Educational Effectiveness

• Introduction of the ministerial/pastoral issue or praxis that stimulated the student’s interest in his/her selected topic.
• Scholarly research that adequately addresses the ministerial/pastoral issue.
• Explanation of how the student’s theological research specifically applies to or addresses the ministerial question or situation.
• Proposal concerning the relevance of the student’s research to the ecclesial or religious context of which s/he is a member.
• Description of how the conclusions reached concerning the local issue might apply to the broader church or to other ecclesial or cultural contexts. This course is offered every two years in the Fall semester or in the Summer Residency.

DMin students in THE 800A (Fundamentals of Practical Theology) write a 5-7 page theological reflection on a ministerial situation using one of the seven methods of practical theology studied in this course with a rationale for choosing a particular method. The reflection is reviewed and critiqued by a peer from a cultural or religious context other than that of the student. When the critique has been returned, the student incorporates the critique and submits a copy to each instructor, along with the peer critique. In the reflection the students:

1. Describes the ministerial question of concern.
2. Describes the ministerial situation that provoked the question.
3. Names the method used to reflect on this ministerial experience and the reasons for selecting this method.
4. Works through each phase of the method with regard to the ministerial situation, making the ministerial situation accessible to the reader.
5. Suggests possible historical, sociological sources; empirical tools; and systematic moves to use to help understand and explain the situation.
6. Proposes a renewed praxis coming from the process.
7. Provides an evaluation of the method.

This course is offered annually in the Winter Residency and is taken by students in the first year of their program.

DMin students in THE 800 (Integrative Seminar) prepare a Thesis-Project Proposal to demonstrate the development of an advanced understanding of the nature and purposes of ministry and a mastery of practical theology methodology. It must be correlated to the students’ ministry and to their ecclesial ministerial tradition. The Thesis-Project Proposal should be a simple text of no more than ten (10) pages, double-spaced, which states the ministry, purpose, method, and evaluation intended for the thesis-project. As a practical theology methodology, the proposal must reflect a praxis-theory-praxis-movement. The proposal follows this methodology by critically (i.e., hermeneutically) engaging a ministerial practice, its cultural context, and a religious tradition in a critical conversation to renew, reclaim, or reform that practice and the religious tradition.

Approval of the Thesis-Project Proposal is accomplished through Thesis-Project Proposal Defense before a community of scholars and peers. The defense of the thesis-project incorporates the subject matter and the use of practical theology inclusive of a theological discipline(s) in the development of the thesis-project. The process is as follows:

1. The thesis-project proposal and initial IRB protocol are distributed to the Proposal Defense Committee for their review no less than two weeks before the defense date.
2. Proposal Defense Session Format (duration: 1 hour)
   1. Introduction and explanation of Proposal Defense procedure (Director of the DMin Program).
   2. The mentor 1) identifies how the thesis-project proposal meets the criteria (4.a-b above), which practical theology and which discipline-specific theology are engaged, what research methodology will be used (e.g., for research with human subjects), and 2) facilitates the session.
   3. Open examination of the thesis-project proposal by the Proposal Defense Committee with questions posed to the student.
   4. Following examination, the student is asked to step out of the defense.
   5. The Thesis-Project Proposal Committee, after consultation with the other members of the Proposal Defense Committee, determines to: approve the thesis-project proposal, approve with revisions, or deny approval.
   6. The student is brought back to the defense and the results announced.
3. If the Thesis-Project Proposal is approved or approved with revisions the student is promoted to Candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.
4. If the Thesis-Project Proposal is denied, a student may re-submit a proposal within one year’s time from the date of the defense.

After successful defense of the Thesis Proposal, the Candidate prepares and submit the Protocol for Research with Human Subjects with the Institutional review Board of Barry University. Studies involving human subjects as research participants through discussion groups, or as subjects of research, must meet all the requirements of Barry University's policies regarding research with human subjects and must be approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) before research begins. The candidate is responsible for following the research protocols of the IRB, published in "Guidelines for Submitting Research Protocols.”

This course is offered annually in the Summer Residency. Students may register for THE 800 after successfully completing no fewer than 21 credit hours in the program.

DMin students in THE 802 A/B (Ministerial Formation) complete a formative experience designed to equip students for competent leadership in diverse communities of faith through the completion of the following courses:

THE 802A: Doctoral Ministerial Formation and Pastoral Skills (3 credits)
One of two required courses in ministerial formation for the Doctor of Ministry student, this course provides theologically discerning accompaniment of students with a focus on the development of pastoral skills and methods of theological reflection required for ministers. Through course readings, class activities, an integrative paper, and one-on-one meetings with the Director of Ministerial Formation, students engage the human, spiritual, intellectual and ministerial components of theological formation for ministry necessary for ministerial effectiveness. Pre-req: Master of Divinity degree program/equivalence

THE 802B: Doctoral Ministerial Formation and Professional Ethics (3 credits)
One of two required courses in ministerial formation for the Doctor of Ministry student, this course provides theologically discerning accompaniment of students with a focus on the development of professional behavior in accord with ethical standards for pastoral practice. Through course readings, class activities, an integrative paper, and one-on-one meetings with the Director of Ministerial Formation, students engage the components of professional functioning in a pastoral position in the context of moral theology and ethics for ministry and mission. Pre-req: Master of Divinity degree program/equivalence

DMin students in THE 801 complete the Thesis in Ministry. The thesis-project represents the candidate’s ability to integrate both the theoretical and practical dimensions of theological research. The thesis-project should demonstrate competent application of appropriate theological research methods and ethical guidelines in the investigation of the ministerial praxis. This research needs to be correlated to the candidate’s ministry under the guidance and supervision of the candidate’s thesis-project mentor and the committee, which guides the thesis-project.

Style: The thesis-project must be written in scholarly English. The student will follow the current edition of Kate L. Turabian A Manual for Writers.

Arrangement of the Manuscript: The general arrangement is as follows:

• Blank Page
• Approval Page
• Acknowledgements and/or Dedication Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables or Figures
• Title Page
• Abstract: The Abstract briefly summarizes the thesis-project and its conclusions. It must be one page, single space. No more than 350 words.
• Body of Text: The Body of Text of the thesis-project typically contains anywhere from four to five chapters and is presented with footnotes. Each chapter should be divided into subheadings. Chapters and subheadings should be indicated in the Table of Contents.
• Appendices: Appendices provide material relevant, but not necessarily essential, to the text.
• Bibliography: The Bibliography lists the sources used in writing the thesis-project.

The Thesis Project in Ministry is evaluated by the thesis mentor, a faculty reader, a peer reader, and the Director of the Doctor of Ministry program. The thesis is then printed and bound for the Barry University Library and the Department of Theology and Philosophy and submitted to UMI for publication.

Upon approval of the thesis-project and presentation of a summary of the thesis project at the Commissioning Ceremony before a community of peers, the student has fulfilled the requirements of the Doctor of Ministry degree and may participate in the University commencement.

This is accomplished through the following two courses:

THE 801A: DMin Thesis in Ministry I (4 credits)
The thesis-project represents the candidate’s ability to integrate both the theoretical and practical dimensions of theological research and to demonstrate competent application of appropriate theological research methods and ethical guidelines in the investigation of the ministerial praxis. Pre-requisite: Approved Thesis Proposal and IRB protocol

THE 801B: DMin Thesis in Ministry II (4 credits)
The thesis-project represents the candidate’s ability to integrate both the theoretical and practical dimensions of theological research. The thesis-project should demonstrate competent application of appropriate theological research methods and ethical guidelines in the investigation of the ministerial praxis. Students must have completed their empirical research and two reviewed and approved chapters of the thesis before registering for this course. Pre-requisite: THE 801A.