Doctor of Missiology
The Doctor of Missiology program is designed for missionaries, church planters, sending pastors, and administrators/teachers providing advanced formal education, guided reading in pertinent missiological literature, field experience, mentoring, and supervision.
Strong cohort-based study combined with a variety of research and practice emphases allow students to combine academic excellence with ministry application.
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Program Goals
MISSIONS SCHOLAR
Students will demonstrate a mastery of the philosophical, historical, biblical, and anthropological disciplines rooted in a graduate-level understanding of the missiological disciplines.
CHURCH PLANTING PRACTITIONER
Students will demonstrate the capacity to serve as field experts through classroom, research, and practical experience teaching pastors in a variety of settings.
PROBLEM SOLVER
Students will apply ethnographic research and missiological principles to identify effective strategies for reaching and teaching peoples of other worldviews in culturally appropriate ways.
Purpose
The purpose of the Doctor of Missiology (D.Miss.) program is to equip students in a confessional context for academic excellence and to prepare them to teach and research in the field of missiology for the glory of God and the mission of his church around the world.
Consisting of 64 total credit hours, the D.Miss. program offers maximal flexibility to students who are actively serving in missions contexts around the world through an entirely-online mode of delivery. All seminars meet via videoconference, with assignments submitted online before and after the virtual meeting.
The program curriculum (listed below) is designed to be completed in 3 years of study, though in some cases exceptions may be granted to students who serve as international missionaries and study only during periods of stateside assignment.
Curriculum
All seminars meet via videoconference, with assignments submitted online before and after the virtual meetings.
| Graduate Research Seminar | 2 |
8 Research Seminars
|
48 |
| Ethnographic Research Seminar | 2 |
| Mentorship and Guided Research | 6 |
| Thesis Research and Writing | 6 |
| Total Program Requirements | 64 credit hours |
|---|
Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to conduct cross-cultural ministry at an advanced level.
- 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 plan and conduct research in the area of specialization and to communicate its results effectively.
Program Fees
| $1,000 down payment (balance due equally over 36 months). | |
| $2,000 annual continuation fee (if program exceeds 36 months). | |
| Program Fee for SBC students | $20,363 |
| Program Fee for non-SBC students | $34,005 |
“My studies at Southern have not only broadened my understanding concerning the mission of God and the urgency of the mandate of the Great Commission, but have also deepened and renewed my vision and passion for the Christian mission.”
Isaiah Olatoyan
Assistant Lecturer at the Nigerian Baptist Theological Seminary
D.Miss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
- A Master of Divinity or Master of Arts in Missiology (or equivalent from a regionally-accredited or ATS-accredited seminary)*
- A master’s-level cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher
- Students having earned a Master’s degree but lacking required hours may complete the additional hours through online or on-campus study at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
- A minimum of two years of appropriate field experience in cross-cultural ministry
*To request an equivalency review based on your master’s-level work, please submit a request for a Doctoral Equivalency Report. Students who have earned a master’s degree but lack required hours may fulfill them through online or on-campus study at SBTS.
TOEFL
Non-native English speakers, including those who have graduated from any U.S. school, must submit an official score report of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores must meet a minimum of 95 for internet-based test (iBT), 233 for computer-based test (CBT) or 575 for paper-based test (PBT).
Admission Deadline
The application deadline for matriculation in the Summer term is August 1.
The application deadline for matriculation in the Winter term is January 15.
Entrance Examinations and Interviews
After the application deadline, qualified students will complete an Entrance Examination. Students will compose a 2,000-word essay using the D.Miss. Entrance Exam Reader.
Once the applicant has completed the D.Miss. Entrance Examination, a faculty interview will be scheduled. The interview provides the opportunity for students to meet and interact with the D.Miss. faculty while discussing their research interests and long-term goals.
Entrance Exams & Interview Dates
Second Friday in September for Summer matriculation
First Friday in March for Winter matriculation
Start Your Application
Click here to begin your online application. Our Admissions Team will assist you with submitting the materials listed below to the online portal:
- Recommendation Letters – 3 total references (2 academic and 1 pastoral)
- Research Paper – a graduate-level research paper (10-15 pages) in a field related to leadership, education, or ministry
- Vita – a summary (1-2 pages) of previous academic studies, rationale for doctoral studies, personal goals, area of research interest, and description of past missions experience
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Attend Preview Day
Southern Seminary hosts a Preview Day each Spring and Fall – attendees are automatically entered to win a $1000 scholarship.
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