Doctor of Ministry

The MTSO Doctor of Ministry degree program is designed to offer ministering professionals an advanced educational experience, which in turn serves the church and the society by providing leaders with advanced professional development.

This degree is carefully crafted with professional ministry in mind and places the student experience at the center of the program. It offers:

• Collaborative study with peer groups.
• Small class sizes.
• Core courses integrating theory and practice.
• Projects designed to introduce change in faith communities.
• Hy-Flex education, where classes are taught in person and remotely via Zoom – both at the same time.
• Affordable on-campus housing options for students who attend in-person

You’ll benefit from regular communication with their peers, faculty and the D.Min. director throughout all phases of the degree program.

Apply today.

Program overview

Core and specialization courses are offered in a five-day intensive format, which takes place every July and January. MTSO offers courses both in person and online, employing HyFlex education.

You’ll begin your coursework in July of your first year, meeting for classes in July and January until the coursework is completed. All students, regardless of specialization, take the same three core courses together in their first three terms. Specialization courses begin in the fourth term, where you pursue focused study in one of three specializations:

• Leadership for Transformational Change.
• Ecology and Justice Ministry.
• Global Christian Leadership and the Urban Context.

The remainder of your work toward the D.Min. can be done independently. The D.Min. program may be completed in four to five years, and must be completed within six years of enrollment.

At the conclusion of coursework, you’ll embark upon an original research project in your own ministry setting, culminating in a written thesis that makes an original contribution to scholarship about the practice of ministry.

Our D.Min. degree audit outlines requirements for earning the degree. (PDF)

Here is our Doctor of Ministry Student Handbook. (PDF)

Tuition and fees

Tuition and fees for the D.Min. program are on MTSO’s tuition, fees and housing sheet. Costs such as books, course materials, travel, housing and meals are not covered by tuition.

• MTSO does not offer D.Min. scholarships.
• United Methodist clergy may be eligible for some scholarship support from the United Methodist Higher Education Foundation. Applications open up each January.
• Clergy within the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church may apply for the West Ohio Conference Alford-Cantlin Fellows program, which includes some scholarship funding.

Note to prospective international students

Because those enrolled in the MTSO Doctor of Ministry program attend half-time rather than full-time, D.Min. students are ineligible for the United States’ F-1 student visas, which require full-time enrollment.

Apply

Get started on our Doctor of Ministry application page. Please note:

• Applications for summer matriculation are due May 15, 2025.
• New DMin Student Orientation is Tuesday, July 15, 2025 on Zoom.
• Summer 2025 DMin classes meet the week of July 28, 2025. Course schedules are available here.
• Affordable on-campus housing is available for students who choose to attend in person.

Questions? Email admissions@mtso.edu.