Doctor of Ministry (DMin) – Spiritual Formation Shape the Future Church
30
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Be a Shepherd for Your Congregation by Earning a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Spiritual Formation
As a ministry leader, you are responsible for the spiritual well-being of your congregation, staff, and community. Liberty University’s Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Spiritual Formation helps provide the opportunity to study innovative strategies to facilitate the spiritual growth of small groups and individuals under your leadership. The DMin is the highest and most prestigious ministry-based degree that a student can earn in our School of Divinity. We know the time you have in your busy schedule to complete a doctorate degree is limited, so we have designed this program to be 100% online to fit your need for flexibility.
Our professors have years of training and first-hand experience in ministry. They are excited to invest their knowledge into doctoral students so you can strengthen your ministry potential. You can advance your knowledge of God’s Word, the spiritual foundation of a ministry and individuals, become more effective in leading your discipleship ministries, and meet others with similar passions when enrolled in our spiritual growth program.
Accreditation
Liberty Theological Seminary, as part of Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity, is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.
Why Choose Liberty’s Doctor of Ministry (DMin) – Spiritual Formation Online Program?
Our professors are committed to preparing you for a successful career in ministry leadership. As you learn about the process of facilitating growth in your church, you can be equipped with an advanced understanding of biblical principles that can serve you well in a ministry-related role. We want you to be able to encourage a commitment to the Christian life, personal integrity, sensitivity to the needs of others, social responsibility, and active communication of Christian values — in your life and in the lives of others.
With a calling to share the Word of God and make disciples who are growing in their knowledge of Jesus, our online ministry degree can help prepare you for whatever comes during your ministry.
What Will You Study in the Online Doctor of Ministry (DMin) – Spiritual Formation Degree?
Our online Doctor of Ministry (DMin) degree seeks to provide an in-depth, well-rounded exploration of biblical principles and the opportunity to enhance your communication skills. This degree program can strengthen your understanding of discipleship and ministry with the future leaders of the Church. You can also benefit from strengthening your own theological and biblical knowledge so that you can effectively carry out the Great Commission.
Throughout this degree program, you can engage in a variety of courses designed to increase your understanding and application of the Gospel.
- Through classes like Biblical Theology of Spiritual Formation, our online seminary professors can help you gain a deep understanding of the Gospel and how to use God’s Word to develop spiritual growth.
- Our History of Spiritual Formation course provides training in how spiritual formation has changed from the early days of the church to the present day through the lens of discipline, theology, and practice.
- The Facilitation of Spiritual Formation course focuses on the corporate aspect of spiritual formation against the backdrop of our hyper-individualistic culture and emphasis within Protestantism. You can analyze those elements that facilitate and foster spiritual formation in Christian life.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Discipleship pastor
- Pastoral counselor
- Senior church administrator
- Senior pastor
- Small group pastor
- Youth pastor
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This online doctoral program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.
- View the Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
- You will have a choice between completing a 15-credit-hour thesis project or a 15-credit-hour portfolio.
Degree Completion Plan
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee.
*Electronic textbooks are not provided for PACO courses or courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.
Doctoral Divinity Block Rate (7-15 credit hours) | $2,750 |
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Doctoral Divinity Part Time (0-6.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $395/Credit |
Military Doctoral Divinity Block Rate (7-15 credit hours) | $2,700 |
Military Doctoral Divinity Part Time (0-6.99 or over 15 credit hours)* | $395/Credit |
*Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more).
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Information for Our Online DMin Degree Program
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Previous education should show at least 18 hours of graduate-level Bible/Theology or ministry-related courses.
- The John W. Rawlings School of Divinity requires you to submit a Professional Vita showing:
- At least 2 years of ministerial experience
- Experience must be pastoral in nature (pastor, assistant pastor, youth pastor, missionary, etc.) and must be connected to a church body
- Statement of Purpose Please submit a 300-word minimum Statement of Purpose detailing the following:
- Your vocational or ministry calling
- Your vocational or ministry goals
- A key ministry problem you feel needs to be addressed in today’s culture, which is appropriate to an advanced professional study
- An Ecclesiastical endorsement indicating the agreement of the church (or employing organization) with your participation in the Doctor of Ministry program.
- This is not a recommendation letter from a pastor telling us that they personally recommend the student. This is an endorsement from the church body for someone who will likely do an internship with them at the end of their program.
- Some examples of language within the Ecclesiastical Endorsement that would be acceptable include:
- We Endorse/We Support/We recommend
- This is an Ecclesiastical Endorsement
- I recommend on behalf of the church/board of deacons/church staff
- The endorsement letter must be signed with pen (no typed signatures allowed) and can be faxed, mailed, or scanned and emailed as an attachment.
- Submit the School of Divinity Questionnaire (login required).
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
- Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.
Transcript Policies
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Discounted divinity block rate – $2,700 per semester*
- Additional discount for veterans who serve in a civilian capacity as a First Responder
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Credits taken below 7 and above 15 credit hours per semester are charged at the part-time rate of $395/credit hour.
Eligible current and former service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more), but the $300/credit hour doctoral military rate cannot be combined with the First Responder Discount.
Tuition rates may change annually. For the most current information, please visit our LU Tuition Cost page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Liberty accredited?
Liberty University’s John W. Rawlings School of Divinity is accredited by the Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools (ATS). Your seminary degree is approved by ATS and has met rigorous accreditation standards, so you can feel confident that your degree is both academically excellent and well-respected among churches, ministries, and nonprofit organizations.
What are the benefits of Liberty’s online Doctor of Ministry?
- Unlike many online Bible colleges and seminaries, Liberty University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
- Completing our online Doctor of Ministry degree will offer practice-focused training that emphasizes solving real-world ministry problems with advanced practice and research.
- The variety of specializations in our online DMin degree allows you to choose a track that directly relates to your ministry.
- You will choose to complete either an integrated thesis or a portfolio project that will challenge you to demonstrate your expertise and ability to apply advanced theology and Christian scholarship to practical ministry problems.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
- FAQs
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