The Doctor of Ministry is a non-residential degree program designed for vocational ministry leaders with an M.Div. degree (or its equivalent) from an accredited institution and at least three years of post-M.Div. ministry experience.

It requires 29 credit hours of advanced seminary work, encompassing seminars, ministry coaching, and a ministry project. It is designed to be completed in three years. Students may take up to five years to finish, but will be charged an extension fee for any semester past the fourth year.

In a cohort-based program, candidates join a peer learning community containing eight to 15 candidates. Each cohort has a distinctive focus that is built around the specific learning needs of those in the cohort.

Normally, three or four new cohorts begin each academic year. Start dates vary, with seminars usually taking place every six months in January, the summer months, and November.

The program focuses on developing personal maturity, leadership character, and ministry effectiveness through:

• Personalized learning goals
• Relevant seminars taught by seminary faculty and leading practitioners
• Specialist seminars
• Field-based mentoring and ministry support/feedback
• Cultural and vocational diversity within cohorts, and
• Theological reflection and integration

Our candidates emerge with greater self-understanding and a stronger ability to integrate theological and theoretical concepts into life and ministry.

What’s unique about Golden Gate’s D.Min. program?

• You’re a person, not a number
• Quality education at a reasonable cost
• Personalized learning goals and learning flexibility through specialist seminars
• Practical focus of seminars, in short-term intensive format
• Limited trips to accessible seminar sites (San Francisco, Denver, Phoenix, Portland, Southern California, etc.)
• Cultural and vocational diversity within cohorts
• Peer support and relationships
• Seminars co-taught by seminary faculty and leading practitioners
• “360-degree” field-based mentoring process