By virtue of the federation of Saint Paul University with the University of Ottawa, the Faculty of Theology at Saint Paul University offers graduate programs leading to degrees conferred jointly by the senates of both universities.

These programs operate within the framework of the regulations of Saint Paul University and of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies of the University of Ottawa.

The Doctor of Ministry is an applied research degree program designed to give professionals a deeper appreciation of the plurality of forms and understandings of ministry. It assists students in developing knowledge and appropriate methodologies for the advanced critical study of ministry through applied research. Graduates will be equipped to discern and promote the forms of collaborative and transformational ministry best suited to the human values, cultural expressions, and multiple dynamics of their given context.

The proposed Doctor of Ministry program envisions the role of professionals in ministry as facilitating the public activity of Christians, who form a ministering community and work hand-in-hand with women and men of other faiths to serve the wider society. Ministry is carried out through a variety of institutional structures located within distinctive ecclesial, ecumenical, multi-faith, social, and cultural contexts.

The Doctor of Ministry combines the resources of theological study and reflection with the methodologies of the social sciences to equip leaders with the skills needed for critical practicum research and the generation of new knowledge. The combined resources of the Faculties of Theology and of Human Sciences support the interdisciplinary character of the Doctor of Ministry degree.

The program is offered in English and in French.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the D.Min. program, the candidate must :

• hold a Master in Pastoral Theology or equivalent, with an average of B+ or better. Candidates with master’s degrees in Theology, Religious Education, or other related disciplines must have completed 60 credits in theology plus 30 credits of graduate-level study in a related field (e.g., pastoral counselling, religious education, etc.), with a component of relevant supervised field experience.
• provide proof of five years of sustained professional experience in ministry.
• master one of the two official languages of the University and have a passive knowledge (ability to follow lectures and read) of the other. One of the following is required to demonstrate language proficiency in the second official language:
  • a certificate of competency from the Alliance Française
  • a score of 4.5 in the CANTEST or TESTCAN administered by the University of Ottawa
  • a minimum score of at least 550 in the written version of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or 213 in the computer version
  • a minimum score of 6.5 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
• provide two confidential letters of reference from experienced professionals in the applicant’s area of ministry attesting to the applicant’s skills in pastoral practice and suitability for the program. One of these letters must be from a supervisor in the applicant’s ministry context, indicating support for his or her program of study and an appreciation for the need for stable placement, insofar as possible, during the period of study.
• write a letter indicating the goal of his program of studies and area of research interest.
• have an interview with members of the Admissions Committee.

Residence and Time Limit

The program is considered a full-time program of study and all students must complete at least six sessions of full-time registration. Even though students may not be physically on-campus throughout this period and on-campus instruction will be offered in intensive two-week modules, students are required to follow a schedule of readings and assignments and to engage in on-going research based on their professional practice of ministry. All degree requirements should normally be completed within four years from the date of first registration in the program. The maximum time allowed is six years.

Student Transfers from Other Universities

Students registering in the Doctor of Ministry program at Saint Paul University after having completed graduate courses at other universities may be granted the equivalent of up to two optional courses (6 credits) of advanced standing for successfully completed courses that pertain to the course of study in the Doctor of Ministry. Courses must have been completed within the past five years.

Degree Requirements

1. Core Courses (12 credits)
The following four courses are compulsory:

IPA7120 METHODS FOR APPLIED RESEARCH (3cr.)
IPA7121 THE SOCIAL AND CULTURAL CONTEXT OF MINISTRY (3cr.)
THO7191 METHODS OF THEOLOGICAL REFLECTION (3cr.)
THO7192 THE ECUMENICAL AND INTER-RELIGIOUS CONTEXT OF MINISTRY (3cr.)

2. Elective Courses (9 credits)
Students must complete three elective courses, at least one of which must be selected from the following list:

THO7196 BIBLE AND CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN IDENTITY (3cr.)
THO7197 ETHICAL ISSUES IN THE PRACTICE OF MINISTRY (3cr.)
THO7198 THEOLOGIES AND PRACTICE OF MINISTRY (3cr.)
THO7199 THE DYNAMICS OF FAITH (3cr.)

3. Research Practicum (12 credits)
The research practicum requirement consists of one course in each of the first two years (6 credits each) of the program. A Practicum Supervisor will assist students in identifying someone in the context of their professional practice who will serve as a mentor through the course of their study. The mentor will meet regularly (at least once a month) with students and will report each session to the Practicum Supervisor.

Year One:

IPA8210 RESEARCH PRACTICUM I (6cr.)

Year Two:

IPA8211 RESEARCH PRACTICUM II (6cr.)

4. Comprehensive Examination (THO 9998)
The comprehensive examination is intended to verify that students have acquired an adequate theological culture and the critical and research skills to ensure that they can complete the Doctor of Ministry thesis project successfully and make an original contribution to the advanced understanding of the context and practice of ministry in their chosen field. Candidates will be required to demonstrate a capacity for critical judgment, an adequate knowledge and understanding of the presuppositions of the principal authors and debates in their area of specialization, and the ability to discern an appropriate contextualization of these resources in relation to the research topic.

The comprehensive examination has a written and an oral component.

This examination should take place by the end of the second year in the program. It takes place before the presentation of the thesis project.

5. Thesis Project Presentation (THO 8998) (3 cr.)
After the comprehensive examination, upon completion of all course requirements, and with the approval of the thesis director, the candidates make a public presentation on their thesis project to the Thesis Committee. The presentation includes the original hypothesis, and an explanation of the methodology for exploring and testing the hypothesis. The proposed project and its presentation will be evaluated on a (S) Satisfactory/ (NS) Not satisfactory basis by the Thesis Committee.

6. Thesis (THO 9999)
The candidate must write, submit, and successfully defend a thesis of at least 200 pages. The research topic will be related to the student’s context and practice of ministry. The thesis must be a significant contribution to the advancement of knowledge and embody the results of original research and analysis in theology. The quality of the thesis should be such as to be worthy of publication.

Students will be required to complete at least one month of residency on campus during the writing of the thesis project to benefit from an intensive period of interaction with the Thesis Director and other members of the Thesis Committee.

The thesis will be evaluated and defended in accordance with the regulations of the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.