The D.Min. (Prin.): An Overview
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This segment of the packet offers you general information about the D.Min. program: its aim and structure, the time commitments required, the standards of evaluation for D.Min. work, and the requirements for participating in the program. Separate sheets describe the component parts of the program: Workshops, Final Project, Agenda of Concerns, and Individual Study Program.
The D.Min. Habit of Mind
From the very beginning, D.Min. graduates have told us that the greatest impact the doctoral program had on them was the way it changed their perceptions of ministry. What used to be taken for granted became more intentional, what had been pragmatic or mechanical revealed a theological dimension, and what had been fragmented came together as a whole. We think of that as the development of a "habit of mind," and it is one of the most important fruits of Doctor of Ministry study at Princeton.
The "habit of mind" we seek to cultivate in candidates is a theologically informed praxis of ministry that manifests the unity and interrelatedness of theory and practice. All acts of ministry are seen in the light of a theological vision of the nature and mission of the church in the world, and in turn the actual practice of ministry shapes and reforms that theological vision.
An essential part of the D.Min. habit of mind is contextual and relational thinking - paying attention to and learning from the ways that the separate parts of a ministerial situation influence each other. The first D.Min. workshop, for instance, includes an introduction to the process of thinking systemically and contextually about ministers themselves, their roles, and their congregational settings.
Design of the Program
The design of the Princeton D.Min. program has been deliberately streamlined to concentrate on the content of its various learning events. Candidates remain in their fields of service for the entire program, coming to Princeton only for particular learning events. Geographical distance from Princeton is not, therefore, a limiting factor for D. Min. candidacy.
Candidates attend three on-campus Workshops of two or three weeks' duration each, during which they use special case studies from their own ministries, as well as concentrated input from faculty and print resources, to work toward the integrative aim of the program.
The selection of ministerial experience for analysis in the program is based on the focus topic chosen from the Agenda of Concerns at the time of application. In the second year of candidacy, following completion of the workshops, a Final Project is begun under faculty advisorship, executed in the candidate's ministerial workplace. The results are then presented in a doctoral essay or thesis. Throughout their candidacies, D.Min. students pursue an individually tailored and negotiated Individual Study Program under faculty leadership.
The method of work in all phases of the program is unique to Princeton. Ministry is seen as consisting of four essential dimensions. These dimensions can be thought of as enduring perspectives from which ministry can be viewed, one or more of which will be selected as the vantage point for analyzing a particular case study.
The four dimensions of ministry are (1) Interpreting Sources of Christian Faith, (2) Empowering People for Transformation, (3) Organizing Communal Life, and (4) Rethinking Christian Faith.
Interpreting Sources of Christian Faith focuses on the interpretation and communication of the biblical witness and the church's faith in regard to human existence and the church's mission in the world. This dimension is about the generation and shaping of ways of faith and life in relation to God and others, through such communication processes as preaching, worship, and education.
Empowering People for Transformation centers on encouraging and helping people as they struggle with various forces in their lives - forces that sometimes are destructive and bring about suffering, and at other times contribute to growth and development. This dimension of ministry has to do with the minister's participation in personal and interpersonal struggles for renewal, transformation, and fulfillment, which are viewed both theologically and through the human sciences.
Organizing Communal Life concerns ministry that envisions, arranges, and enables forms of communal life that embody Christian faith in neighborhood, city, state, national, and international settings. This dimension focuses on the communal embodiments of Christian faith in the world, encompassing concern for both the organizational life and dynamics of congregations and other bodies, and the ongoing task of renewing social order and promoting justice.
Rethinking Faith in God reflects the continuing task of theological formation in light of the experience of ministry, even as that experience is itself under examination in light of Scripture and the church's faith. The emphasis of this dimension is on those occasions when faith seeks - and sometimes finds - understanding in and through the work of ministry.
Time Commitment to the D.Min. Program
Ministers considering the D.Min. program usually want to know how much time it will take, week in and week out, to complete. The time commitment varies according to each stage of the program, but two rules of thumb may help candidates plan their overall time commitments: (1) The equivalent of one day of work devoted to the D.Min. per week has proved a useful estimate for the entire program, understanding that at certain periods this time will vary. (2) Since a person's own issues and situation are the focus of D.Min. work, one does not "stop" ministry to "do" the doctoral program, as might be the case in other forms of graduate study. In a real sense, working on the D.Min. is the same as doing one's ministry. Our experience has been that constituencies quickly recognize and value that overlapping and reinforcement of commitments.
Evaluation and Progress in the Program
Evaluation of a candidate's progress occurs formally at seven different points in the program, rather than through any single examination: (1,2,3) Each of the three workshops requires a certification of satisfactory progress before the next can be undertaken. (4) Upon completion of the third workshop, candidates must be recommended by their faculty advisors for Final Project status. (5) The subject of a Final Project must be approved by the D.Min. Studies Committee. (6) The Final Project itself is approved by the candidate's advisors, leading to graduation from the program. (7) The successful completion of the Individual Study Program must be certified by the Director of D.Min. studies.
At any point of evaluation, certain compensatory educational experiences or demonstrations may be required for work in the program to proceed. Candidates who discontinue the program for whatever reason after completing the workshops are eligible to receive a special citation, the Fellow in Pastoral Leadership Development Certificate.
Eligibility and Application
To be eligible for the D.Min. program, you must:
(1) Hold the Master of Divinity degree (or its academic equivalent) from a theological seminary or divinity school fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (or recognized as such, if not a North American institution)
(2) Be engaged in full-time active ministry, parochial or otherwise, which involves all four of the dimensions of ministry which form the program's structure
(3) Have served in full-time ministry for at least three years following receipt of the basic theological degree (whether it was an M.Div. or not)
Applications from all denominations and religious faiths are welcome, provided they fall within the above guidelines. Please see the application segment of this site for further information and application forms. The application deadline is January 15 of any academic year for admission in the fall.
Tuition and Finances
Tuition for the D.Min. program is payable in installments over a two-year period. Tuition amounts may change from year to year. The full-program tuition for the fall of 2006 is $9,083. A non-refundable confirmation fee (which is currently $600 and is part of the tuition) is due within one month of acceptance. Transportation, housing, meals, books, and materials are all additional expenses paid for by the candidates. For planning purposes, you may estimate that room and board itself, using private accommodations in the guest facility of Princeton’s Center of Continuing Education and the Seminary dining hall, presently costs about $1,225 for a threeweek workshop. A monthly tuition installment payment plan is available.
The Working Context
Residency required on the Seminary campus is limited to the three workshops, though candidates are welcome to spend whatever additional time they wish for such purposes as library research, faculty consultation, preparation of workshop or final project materials, and independent study. Economical housing can be arranged at the Center of Continuing Education.
Since much of the work of the Doctor of Ministry program is done in a candidate’s “back home” situation, creative use of the Internet and World Wide Web has become an integral part of the D.Min. educational process. Princeton Seminary has been an innovator in the use of online resources, and a special Doctor of Ministry web site, restricted to D.Min. candidates, alumni/ae, and faculty, and including email addresses for all candidates, is an essential tool all candidates will use regularly. Accordingly, basic computer competence, Internet access and regular use of the D.Min. web are requirements of Doctor of Ministry candidacy. Applicants who believe they may not meet these requirements should confer with the Director of the program for assistance.
Time for Completion
Completion of the program is normally in three to five years, with a maximum allowed time of seven years in the program. Upon completion of the third workshop, candidates are allowed four calendar years in which to complete their final projects, and may petition for one additional year if circumstances warrant. The fourth and fifth years carry a continuation fee of $1,000 per academic year. Normally candidates remain with the same workshop group for the program’s duration, though extenuating circumstances may occasionally require a deferment of workshop participation, in consultation with the Director.
Princeton Theological Seminary admits students of any race, color, sex, handicap, or national or ethnic origin.
Princeton Seminary’s D.Min. program is fully accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada.