INVEST in Your Ministry and Leadership Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)
Wheaton College's D.Min. program, as part of the Litfin Divinity School, forms Christ-centered leaders through a program that is flexible for busy pastors, rigorous for serious learners, and rooted in a cohort model that emphasizes both personal formation and practical ministry impact.
Credential Type
- D.Min.
Major Credits Required
- 32
Duration
- 3.5 - 5 years
Program Format
- Hybrid
Ready to learn more about about the D.Min. Degree?
Or reach out to us anytime at graduate.admissions@wheaton.edu.
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Why a D.Min. at Wheaton?
The Doctor of Ministry program at Wheaton brings together biblical and theological scholarship, theological integration, reflective practice, ministry skills, and spiritual maturity. It combines Wheaton College’s historically robust scholarship and academic excellence with the accessibility that can reach and train practitioners around the world. At Wheaton you will engage with faculty and students with generosity from a breadth of denominational and theological perspectives, expanding your thinking while rooting you in the historic Christian faith.
What makes the D.Min. at Wheaton distinctive?
- Flexible without Compromise – Designed for busy ministry leaders who want to stay rooted in their current context while pursuing advanced training.
- Formational – Shaping leaders in their own spiritual, personal, and pastoral development while equipping them to form others.
- Biblically and Theologically Integrated – Grounding every aspect of leadership development in rigorous engagement with Scripture and theology, ensuring that practical skills flow out of faithful, Christ-centered wisdom.
- Engaged in Context – Located in a major metro area with global reach, Wheaton provides a unique vantage point for engaging diverse, multiethnic, and dynamic ministry environments.
Flexible Format
Our hybrid format is designed for leaders who are engaged in active ministry. The D.Min. can be completed without relocating or putting your career on hold.
- Students complete most of their coursework and research from wherever they are.
- Students typically come to our Wheaton, Illinois campus for 5-day intensives once in the fall semester and once in the spring semester each year, an immersive experience that allows students to spend quality time with their cohort and professors.
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Scholarships and Financial Wellness
All D.Min. students receive a 15% scholarship! Plus, all students are also eligible for a select number of 50% and 25% scholarships. Priority consideration will be given to students who submit their full application by the following deadlines:
- Spring 2026 start: October 15
- Fall 2026 start: June 15
The Wheaton College Graduate School Student Financial Services team can help you understand how much your graduate studies will cost and what scholarships, loans, and aid may be available to you.
Learn About Graduate Financial AidOur Curriculum
Our program addresses ministry professionals as whole human beings and explores the diversity of ministry knowledge and skills needed today. Throughout the program, you'll learn how to draw upon multiple disciplines for your ministry practice such as leadership, psychology, practical theology, biblical literature and interpretation, and theology. Your studies will culminate with a doctoral research project in your area of interest.
Sample Courses
Common core and elective options include:
- Healthy and Spiritual Leadership
- Formation and Soul Care
- Contemporary Issues in the Church
- Public Christianity for a Post-Christian World
Recent Quote
"Wheaton College’s Doctor of Ministry program integrates biblical theology, missional leadership, discipleship culture, and practical ministry training in a way that prepares a new generation of ministry leaders to face the challenges of a rapidly changing world with the unchanging message of Christ."
- Rev. Philip Miller (The Moody Church, Chicago)
More About This Program Frequently Asked Questions
We've put together a few common questions (and their answers) about this graduate program. See all our FAQs here.
The D.Min. program at Wheaton College attracts seasoned leaders who want to deepen their faith, grow in wisdom, and develop as thought leaders and skilled practitioners for long-term fruitfulness in ministry.
It takes three years to finish the coursework for the D.Min. The doctoral project can be started during or after the coursework phase. Students work at their own pace to complete the doctoral project. Students can expect to finish within three and a half to five years.
No, we do not require biblical languages, but we assume that most applicants with an M.Div. will have taken Greek and/or Hebrew. Students who apply with an M.A. are not required to have taken biblical languages.
Next Steps
Interested in earning pursuing your Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) online at Wheaton? Request more information or start your application today.