Birmingham Theological Seminary
Doctor of Ministry

The Doctor of Ministry Program (D.Min)
BTS has designed its Doctor of Ministry program to accommodate both the bi-vocational pastor and the fulltime pastor active in the ordained ministry. This pastoral leadership program also has a track especially designed for the Korean pastor. At the present time we offer two major tracks for our Doctor of Ministry Program: 1)Pastoral Leadership and the Healthy Church; and 2) Biblical Counseling. Each member of our program faculty has obtained a terminal degree but they are also fulltime ministry practitioners. They have learned to integrate biblical, historical, practical and theological resources into successful ministries; therefore, they serve as academians as well as mentors to the student.

Applicants may secure a form from the seminary office. Applications must be submitted prior to admission to the program. International students whose primary language is not English must submit TOEFL scores. Also, procedures required for foreign students in relationship to immigration policies are applicable.

Consideration by the doctoral committee will include the completed application, evidence of cultural appreciation, evidence of the application of Scripture to the care of souls, and administrative skills in managing the ministry. These matters will be assessed through personal references, a personal interview and/or whatever testing the administration deems useful.

Pastoral Leadership and the Healthy Church

Program Requirements
The Doctor of Ministry degree requires a satisfactory completion of 30 hours of course work as prescribed in the curriculum. The student is expected to maintain a GPA of at least 3.1 with no more than one C grade in the entire program. The Master of Divinity or its educational equivalent (including at least one of the biblical languages from an acceptable seminary) and three years of ministry experience are prerequisites for admission. Students with an MA in a ministry field may apply after five years of ministry with the submission of a scholarly paper of 15-20 pages reflecting the student’s ministry growth during these five years. The doctoral committee will determine any additional prerequisites that may be required.

The Doctor of Ministry program, including a dissertation or project cannot be completed in less than three years. The degree must be completed seven years from the date of enrollment. Students may apply for a one-year extension to the doctoral committee.

Program Structure
Doctor of Ministry courses are offered in five intensive, one-day sessions during the semester. The day of the week will usually be Friday, though each class may negotiate the day of the week with the professor. The one regular exception to this format will be the Church Revitalization course. This course will meet Thursday afternoon through Sunday noon in conjunction with the Church Revitalization Seminar at Briarwood Presbyterian Church usually during the third week of January.

Independent Study
With the approval of the Doctor of Ministry Committee, the student may complete up to six hours of credit through independent study. The student must secure a faculty member willing to supervise the course. He must then submit a proposal for the course that the faculty member must approve. Upon approval, the student must then deliver the proposal with the signature of the faculty member to the President and secure his signature.

Course Requirements
Each Doctor of Ministry course offered includes approximately 2000 pages of reading that must be completed in the increments prescribed by the professor. The professor must receive the following in evidence of the completion of the reading assignment:

Candidacy
The Doctor of Ministry Committee will grant candidacy status based upon the following criteria:

Dissertation or Project
The final phase of the program is the dissertation or thesis project. The student may elect to write either a dissertation (Ph.D. in nature) or complete a project. If the student elects a dissertation, he must provide evidence of a knowledge of basic statistics or be willing to take the requisite statistical course(s) at a local university. The Doctor of Ministry project is the application of research abilities applied to understanding a ministry problem and devising a practical program to solve this problem. If the thesis project is elected, it must include a means of evaluating the effectiveness of the devised program. The final written submission of the project may be presented in publication form rather than standard academic format (e.g. Turabian Style Manual). However, in this case the student must also present proper documentation appropriate to his research.

The student will register each semester for the course 9121 (Dissertation/Project) and pay the tuition fee of $450.00 until the dissertation/project has been completed. This registration must occur during the registration week at the beginning of each semester.

The student will be assigned a mentor and will be expected to meet with the mentor at least twice a semester. The mentor will file a report with the Doctor of Ministry Committee on the appropriate form. Except for medical or extreme personal reasons, the student is expected to make progress each semester. Mentors are expected to be available to the student throughout the program.

Before the presentation of the rough draft to the Doctor of Ministry Committee, the student will be expected to gather five peers (not necessarily BTS Doctor of Ministry students) and make a presentation to them. In exchange for this educational experience, the student must request a two page written evaluation by each peer which must be submitted with the rough draft to the mentor and the second reader.

Upon acceptance by the mentor and second reader the student must submit a third copy for the outside reader. A $400.00 outside reader fee must accompany this submission. Five copies of an abstract of not more than 1500 words must also be submitted at this time. The President will then notify the student to schedule a time for an oral defense of his work before the committee.

Oral Defense
The oral defense will be scheduled with the mentor, second reader, outside reader and the Doctor of Ministry Committee. All faculty may attend and ask questions. Only the mentor, second reader, outside reader and Doctor of Ministry Committee may vote. The student will receive a pass, a suspension, or a failing grade. A failing grade has no recourse and the student must complete another dissertation or thesis project if he desires to complete the program. A suspension means that the committee believes that there is a shortcoming either in the dissertation or in the student’s ability to defend his work. In such cases, it will be at the discretion of the committee as to how the student may resolve the difficulty. The grade shall be determined by a majority vote of those eligible to vote.

Curriculum
DM9101 Church Revitalization: Developing and Maintaining a Healthy Church - Harry Reeder (3 credit hours)
At the heart of the DMin program is the vision for healthy churches. The Church Revitalization Seminar held annually at Briarwood Presbyterian Church serves as the catalysis of this course. This intensive seminar stimulates pastoral-self examination and church structural examination. In addition to the seminar, students will complete assigned readings and present a paper interacting with the seminar content, readings and ministry site.

DM9104 The Care and Curing of Souls - Howard Eyrich (3 credit hours)
This class will examine a biblical model of counseling as well as exploring a biblical model of caring for the sheep of God's fold. Personal and professional development of the minister as well as the ministry setting will be the focus of the course. Reading, lecture, role playing, peer evaluation along with case studies and a project applicable to the student's ministry setting will comprise the elements of this class.

DM9105 Personal Leadership Development - Thad James (3 credit hours)
The personal development of existing and new leaders is the focus of this course. The purpose is to assist the student in the critical task of self-evaluation or examination. The COUI3e will look to the inward training, to the heart of the leader, and facilitate the further development of good and faithful servants of our Lord to lead the church in spiritual and numerical growth.

DM9106 Developing and Training Effective Church Leaders – Jim Parker (3 credit hours)
This course is designed to help leaders disciple and train effective church leaders for the local church. It seeks to provide students with the tools to impart a world and life view and to equip others to become leaders who, through personal discipline and commitment, influence others to accomplish goals and objectives for the glory of God.

DM9108 Preaching in a Neo- Pagan World – Jim Parker (3 credit hours)
The objective of this course is to inform students regarding the world in which they live and to understand how to address the culture that has infiltrated the church. Utilization of the medium of expository preaching will be explored and developed. It will help the student grasp the issues that need to be addressed in the church today and realize the importance of the preaching of the word as one seeks to speak to those issues apologetically.

DM9110 Educational Ministries of the Growing Church - Dave Matthews (3 credit hours)
How to educate current members and plan for the education that comes with anticipated growth. A well orbed program from children's ministries to women's ministries and men's discipleship through Sunday School, new member’s classes, small groups and media will form the structure of this course.

DM9111 Independent Study - Mentor approved by the Director of the DMin. Program Appropriate Factually Advisor (3 credit hours)
The student may submit a proposal to the Director to complete an Independent Study (see DMin Handbook for guidelines). Proposal must include at least 2000 pages of reading and a scholarly paper of not less than 15 pages. Paper must include a practical application to some ministry in the student's church.

DM9120 Research and Design - Thad James (3 credit hours)
Required of all students, this course will prepare the student to do the necessary research for his dissertation or project. Students will become acquainted with the latest in research methods and research tools including the internet.

DM9121 Understanding the DMin Dissertation/Project - Howard Eyrich (3 credit hours)
The dissertation! project is the cumulative capstone of the Doctor of Ministry. Exploration of methods, models and process of writing a D.Min. project. The final product will be the production of a project proposal.

DM9122 DMin Dissertation/Project (6 credit hours)
Student will be assigned a committee, submit a proposal and complete the final

Honors D.Min.
Students with a GPA of at least 3.3* at the master’s degree level may apply for the Honors Doctor of Ministry The Doctor of Ministry Committee will carefully consider the application and may require a personal interview and, if a non-BTS student, the committee may require the submission of scholarly papers written in the master’s degree program for consideration. The student will attend a two-day orientation for the program in which the nature and requirements of the program will be developed.

The program must be completed in five years. Graduation from the program is contingent upon the dissertation/project publication. The student must keep a bibliography and journal of his reading for the program, which must be at least 30,000 pages.

The student will be assigned a committee of three readers. The chairman will be a BTS faculty member. The student will develop a proposal in conjunction with the mentor that must be approved by the committee. One committee member may be a non-BTS faculty member who is approved by the President. The mentor will be the advisor for the program. He may be anyone in the area of study with proper credentials. The student must have a personal interview with the President in which he presents his proposal for the mentor. The student will be responsible for negotiating a contractual arrangement with the mentor regarding time and financial remuneration. A copy of this contract must be filed with the President and he must approve the contract. See Doctoral Handbook for tuition and fees.

Further details regarding the committee and steps in the program may be found in the Doctor of Ministry Handbook.

*Prospective students with a GPA of less than 3.3 may be considered upon the following criteria: 1) At least seven years of ministry experience which reflects above average abilities. 2) Demonstration through an interview with the President or Director of the Doctor of Ministry program that he has acquired the necessary skills to complete the program.

Doctor of Ministry Biblical Counseling Program

Program Requirements
The Doctor of Ministry degree requires a satisfactory completion of 30 hours of course work as prescribed in the curriculum. The student is expected to maintain a GPA of at least 3.1, with no more than one C grade in the entire program. The Master of Divinity or its educational equivalent (including at least one of the biblical languages from an acceptable seminary) and three years of ministry experience are prerequisite for admission. Students with an appropriate MA who meet the prerequisites may apply. The doctoral committee will determine any additional prerequisites that may be required.

The Doctor of Ministry program, including the Internship may not be completed in less than three years. The degree must be completed in seven years from the date of enrollment. Students may apply to the doctoral committee for a one-year extension.

Course Requirements
Each Doctor of Ministry course offered includes approximately 2000 pages of reading that must be completed in the increments prescribed by the professor. The professor must receive the following in evidence of the completion of the reading assignment:

Program Progression
Doctor of Ministry students will be required to complete the program at a minimum pace with that of their fellow cohort group. However, a student may request an exemption for one semester in writing to the Registrar and will not be charged a fee for the exemption. If the student fails to file for the exemption there will be an automatic continuation fee charged to the student's account.

A student will be considered to have a lapsed registration after one calendar year without activity. The student will be required to request reinstatement and will incur a fee of $90.00 in addition to the continuation fee.

Program extensions after the initial five years will be granted for a maximum of three years, on a per year basis. An extension fee will be incurred at year six $200.00, year seven $300.00, and year eight $575.00. All extensions must be requested in writing at least thirty days prior to termination date. Students granted extensions beyond year six must meet any and all catalog/curriculum changes.

Candidacy
The Doctor of Ministry Committee will grant candidacy status upon the following criteria:

Dissertation or Project Program Capstone Paper
BTS requires that all Doctor of Ministry courses have a final Capstone project. This project will be explained in the Internship Practicum Preparation Seminar. The student should be careful to meet all requirements of timing, form, and style [see below for details] when submitting the Capstone Project.

The course capstone paper (the final paper for any Doctor of Ministry course that is intended to cap the knowledge acquired during the course for the student) is due within 90 days of the last day of the completion of the Internship. Students who fail to submit a paper in a timely manner will be assessed a $90.00 late fee and will be given an automatic 60 day extension. Papers submitted past the extension time without prior permission in writing from the Registrar will not be accepted. A professor other than the professor of record may grade papers accepted through this prior extension arrangement.

The Capstone Project for the Doctor of Ministry in Counseling will consist of:

Upon the completion of the Capstone Project, the student must submit three copies of the rough draft to the Registrar's office along with payment of a reader’s fee of $400.00 to compensate the second reader. The Registrar will then notify the student to schedule a time for an oral defense of his work before the committee.

The student will follow the schedule of dates by which he must make these submissions in the year in which he anticipates graduating.

Oral Defense
The oral defense will be scheduled with the Internship Supervisor, the second reader and a faculty member appointed by the Director of the Doctoral Program. All faculty members may attend and ask questions. Only the Committee members may vote. The student will receive a pass, a suspension, or a fail grade. The candidate must garner a majority vote of the committee in order to pass. A failing grade has no recourse. The student must complete another Internship and Project if he desires to complete the program. A suspension means that the committee believes that there is a short coming either in the project or in the student’s ability to defend his work. In such cases, it will be the discretion of the committee as to how the student can resolve the difficulty.

Presentation of Capstone Project Paper
Following the oral defense based upon the completed and approved rough draft, the student will present the final draft to the Internship Supervisor for approval. Three copies of the final draft are required at least six weeks prior to commencement.

The final draft copies must be printed on 20-24 point acid-free paper of 20% rag content. Typeface should be Times New Roman 12 point font.

Two copies are bound for the institution and one for the student. Fee is determined annually based upon current cost. Students may acquire extra copies at the seminary cost if requested in writing at the time of submission.

Other Matters
All administrative concerns not specifically addressed with reference to the Doctor of Ministry Program in Counseling should be referenced to the Director of the program or the VP of Academic Affairs. The Doctor of Ministry degree is awarded to students upon the successful completion of the curriculum, completion of Qualifying Exam (after completion of 12 hours), Oral Defense of Internship Practicum, and the satisfactory completion of all financial obligations.

Curriculum
DM1111 Developing Effectiveness in Biblical Counseling—Eyrich (3 credit hours)
Students will identify requisite qualities and skills necessary for successful Biblical Counseling, along with effective strategies to enhance personal effectiveness through applied models and constructs.

DM1112 Biblical Counseling and Human Physiology—Eyrich/Chastain (3 credit hours)
The purpose of this course is to provide the student with knowledge of the relationship between human physiology and human behavior and application of Biblical counseling principles to this relationship and appending problems.

DM1113 Biblical Hermeneutics for the Practice of Biblical Counseling-
James (3 credit hours)
The purpose of this course is to explore the interpretation and application of Scripture to human problems and the theoretical implications for the integration of psychology and theology.

DM9221 Biblical Counseling and Marriage & Family—Matthews/Eyrich (3 credit hours)
The student will explore preventative measures that can be employed in the church to eliminate family problems as well as biblical strategies and methods of counseling to provide the rebuilding of broken relationships.

DM9222 Biblical Counseling and Ecclesiology, Legal Issues and Peacemaking—Dial, Eyrich and Waddell (3 credit hours)
This course will explore the role of counseling in the church, contemporary legal issues and the proactive role of the counselor in peace making.

DM9331 Biblical Counseling and Psychopathology—TBA (3 credit hours)
Students will conduct extensive exploration of biblical categories of human problems in comparison to the DSM IV diagnostic system. Advanced Biblical Counseling approaches to anorexia, anxiety, obsessive/compulsive behaviors will be developed.

DM9332 Biblical Counseling and Psychological Assessment/Evaluation— Shaw, Mark (3 credit hours)
Students will conduct an evaluation of the TJTA, the MMPI-II, the MBTI and other instruments in relationship to Biblical Counseling.

DM9441 Biblical Counseling Elective—Staff (3 credit hours)

DM9551 Biblical Counseling Internship Preparation—Staff
A non-credit, but required seminar designed to prepare the student to conduct the Biblical Counseling Internship Practicum.

DM9552 Biblical Counseling Internship Practicum—Faculty Team (6 credit hours)
Student will complete 150 hours of counseling and case analysis (up to 15,000 words). Student will complete the Capstone Project with an additional 12,000 to 15,000 word personal reflection paper developing her/his personal development through the internship experience.

Doctor of Ministry Biblical Counseling Internship
The Doctor of Ministry Internship must be conducted in a counseling environment in which the student has the freedom to practice biblical counseling. In most cases the internship will be conducted at the Briarwood Counseling Ministries or at an approved center in the Birmingham area. However, this is not a requirement of the program.

If the internship is conducted at a location other than the Briarwood Counseling Ministries, the student is required to submit and/or perform the following:

To negotiate a contract with the supervisor of the institution at which the internship is conducted. A copy of this contract must be mailed to the Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program at BTS before the internship is begun.

The contract must include the following:

To submit a copy of liability insurance before the internship may be commenced.

To appropriately complete the provided set of forms that must be completed for each session using case numbers and other identifying data deleted. These forms will be organized sequential for each case and become part of the Capstone Project for the program.

To perform 150 hours of counseling
To have at least 15 hours of individual mentoring
To have at least 30 hours of observation and/or co-counseling (should occur before solo counseling begins)
To invest 30 minutes preparation time in planning, research, homework development for each counseling hour
To invest a minimum of thirty hours in writing up the cases for presentation

Total time for internship is a minimum of 300 hours.

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