DEGREE DESCRIPTIONS

Certificate in Biblical Studies

The Certificate in Biblical Studies is a certificate of achievement. It shows that the student has a basic foundation in the Bible, theology, language, character, and ministry. It requires 48 units. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

Electives may be chosen to fit the student’s own needs. It is suggested, though, that the student think ahead to the recommendations for Associate’s and Bachelor’s degrees and balance his or her elective units accordingly. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.

Associate of Ministry

The Associate of Ministry degree is a two-year college degree that provides basic training in the Bible, theology, character, and ministry. It is designed to equip a Christian to walk with God and serve Him effectively in a local church. It requires 96 units. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

Electives may be chosen to fit the student’s own needs. It is suggested, though, that the student think ahead to the recommendations for Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and balance his or her elective units accordingly. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.
Students who have already earned a non-theological Associate of Arts or Science degree may be eligible to earn an Associate of Ministry degree with half the number of units listed above (48). An official transcript from the other college or university is required. Check with the Dean for details.

Ministerial Diploma

The Ministerial Diploma is a traditional, three-year Bible college type of degree, designed to give the student the basic skills needed to pastor a church, and it is still used by many denominations as the basis of ordination. It requires 144 units. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

Bachelor of Ministry

The Bachelor of Ministry degree is a full, four-year Bible university education covering all major areas of the Bible, theology, Christian life, and ministry. It requires 192 units. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

Electives may be chosen to fit the student’s own needs. It is suggested, though, that the student think ahead to the recommendations for a Master’s degree and balance his or her elective units accordingly. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.
Students who have already earned a non-theological Associate of Arts or Science degree may be eligible to earn a Bachelor of Ministry degree with half the number of units listed above (96). Those who have a non-theological Bachelor of Arts or Science or higher may be eligible to earn a Bachelor of Ministry degree with one-fourth the number of units listed above (48). An official transcript from the other college or university is required. Check with the Dean for details.

Master of Ministry

The Master of Ministry degree is a graduate degree for those who desire to study further than the Bachelor’s level in their quest for effectiveness in ministry to people. An applicant for this program must have already earned a Bachelor of Ministry or its equivalent. If the student has a non-theological Bachelor’s degree, then he or she must take an additional 48 units of work. See “Prerequisites” on the next page.
The Master of Ministry degree requires 48 units. A higher grading scale is used for Master’s course work, and extra work is required in every course in order for Master’s credit to be earned. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

The student is free to choose the courses that will be most beneficial for his or her own gifts, calling and ministry situation. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.
Prerequisites: Students who would like to earn a Master’s degree in ministry based on a non-theological Bachelor’s degree must take an additional 48 units in order to qualify for a theological Master’s degree. Thus the total number of units required would be 48 + 48 = 96. The recommended balance of prerequisite courses is:

The student is free to choose the courses that will be most beneficial for his or her own gifts, calling and ministry situation. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.

Master of Missions

The Master of Missions is a graduate degree to prepare people for involvement in world missions as it relates to the fulfilling of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). This program is designed for people who have earned a Master of Ministry degree based upon a biblical or theological Bachelors degree. It requires 48 units above the Master of Ministry degree. Students who have a secular Bachelors degree and 96 units of graduate biblical and theological units already completed may choose to earn a Master of Divinity degree instead of a Master of Missions degree, with the same 48 units. A higher grading scale is used for Master’s course work, and extra work is required in every course in order for Master’s credit to be earned. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

The student is free to choose the courses that will be most beneficial for his or her own gifts, calling and ministry situation. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.

Master of Divinity (M.Div.)

The Master of Divinity degree is designed for those who expect to enter full-time professional Christian ministry (pastor, teacher, evangelist, church planter, missionary, or leader in a parachurch organization). The program is designed to develop ministry that is grounded in the Bible, theologically competent, professional, committed to evangelism, spiritually and morally mature, and socially concerned.
Students will learn to study and interpret the Bible, understand its central themes, utilize resources such as church history and systematic theology in a contemporary context, and to communicate effectively through preaching, teaching, and writing. They will learn administration, leadership and counseling, and how to perform ministry in a professional way. They will be developed in their own spiritual life and learn how to lead others to spiritual maturity.
The Master of Divinity degree requires 144 units, and may be based on a religious or secular bachelor’s degree earned at a regionally accredited or other approved college or university. A higher grading scale is used for Master’s course work, and extra work is required in every course in order for Master’s credit to be earned. The recommended balance of courses for this degree is:

Electives may be chosen to fit the student’s own needs. See “Course Descriptions” for more information on each course.

Doctor of Ministry

Purpose

“The purpose of this degree program is to equip one for a higher level of competence in the practice of ministry than that achieved in the foundational work normally issuing in an M. Div. degree.” (ATS, Procedures, Standards and Criteria for Membership, p. 25.)
The Doctor of Ministry is a professional degree. The program is designed to serve the need of ministers for an experience of continuing education which renews the personal life of faith, further develops professional competence and stimulates continued growth in biblical and theological foundations for ministry. Using the resources of the university, a program of study has been developed which provides options including emphases in church growth and evangelism, spirituality and renewal, marriage and family, small groups and Christian community, leadership and management, preaching and worship, and Bible and theology.
Participants in the program are afforded the opportunity for continuing education while remaining active in their local ministries. The program of study offers a critical assessment of experience with the guidance of leaders who have expertise in developing and sustaining effective ministry. The philosophy and goals of the program are to combine theoretical knowledge with a suitable full time ministry which results in a demonstrable competence.

Admission Requirements

General standards of admission to the university may be found later in this catalog.
Admission to the Doctor of Ministry Program is on the basis of competence in theology and ministry, as well as motivation to pursue further study in a recognized area of ministry.
Competence in theology normally will be demonstrated by having received a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent from an accredited or approved school; or by having earned a theological master’s degree from such a school that includes at least 96 semester or 144 quarter units. If not, the missing units must be taken in Master’s level courses.
Competence in ministry will be evaluated on the basis of at least two years in ministry after receiving the Master of Divinity or equivalent qualifying degree. The candidate must have completed at least five years in ministry before being awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree and must be currently involved in some form of full time ministry. Continuation in the D. Min. program requires continued involvement in ministry.
The Admissions Committee evaluates applicants on the basis of transcript evidence, references, and two statements by the applicant, one describing his or her experience in ministry, and one defining goals for participation in the degree program. The applicant must show growth and competence in church leadership and ministry skills.

Degree Requirements

The in ministry/continuing education model of the Doctor of Ministry Program builds on the biblical, theological and professional foundations of an approved M.Div. degree, providing advanced study in theology and ministry within the context of the candidate’s ministry.
The Doctor of Ministry degree requires the completion of 48 units of credit (quarter system). Eight units of credit are assigned for completion of the dissertation, ministry project, or ministry focus paper. The remaining 40 units are chosen from classroom courses. Students may enroll for up to 24 units in any twelve month period, completing the degree requirements in two to seven years. However, it is recommended that only 12 units be taken in one academic year. Only B work and above will count toward satisfying graduation requirements (ex-cept that one B- grade is allowed).

Each course has three components:

1. A reading assignment which must be com-pleted prior to classroom interaction (750 pages per 2-unit course). In the case of directed study courses, 1,500 pages per 2-unit course is required.

2. An intensive period of classroom interaction.

3. An extensive post session project which synthesizes reading and class work and applies them to the ministry situation.

Classroom activity is scheduled according to the needs and mix of the students currently enrolled in the program. Each applicant may design a program of study which best meets personal needs and vocational interests.

Final Project

The Doctor of Ministry program culminates with the completion of a dissertation, ministry focus paper, or supervised ministry project. A student may begin work on this final phase after completing the following requirements: (1) 24 academic units of course work with satisfactory evaluation and grade reports; (2) faculty approval of a dissertation, ministry focus paper, or supervised ministry project; and (3) completion of any admis-sion deficiencies. Students initiate the final project process by applying to the Dean’s office for permission and directions.
Dissertation. A dissertation may be prepared as the final project. The dissertation incorporates significant research, reading and class work done in connection with the course work, and aims at producing a publishable manuscript in the area of theology and ministry. The dissertation is written under the supervision of an assigned faculty mentor, and is written in a style and format appropriate to doctoral level scholarship through use of extensive research and critical footnotes or endnotes. The dissertation will be bound and placed in the library after acceptance. Students who have approval to write a dissertation may register for a directed study for up to eight units of credit with their faculty mentor or another professor in order to do research and writing for the dissertation in areas not covered by the regular Doctor of Ministry curriculum. Dissertation proposals are first submitted to the Doctor of Ministry Faculty Committee, at which time a faculty mentor will be assigned.
Ministry Focus Paper. The ministry focus paper incorporates the reading and class work done in connection with seminars and courses and aims at designing a specific strategy for ministry. It must include: (1) an analysis of the student’s present field or placement in ministry, utilizing theoretical components of the Doctor of Ministry curriculum which provide tools for such an analysis; (2) theological reflection upon the ministry focus, interacting with the assumptions, methods, and goals of the particular ministry strategy to be used, from a Christian biblical perspective; and (3) a specific strategy and plan for ministry, drawing upon the theoretical components of the Doctor of Ministry program, relating the design and strategy to the ministry field analysis and the theological reflection, resulting in a set of goals and objectives which are measurable and related to a time line for implementation and evaluation.
Proposals for a ministry focus paper are to be submitted to the Dean’s office in the form of a brief synopsis and chapter outline. The proposal will then be submitted to the Faculty Final Ministry Project Committee for approval. The ministry focus paper will be bound and placed in the library after acceptance.
Supervised Ministry Project. As an alternative to the ministry focus paper, the student may elect to complete a supervised on site ministry project, with parish involvement. Ordinarily, the ministry project will follow one of two broad categories: (1) an action/reflection project that seeks to apply a specific aspect of theoretical learning to a ministry task by which results may be measured and evaluated (this is designed to demonstrate the person’s competence in ministry rather than yield experimental data or prove an hypothesis); or (2) an experimental research project which seeks to test an hypothesis or investigate a theory of ministry that can be reported in such a way that it adds to the scholarly literature in the area of study. The ministry project is designed primarily to train the person in research methodology as well as to yield positive results which can be reported to others.
A proposal for the project should clearly identify the nature of the ministry project. Minimal objectives incorporated into the project proposal include: (1) a rationale for the project, identifying specific ministry needs to which the project relates, as well as the Doctor of Ministry course work on which the project is based; (2) a description of the ministry site in which the project will take place (i.e., geographical location, ecclesiastical setting, student’s position or role, etc.); (3) a design for the project, including strategy for implementation and time schedule (ordinarily from three months to one year in length); (4) an explicit strategy for parish involvement in the project; (5) criteria for evaluation of the project after its completion.
Final Project Mentoring. The mentoring pro-cess for the development and writing of the final project, whether it is a dissertation, ministry focus paper, or supervised ministry project, is under the supervision of the Theological Mentor of the Doctor of Ministry Program. This mentoring process involves two stages: (1) A tutorial in theology of ministry that involves interaction and discussion, and (2) A tutorial on constructing and writing a dissertation, ministry focus paper, or supervised ministry project. Students who have completed 24 units of study may submit proposals to this tutorial session.

Ministry Focus Areas

The Doctor of Ministry degree is normally a generalist degree. However, there are groupings of courses which can bring focus and concentration to the local church ministry. The student is free to design a program of study to meet special needs of ministry or to follow with flexibility one of the following ministry focus areas. Some typical concentrations are:

Church Growth and Evangelism

Foundations of Church Growth
Theology of Church Growth
Spiritual Issues in Church Growth
Mobilizing the Local Church for Cross Cultural Outreach
Reinventing Evangelism: New Perspectives on Outreach, Conversion and Discipleship

Spirituality and Renewal

The Renewal of the Life and Mis-sion of the Church
Minister’s Personal Growth
Spirituality and Ministry
Spiritual Formation in History and Ministry

Marriage and Family

Marriage and Family Ministries in the Local Church
Building Strong Families Through the Local Church

Small Groups and Christian Community

Exegeting the Culture/Applying the Text
Mobilizing and Equipping Laity for Ministry
Building Christian Community Through Small Groups
Recovery Ministries in the Local Church
Equipping the Laity for Caring Ministry
Developing Cell-Based Ministries

Leadership and Management

Foundations of Church Manage-ment
Envisioning Your Ministry
Conflict Management in the Local Church
Theology, Theory and Practice of Leadership
Lifelong Leadership Development
Managing Conflict
Changing Paradigms of Leadership: Revisioning the Church in the 21st Century

Preaching and Worship

Theology and Ministry of Worship
Theology and Practice of Preaching
Preaching That Transforms

Bible and Theology

Theology of Ministry
The Hebrew Old Testament in the Pastor’s Life and Ministry
The Greek New Testament in the Pastor’s Life and Ministry

Discipleship

Growing a Disciple-Making Congregation
Adult Formation Through Interactive Bible Teaching
Disciples Are Made, Not Born
Discipling Groups in the Great Commission: Making Disciples of Panta ta Ethne

Additional Areas Will Be Offered

These areas to be announced when available

Honorary Degrees

If an honorary degree is granted, it will be on the following basis:
Title: Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) {Honoris Causa}
Rationale: Just as an earned doctorate is given to a person who shows promise of accomplishing something exceptional for the human race, so an honorary doctorate is given to a person who has already accomplished such a work. The honorary doctorate is an “earned” degree, but earned by actually producing doctoral level results in the real world.
Criteria: The recipient must have contributed in an exceptional way to the furtherance of the gospel and service of humankind for more than twenty years, and be obviously deserving of such an honor. The work accomplished must be related to the core principles of Harvest Bible University, which was founded for the purpose of furthering the gospel and serving people.