 hours of Applied Ministry Experience related directly to the preceding seminars

• 8 hours of research in the practice of ministry including project methodology seminars and the preparation of a ministry research project, including an oral defense

Foundational Seminars

Three on-campus foundational seminars for a total of 12 credit hours are required:

• 80801 Theological and Philosophical Issues in Christian Education 4

• 80802 Foundations for Teaching/Learning in Christian Education 
 Contexts 4

• 80803 Biblical and Contemporary Models of Christian Leadership 4

These seminars are not taken concurrently and may be taken in one of two ways. A student can enroll in the seminars when they are offered on the Louisville campus. Each seminar meets for five days (Monday through Friday all day and in the evenings) during a winter or summer term. A student also can enroll in the seminars when they are offered at selected extension sites.

Prior to the time the seminar meets, students are required to complete a significant amount of work (such as reading a minimum of 2500 pages plus completing written assignments). After attending the seminar, students are to write a reflection paper.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate advanced and critical study of Christian formation from theological and historical perspectives as well as behavioral and social science perspectives.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an advanced and critical study of organizational and leadership development and the social contexts for ministry.
• Students will be able to demonstrate an advanced and critical study of educational theory and practice as it relates to local church and other ministry contexts.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to use standard research tools and methods in the chosen field of study.
• Students will be able to research, plan, and implement a project relevant to his/her vocational ministry and to communicate the plan and its results effectively.

Ministry Concentration

Students will select a concentration of studies from one of five ministry concentrations. Each concentration consists of three seminars (12 hours) and is designed specifically to provide the student with focused studies in the selected field. Students will be required to select a concentration of studies rather than select individual seminars at random. The academic requirements for these seminars are identical to those described for the foundational seminars. The five ministry concentrations are as follows:

Leadership and Church Ministry

• 80807 Leadership and Management Theory in Church Administration

• 80808 Leadership of Effective Ministry Teams

• 80809 Leadership in Volunteer Ministries

Evangelism and Church Growth

This program requires two seminars from the following:

• 80801 Theological and Philosophical Issues in Christian Education

• 80802 Foundations for Teaching/Learning in Christian Education Contexts

• 80803 Biblical and Contemporary Models of Christian Leadership

• 80807 Leadership and Management Theory in Church Administration

• 80808 Leadership of Effective Ministry Teams

• 80809 Leadership in Volunteer Ministries

In addition to:

• 80511 Theoretical and Practical Issues in Evangelism and Church Growth

• 80512 Biblical and Theological Issues in Evangelism and Church Growth

• 80513 Historical Issues in Evangelism and Church Growth

• 80514 Leadership and Contemporary Issues in Evangelism and Church Growth

Global Missions

• 80611 Biblical and Theological Issues in Missions

• 80613 Missions Strategy: Theory and Practice

• 80615 Current Issues in Global Missions

Biblical Counseling

(note: student must take 3 of the 4 seminars in consultation with the Director of Biblical Counseling)

• 80551 Introduction to Biblical Counseling

• 80552 Methodology of Biblical Counseling

• 80553 Problems and Procedures of Biblical Counseling

• 80554 Marriage and Family Counseling

Family Ministry

This program requires two seminars from the following:

• 80801Theological and Philosophical Issues in Christian Education

• 80802 Foundations for Teaching/Learning in Christian Education Contexts

• 80803 Biblical and Contemporary Models of Christian Leadership

• 80807 Leadership and Management Theory in Church Administration

• 80808 Leadership of Effective Ministry Teams

• 80809 Leadership in Volunteer Ministries

In addition to:

• 80823 Models of Student and Family Ministry

• 80821 Christian Formation of Children and Adolescents

• 80822 Issues in Student and Family Ministry

• 80554 Marriage and Family Counseling

Christian Worship

This program requires two seminars from the following:

• 80801 Theological and Philosophical Issues in Christian Education

• 80802 Foundations for Teaching/Learning in Christian Education Contexts

• 80803 Biblical and Contemporary Models of Christian Leadership

• 80807 Leadership and Management Theory in Church Administration

• 80808 Leadership of Effective Ministry Teams

• 80809 Leadership in Volunteer Ministries

In addition to:

• 80841 Theology and History of Christian Worship

• 80842 Planning and Leading Christian Worship

• 80843 Arts, Culture, and Trends in Christian Worship

• 80844 Leadership Dynamics in Worship Ministry

Applied Ministry Experience

Because this degree is a professional degree, it is expected that students will incorporate classroom material into an acceptable vocational placement under the supervision of a faculty member. Through Applied Ministry, students can develop higher competence and can increase skills in the performance of ministry. Each AM seminar will continue the focus of theological integration in order to relate biblical and theological components to the actual practice of ministry, and students will be permitted to enroll in an AM course only after completing the corresponding seminar. Students complete three Applied Ministry experiences under the foundational seminars (6 hours) and three AM’s under the ministry concentration (6 hours). Professors for each foundational seminar will negotiate appropriate AM projects based on the seminar’s focus, and the student must complete the AM projects during the semester following the foundational seminar. Applied Ministry projects will accomplish two purposes:

•Reinforce and expand the seminar content

•Help prepare the student for the extensive research project that will culminate the student’s degree program.

Research in the Practice of Educational Ministry

Ten hours of academic credit are awarded for successful completion of the research phase of study as specified below:

• 80600 Project Methodology 2

• 80853 Ministry Research Project 6

Project methodology courses provide preparation for the research project and interaction between students, faculty supervisors, and resource persons. During the courses, the student will write the prospectus, which is a proposal of the project in which the student wishes to engage. To secure approval, the student must submit a project prospectus to appropriate faculty members. Once these faculty members deem the prospectus to be satisfactory, they will recommend the prospectus to the Leadership and Church Ministry Doctoral Studies Committee and through that committee to the seminary faculty.

The Ministry Research Project, a written report of 100-125 (+/–10%) pages, is a presentation of the completed prospectus combining professional knowledge, documented research, and ministry application. The project must have direct relevance to Christian leadership in a particular ministry setting. An oral defense of the project before appropriate faculty and available cohort members is required.

Communities of Learning

Students are part of a community of learning that helps to foster collegiality and facilitate an open and effective learning atmosphere.

Faculty Supervision

Students receive program advising from the Office of Professional Doctoral Studies throughout the entire program of study. Upon completion of Project Methodology (80600), the student is assigned to a faculty supervisor. The supervisor is responsible for guiding the student’s progress through the Ministry Reasearch Project.