The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) degree is, according to The Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS), a doctoral level degree oriented toward ministerial leadership often in an area of applied theology, such as missions, evangelism, church leadership, pastoral psychology or the psychology of religion, church growth, church administration, homiletics, or spiritual formation.
Under Association of Theological Schools (ATS) guidelines, one needs to have completed the equivalent of 3 years of full-time ministry after the initial theological degree, normally the Master of Divinity (M.Div.). If the initial theological degree is not equivalent to the M.Div., preliminary coursework may be required before entering a D.Min. program.
The purpose of the Doctor of Ministry degree is to enhance the practice of ministry for persons who hold the M.Div. degree and have engaged in ministerial leadership.
The D.Min. program requires the equivalent of usually one full year of academic study and the completion of the doctoral dissertation or project. Normally, the degree requires from three to six years to complete.
The D.Min. differs from the Doctor of Theology (D.Th. or Th.D.) and the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Religion or Religious Studies in that the focus is on application-oriented research. Thus, while the Ph.D. and Th.D. is granted upon the successful completion of a dissertation that makes an original contribution or synthesis to a discrete field of theoretical knowledge, the D.Min. is granted upon the successful completion of a dissertation based upon actual applied ministry. Thus, the focus of research is in different areas. The Ph.D. and Th.D. degrees are in specific niche studies in new areas and the dissertation contributes something new academically, where the D.Min. is research based on the actual application and practice of ministry.
The D.Min. degree is designed for working clergy, and most D.Min. programs are structured to allow for part time study by priests/pastors, missionaries, and denominational leaders who are practicing ministry. Conversely, the Th.D. is considered academically oriented with theological research and language studies. The Doctor of Practical Theology (D.Th.P.) preceded the D.Min. in the U.S. The modern Doctor of Practical Theology (D.T.P.) is a professional degree designed for advanced study and reflection in the application of theological principles to professional practice for not only ministry, but a broad range of professions. This degree is typically structured for the part-time student in continuing service as a full-time professional.
The D.Min. in the UK follows a different pattern to the U.S. and is modeled on the "first doctorate" and involves different training in research methodologies. For example, in the D.Min. program offered by King's College London, students have a two year taught component, followed by a year long empirically based study resulting in a 15,000 word report, followed by a research project resulting in a 50,000 word thesis examined by a viva. Research projects tend to be inter-disciplinary, drawing on both theology and social science.