Doctor of Ministry

1. Complete the application form in all detail and submit the $60 processing fee.
2. Submit:
    a. A brief biographical statement that describes your career in ministry in chronological order
    b. A personal evaluation of your professional competence
    c. A statement on how you use your seminary education in the practice of ministry, especially studies in Bible, theology, and church history
    d. Your reason for pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree at Wesley.
3. Request that official transcripts from all junior colleges, colleges, universities, or seminaries you have attended be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.
4. List references; download the recommendation request form and ask your referrers to submit them to the Office of Admissions.

Admission Timeline

October 1 - Application deadline for tracks beginning in January
December 1 - Deadline for complete application package for Church Leadership Excellence track
February 1 - Application deadline for other tracks beginning in May

Most Doctor of Ministry tracks are limited to 20 candidates and often fill completely. Therefore you are encouraged to apply well in advance of the deadline.

Admission to any Wesley degree program requires a bachelor's degree or equivalent from a regionally accredited college. In addition, applicants for the Doctor of Ministry program must hold a Master of Divinity or equivalent from a seminary accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, and must have completed three years of ministry experience prior to entering Wesley's Doctor of Ministry program.

Admission is based on academic achievement and the Seminary's ability to meet your goals, as well as on your personal and professional qualifications for Christian ministry. Previous academic achievement should reflect a grade point average of at least 3.0 at the graduate level.

The Doctor of Ministry program supports diverse areas of focus, or tracks, which require the successful completion of 24 core course hours and 6 hours of electives. Three hours for the Project Seminar are included in the core courses. Transfer credit is not accepted as a substitute for the required core courses. The project is generally written during the third year.

Electives may be completed through elective courses offered during the intensive terms (for those who have completed their core courses), through independent studies with Wesley faculty, or through work transferred from other ATS accredited institutions using the Doctor of Ministry program's transfer credit procedure. Up to 6 hours of elective courses may be taken outside Wesley. Work completed prior to entry into the Doctor of Ministry program at Wesley will not be applied towards the Doctor of Ministry degree. Transfer work must be done on an accredited, doctoral level and must not be applied toward the awarding of another degree.

The 30 hours of course work are normally completed within three and a half years. A limit of six years will be allowed for completion of the Doctor of Ministry degree. The faculty's Doctor of Ministry Committee will entertain requests for time extensions in circumstances of unusual gravity. Students who have outstanding work and incomplete grades from either the January or May terms will not be allowed to enroll in courses for the following term. Course work must be started within two years after admission into the program; otherwise, eligibility for admission will be reviewed.

Two months before the January or May intensive term, students receive their reading lists and preparatory assignments. Each of the two weeks of the intensive term requires 30 contact hours with the professor. After the intensive term, students have six weeks to complete course assignments. The two weeks on campus for the intensive term are devoted entirely to class interaction on the basis of the preparatory work.

Peer learning is an essential part of Wesley Doctor of Ministry programs. Doctor of Ministry core courses are normally limited in enrollment to those students in a given Doctor of Ministry track.

Ministerial setting is also an essential part of Wesley's Doctor of Ministry program. Students are encouraged to engage people in their ministry settings in a variety of ways, from personal support and accountability to participation in the projects and oral examinations.

Wesley's Doctor of Ministry degree requires successful completion of thirty hours of course work, plus a Doctor of Ministry project and project paper. Classes are held during intensive two-week periods in January and May. The program must be completed within six years of entry.

Any combination of the following options may be used to fulfill the elective course requirements for a Doctor of Ministry track:

elective courses/seminars for Doctor of Ministry students offered during the January and May intensive terms
a maximum of six credit hours taken as independent studies under the direction of Wesley faculty
immersion study experiences, directly related to the subject of focus for a given track, for a maximum of six credit hours
advanced seminars in Wesley's M.Div. curriculum in which Wesley faculty agree to develop additional readings and assignments for the Doctor of Ministry student
approved courses at member institutions of the Washington Theological Consortium
work at other ATS approved institutions with prior approval from Wesley's Doctor of Ministry Office.

Each student will write a project proposal in the Project Seminar. When the seminar instructor approves a student's project proposal, that proposal is forwarded to the Doctor of Ministry Committee for assignment of a faculty reader. Upon payment of a $250 Reader's Fee, the student is formally advanced to candidacy status in the Doctor of Ministry program. The faculty reader will serve as a consultant to the candidate for selection of the specialized elective courses as well as the development of the Project Paper.

The Project itself should be started as soon as possible following the approval of the proposal, advancement to candidacy, and assignment of a faculty reader. A first draft of the complete Project Paper is due in the Doctor of Ministry Office by February 1 preceding graduation. During the month of March preceding graduation, each candidate will make an oral presentation and evaluation of his or her project. Proposed venues for this presentation should be cleared with the Doctor of Ministry Office. One copy of the Project Paper in final form, together with one copy of a 100-word abstract, and various forms provided by the Library, must be submitted to the Doctor of Ministry Office on or before the date specified in the Seminary Calendar.