Professional Doctoral Studies (DMin and DEdMin)

Professional Doctoral Studies

Doctor of Ministry (DMin) and Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin)

Forming humble servant-leaders for the global church.

Combining academic excellence with ministry application, these degrees develop expert ministers who exhibit not only ministry competence but also godly character.

Degree Highlights

  • 12 concentrations available
  • Complete in 3-6 years
  • Emphasis on ministry experience and application

Our vision is to form humble servant-leaders for the global Church. The purpose of Professional Doctoral Studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is to develop reflective and expert practitioners in ministry who will grow not only in ministry comprehension and competence but also in character and virtue. Because it is a doctoral degree program, the student is expected to pursue a high standard of expertise in ministry reflection and practice.

Students will be challenged to think biblically and critically about the work of ministry and to articulate and demonstrate a thorough biblical and theological vision for ministry practice. When students graduate, they can be confident that they have achieved a level of excellence in their area of study and have been equipped for more effective ministry leadership.

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student testimonial

Which doctoral degree is right for you?

Available Concentrations

Students in both the DMin and DEdMin can choose from one of the following concentrations for their program:

Biblical Counseling

Designed to critically evaluate counseling methodology and models, current issues in biblical counseling, and biblical and theological foundations of counseling ministry to effectively counsel the word in a wide array of ministry contexts.

Christian Apologetics

Christian Apologetics: This is designed to assess the biblical, theological, philosophical, and historical foundations of apologetics in order to equip students to become effective evangelists and disciple-makers for the church.

Christian Leadership

Designed to explore leadership dynamics and organizational development for more effective ministry service. Accordingly, students will take two seminars in leadership, along with two seminars in another concentration area they select.

Church Planting Leadership

Designed in consultation with leaders and church planting practitioners at the North American Mission Board. The degree seeks to equip the Church Planting Leader with the tools to thrive spiritually and lead others to plant effectively in a team environment. The degree offers four basic courses to accomplish these purposes: Church Planting Leadership, Church Planting Leadership and Soul Care, North American Missiology and Church Planting, and Methods and Models of Church Planting. If you are a church planting leader and want to enhance your skills to lead catalytically and grow spiritually, then this degree is specifically designed with you in mind.

Church Revitalization

Designed to effectively assess current trends in revitalization and equip students with the tools and biblical framework necessary to lead plateaued or declining churches.

Discipleship and Christian Growth

Designed to critically engage in the biblical, theological, and historical basis for discipleship, as well as examining current models and practices for nurturing Christian maturity among disciples in multiple ministry contexts.

Evangelism and Missions

Designed to critically engage the biblical, theological, historical, and socio-cultural bases of evangelism and missions in order to prepare them academically and professionally for effective Great Commission leadership.

Executive Leadership

The concentration in Executive Leadership is designed to engage in targeted and advanced study in the area of leadership, with particular emphasis on more expansive organizational structures and contexts within church ministry and the marketplace.

Family Ministry

The concentration in Family Ministry is designed to equip ministry leaders with the biblical, theological, historical, and sociological framework for effective application of family ministry practices in the local church and other ministry contexts.

Text-Driven Preaching (DMin only)

The concentration in Text-Driven Preaching is designed to train pastors and church leaders for more effective exegesis of Scripture for the purpose of sound teaching and faithful preaching and to understand the historical significance of Text-Driven Preaching.

Pastoral Theology (DMin only)

The concentration in Pastoral Theology is designed to equip pastors to be faithful shepherds and effective church leaders through the critical reflection of the biblical, theological, and historical foundations for pastoral ministry.

Worship Leadership

The concentration in Worship Leadership seeks to train worship leaders for more effective leadership by providing further biblical, theological, and historical grounding in the area of Christian worship while also critically reflecting on the role of the arts in the life of the church.

Entrance Requirements

Prospective students seeking to apply should complete the online admissions application at www.swbts.edu/applynow. Additional information can be requested from the Office of Professional Doctoral Studies by phone at 817.923.1921, ext. 6700, or by email at dmin@swbts.edu for DMin students and dedmin@swbts.edu for DEdMin students.

Students may apply at any time of the year. The seminar cycle begins in the fall semester so students are encouraged to complete the application process no later than May 1. This timing will ensure that students can enroll in and complete the online research and writing courses before their concentration seminars begin.

An applicant from outside the United States must meet U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations to study at Southwestern Seminary in any program. Any approval of the applicant’s admission to the DMin Program is contingent upon the applicant maintaining proper status. Southwestern Seminary’s International Student Services Office communicates regularly with the DMin Program to assure that all DHS regulations are followed.

Acceptance

Applicants will be notified of the final decision on their application in writing by the Professional Doctoral Office. Upon acceptance into the program, the Professional Doctoral Office will send a letter of acceptance as well as information pertaining to registration and other necessary program details.

Denial of Admission

Applicants who are denied admission, and who wish to reapply, must wait at least one year before doing so. All requirements not previously met must be satisfied before admission is possible.

Entry Deferment

Those students who are approved to begin the DMin or DEdMin Program may delay initial seminars up to a maximum of one year by submitting a formal petition to the Director of Professional Doctoral Studies for approval. After this one-year period, students must submit a written request to begin the program, along with an explanation of the changes in circumstances which will permit the student to pursue the DMin or DEdMin degree.

Program Structure and Timeline

The Professional Doctoral Program at Southwestern presents a unique design intended to provide excellent instruction and distinct Christian formation while maintaining flexibility within a student’s ministry context. Thus, the program can be broken down into three major components 1) annual seminars, 2) guided discussions, and 3) ministry coaching. Additionally, students begin the writing process for their doctoral project soon after acceptance by means of two online seminars. These seminars are intended to acclimate the student to doctoral research and writing and the mechanics of the Ministry Research Project. The Ministry Research Project represents the culmination of their professional doctoral work. The doctoral cycle takes place as follows:

YEARS 1-2

Acceptance and Enrollment

Introduction to Research & Writing
4 wks online
Contextualized Ministry Leadership
4 wks online

Students will also work on their project proposal in two stages, and a project supervisor will be assigned.

Fall Semester
Sept-Dec

LiveSync Guided Discussions
Monthly, Sept-Nov
Seminar 1 Assignments

Individual Coaching
Sept & Dec

January

Annual Southwestern Seminar
Seminar 1 OR 3 (Mon-Wed) Seminar 2 OR 4 (Thurs-Sat)

Chapel
Equipping Lunch
Fort Worth Experience

Spring Semester
Feb-May

LiveSync Guided Discussions
Monthly, Feb-April
Seminar 2 Assignments

Individual Coaching
Feb & May

June-Aug

Contextualized Writing

Chapters 1-2 (Year One)
Chapters 3-4 (Year Two)

YEAR THREE

Sept-Mar

Project Conclusion

Oral Defense

May

Graduation

Doctoral Ceremony

ANNUAL SEMINAR WEEK SCHEDULE

Mon-Wed

M-Tu (8:00am-5:00pm)
W (8:00am-11:00am)

Foundational Seminar 1 (Year One)
OR Foundational Seminar 3 (Year Two)

Wed-Fri

W (1:00pm-5:00pm)
Th-F (8:00am-5:00pm)

Foundational Seminar 2 (Year One)
OR Foundational Seminar 4 (Year Two)

The DMin and DEdMin can be completed in 3 years, but the maximum time allotted is 6 years. Students who extend their program beyond six years must submit an annual written request to the Office of Professional Doctoral Studies to extend their program.

Seminars offered by Concentration:

  • DMNBC 6014 Theoretical and Foundational Factors in Counseling Ministry
  • DMNBC 6024 Counseling Methodology: Historical and Contemporary
  • DMNBC 6034 Practical Application and Strategies in Biblical Counseling
  • DMNBC 6044 Marriage and Family Counseling
  • DMNCF 6014 Biblical and Theological Foundations for Christian Formation and Discipleship
  • DMNCF 6024 Christian Formation and Discipleship in the History of the Church
  • DMNCF 6034 Leading Christian Formation and Discipleship in the Church
  • DMNCF 6044 Current Issues in Christian Formation and Discipleship
  • DMNCL 6014 Organizational Leadership for Christian Ministry
  • DMNCL 6024 Leadership Development for Christian Ministry
  • Concentration Seminar 3 (from another identified concentration)
  • Concentration Seminar 4 (from another identified concentration)
  • DMNCP 6014 Church Planting Leadership
  • DMNCP 6024 Church Planting Leadership and Personal Soul Care
  • DMNCP 6034 North American Missiology and Church Planting
  • DMNCP 6044 Methods and Models of Church Planting
  • DMNCR 6014 Introduction to Church Revitalization
  • DMNCR 6024 Church Revitalization and the Great Commission
  • DMNCR 6034 The Role of Preaching and Worship in Church Revitalization
  • DMNCR 6044 The Role of the Leader and Pastoral Ministry in Church Revitalization
  • DMNME 6014 Biblical and Theological Foundations of Evangelism and Missions
  • DMNME 6024 Historical Foundations of Evangelism and Missions
  • DMNME 6034 Anthropology and Contextualization in Missions and Evangelism
  • DMNME 6044 Ecclesiological Factors of Evangelism and Missions
  • DMNEL 6014 The Leader as Theologian
  • DMNEL 6024 The Leader as Visionary
  • DMNEL 6034 The Leader as Communicator
  • DMNEL 6044 The Leader as Strategist
  • DMNFM 6014 Theological Foundations for family Ministry
  • DMNFM 6024 Family Ministry Models and Practice
  • DMNFM 6034 Biblical Response to Issues in Children’s Ministry
  • DMNFM 6044 Biblical Response to Issues in Student Ministry
  • DMNPT 6014 Biblical and Theological Foundations for Pastoral Theology
  • DMNPT 6024 The History and Practice of Pastoral Care
  • DMNPT 6034 Theology of Church Membership and Polity
  • DMNPT 6044 Pastoral Theology and Leadership
  • DMNEP 6014 Introduction to Text-Driven Preaching
  • DMNEP 6024 Preaching the Old Testament
  • DMNEP 6034 Preaching the New Testament
  • DMNEP 6044 Great Preachers and their Preaching
  • DMNWL 6014 Biblical and Theological Foundations of Christian Worship
  • DMNWL 6024 The Leader and Practice of Public Worship
  • DMNWL 6034 History and Philosophy of Worship and Congregational Song OR Concentration Seminar 3 (from another identified concentration)
  • DMNWL 6044 Current Trends in Worship Ministry OR Concentration Seminar 4 (from another identified concentration)

Got Questions?

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