Doctor of Ministry

Doctoral
Hybrid
30 hours
4 years

Doctor of Ministry at Harding

This degree is a 30-hour hybrid program designed to help ministers and ministry leaders experience spiritual renewal, deepen theological foundations and build capacities for missional leadership. Students are trained, equipped and developed as leaders who bring others into God’s mission in the world. Students experience spiritual and missional renewal that extends to their families, churches and communities. Eligible candidates for the program should have a theological master’s degree and significant ministry experience as well as being situated in a ministry context.

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Why earn your Doctor of Ministry from Harding?

Faculty

Our faculty are leaders in their disciplines who contribute to their areas of study through research, presentations, and writings. Each received education and training from leading institutions and brings a variety and wealth of experience to the classroom. As members of local congregations, they use their talents in preaching, teaching, and writing to build up the church.

 

Library

Harding has one of the most extensive theological libraries affiliated with churches of Christ. Its impressive collection includes more than 150,000 books, 25,000 volume-bound periodicals, 300+ current periodicals and an ever-expanding collection of digital resources.The library provides resources and research assistance to online students as well as those on campus.

Flexibility and Affordability

Our synchronous online courses and one-week on-campus intensive classes allow full-time ministers and missionaries to pursue advanced education from anywhere.  Through generous funding provided by donors committed to Christian education, scholarships are available to all HST students to help reduce the cost of tuition.

 

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Chapel

Chapel is an important part of life at HST.  We meet two times a week during the semester and daily during intensive courses.  Students and professors both lead the community in worship and Bible study.  Distance students and alumni participate in chapel via Zoom.

Center for Church and City Engagement

Opportunities for cross-cultural experiences in urban contexts are available for students through internships, apprenticeships and other ministry settings.

 

Spiritual Formation Retreat

New students participate in a spiritual formation retreat in connection with one of the first courses they take.

Intensives

All HST degrees have a residency requirement (a number of courses that must be taken on our Searcy campus). For the MA and MACM, the residency requirement is two courses. For the M.Div., it is three courses. Many distance students choose to attend one-week intensive courses on campus in Searcy over the course of their degree to meet their residency requirement.  The standard intensive course meets for one week, Monday through Friday, 8:00-5:00. Intensives are usually offered for one week in the fall, one week in the spring, and two weeks in the summer.  


Need to reserve a room for intensive classes? A block of rooms are set aside for HST students at the Heritage Inn on campus in Searcy.  HST students receive a 20% discount.  For more information on room types, cost, and making reservations, please call the front desk at 501-279-4700 or visit www.harding.edu/heritage.  

 

Online Classes

Students who want to take HST classes but do not live in Searcy can attend weekly classes via Zoom.  You will participate in class discussions in real time along with students who are meeting in the physical classroom. You can see them, and they can see you. You and your virtual classmates are on a screen at the front of the class visible to the local students and professor in the classroom.

During class time, you will see the physical classroom and other distance students on one of your monitors, and the professor’s slides on the other monitor. When you speak in class, the camera is situated so that the local students are looking right at you, making virtual eye contact. This allows for more nuanced communication as both you and your classmates can see facial expressions and other body language. Responding to a professor’s questions and illustrations or asking your own questions about classroom material is essentially like being in the room.  You are present and engaged for the entire class period.

Typically, classes meet for a three-hour block of time one day each week on our regular HST schedule. Standard meeting times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday at 8 am, 1 pm, or 6 pm central time.

Students in online classes are required to have the following equipment:

  • Laptop or desktop computer with a camera and microphone
  • Internet access 
  • A web browser such as FireFox, Chrome, or Edge
  • A second monitor

 

 

 

Which careers can the Doctor of Ministry benefit?

Preachers

The Doctor of Ministry program is designed to advance the skills of those already in full-time ministry. Students take courses in Old Testament theology, New Testament theology and ecclesiology to deepen their theological framework. Each student will receive spiritual direction and coaching for the purposes of spiritual renewal and developing next steps in ministry. Families are encouraged to participate in renewal activities as well.

Missionaries

The Doctor of Ministry program prepares missionaries for effective cross-cultural ministry through specialized training in missional theology and strategic planning. This program equips missionaries with the theological depth and leadership skills necessary to navigate diverse cultural contexts and engage effectively in global mission work. 

Chaplains

The Doctor of Ministry program is designed to help those who already serve as full-time chaplains. Students refine and retool around practices of leadership, preaching, and equipping in order to offer effective missional leadership. Students work through seminar-style courses in a cohort model to encourage spiritual community and peer-learning.

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Contact Information



Mailing address:
Harding University
Harding School of Theology
HU 12280
Searcy, AR 72149-5615