Doctor of Ministry

Doctor of Ministry (including the Master of Arts Bridge)

Purpose

The Doctor of Ministry is a post-graduate degree designed to provide you advanced competencies and biblical insights into the practice of ministry, as you are actively involved in vocational Christian ministry. The degree can be completed 100% online or in combination with on-campus classes.

The quality and success of a Christian ministry is very often determined by the minister’s ability to think critically, biblically, and theologically; to communicate that thinking in oral and written fashion; and to apply that thinking in real-life ministry.  The Doctor of Ministry program is designed to facilitate these qualities in you, the student. 

Master of Arts Bridge

Have a Master of Arts Degree and want to pursue a Doctor of Ministry? The new Luther Rice Master of Arts bridge gives you the opportunity. A total of 54 credit hours of approved master’s level work will make you eligible for acceptance into the Doctor of Ministry program. Just complete the difference of 54 credit hours and the number of hours you completed in your Master of Arts degree.

For example, an applicant with a 36-hour Master of Arts degree will need to complete an additional 18 credit hours of master's level preparatory coursework at Luther Rice prior to consideration for the Doctor of Ministry.  Click here for more detailed information about the bridge opportunity. Click here for more information.

Quick Facts

• Accredited with SACSCOC, TRACS, and ABHE
• 30 hour doctoral degree program
• 97% of graduates reported that a Luther Rice education improved the quality of their ministry experience
• The degree can be completed 100% online
• 4 core courses completed during week-long modules (attend online via Zoom or on-campus)
• Tuition $431 per credit hour

Program Introduction Video

Course Listings

Download D.Min. course listings (PDF)

Potential Careers

• Senior Pastor
• Christian Author
• Speaker
• Theologian
• Missions Agency
• Non-profit
• Administrator
• Teacher

Admission Requirements

• Doctoral applicants must possess a total of 54 credit hours of master's level work (including an earned Master of Arts degree) or Master of Divinity degree from an institution with accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education. Unaccredited graduate degrees may be considered but will be evaluated according to the criteria outlined in the Luther Rice catalog.
• Minimum 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) cumulative GPA in approved graduate-level work.
• Entrance paper (guidelines available from the Admissions Office).
• Two-page paper detailing:
  • Acceptable, verifiable employment experience in a specific area of ministry (e.g., pastor, church staff, missionary, parachurch ministry leader or staff)
  • Acceptable, verifiable two-year history of active Christian ministry showing good professional standing, adherence to the fundamentals of the Christian faith, and good Christian character and conduct
  • Acceptable, verifiable ministry laboratory in which the applicant can pursue the required project (e.g., church, mission field, or parachurch field of ministry) and how the Doctor of Ministry Program will benefit the student in his/her ministry.
• All other general admissions requirements.

Contact the Enrollment Team for more details on these requirements at 770-484-1204 ext. 5758 or Admissions@LutherRice.edu.

Program Coordinator