Anderson University

The Master of Ministry

Prepare to Change The World

The newly-created David T. Clamp Graduate School of Christian Ministry at Anderson University will launch the Master of Ministry degree in August 2009. The Master of Ministry is a 21^st century model for ministry education. The M.Min. differs from the traditional Master of Divinity degree by being shorter and more focused on practical ministry issues. The Anderson M.Min. will provide a solid biblical and theological foundation for ministry while putting an emphasis on the real-life challenges faced by pastors and church leaders.

“Solidly Biblical, Intensely Practical.”

The emphasis of the M.Min. is on the core competencies of pastoral ministry. Among the major areas of study that will be included are: 

Leadership
Communication and Preaching
Biblical Studies and Hermeneutics
Evangelism and Church Health
Pastoral Ministry

The M.Min. will be delivered in two formats: in a classroom and online. The classroom program will provide a traditional setting with outstanding faculty and the benefits of personal interaction with instructors and fellow students. The online program will feature weekly online interactive sessions with professor and other students, supplemented by course content (provided by a stellar team of pastor-scholars) delivered via video. (Students in the classroom program will also receive copies of the video content as an additional resource.) 

Most courses will be taught on an eight-week schedule, with students attending one night per week for four hours per night.  The online program will maintain the eight-week schedule year-round, while the classroom program will offer some variations: for example, a four-week May term (meets two nights per week) and two week-long summer intensive courses. Both programs will offer one course per term for the 2009-2010 academic year; beginning in Fall 2010 the online program will offer two courses per term, enabling students to complete the degree more quickly. Once enrolled, students will have the choice of participating in both classroom and/or online courses. Here is the projected initial schedule for both programs, beginning in August: 

The capstone course is Ministry in the 21^st Century, and all students will be encouraged to take this course on campus during one of the summer intensive weeks. (Some alternatives will be available for students for whom study in residence is physically imnpossible.) During this course, each student will present his or her Ministry Project, carried out in the ministry setting at some point during the final six months to a year of study in the M.Min. program.

In addition to traditional academic coursework, all students will be invited to attend a two-day retreat on campus, offered just prior to the beginning of the first fall term. The retreat will offer an opportunity to become acquainted with faculty and fellow students, to prayerfully prepare for their time of study for ministry, and to interact with ministry leaders. In future years this will also provide a setting for M.Min. alumni to return and enjoy fellowship with current students and faculty, as well as enjoy a time of continuing ministry education.

Watch this space or use the dean’s blog to keep up with developments as the program takes shape. (Click here to read the blog.)

Requirements and Cost 

In order to enroll in the Master of Ministry program, prospective students must submit a program application, a copy of official transcripts reflecting all college and university work done, and three references, including one from your current church or ministry setting. In order to be admitted to graduate study, students must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally-accredited college or university. (A limited number of non-degree students who do not have such a prerequisite degree may be enrolled, depending on space available.) 

Cost for M.Min. courses is $290 per credit hour. If needed, student loans are available for qualified applicants.

Leadership

The dean of the school is Dr. Michael Duduit, who is founding editor of Preaching magazine and has spent more than two decades equipping pastors and church leaders for more effective service. Dr. Duduit directs the National Conference on Preaching, writes a weekly newsletter (Preaching Now) that goes to more than 20,000 pastors, and regularly leads conferences and courses for church leaders. He is author or editor of more than a dozen books, including Handbook of Contemporary Preaching and Preaching With Power. He has been a pastor and associate pastor, and has served and taught at Union University, Southern Baptist Seminary, Samford University, and Palm Beach Atlantic University.

For more information

Applications for the Master of Ministry program will be accepted beginning in March 2009. If you’d like additional information or would just like to be included on a list for future updates, send an email to ministry@andersonuniversity.edu, or mail a note to:

Dr. Michael Duduit
David T. Clamp Graduate School of Christian Ministry
Anderson University
316 Boulevard
Anderson, SC 29621