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Pursue a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) in Chaplain Ministry and Leadership at Regent University.

D.Min. – Chaplain Ministry & Leadership

Pursue a Doctoral Degree in Chaplain Ministry & Leadership

Has God called you to ministry as a chaplain leader? Regent’s Doctor of Ministry – Chaplain Ministry & Leadership gives you the tools to fulfill that call. Chaplain ministry is growing worldwide as more organizations, corporations and institutions discover the value that chaplains bring to their people and mission. This terminal degree will equip you to discern and analyze the spiritual dynamics of your environment. You will partner with organizational leadership, lead other chaplains in ministry, and build and evaluate effective chaplain ministry programs. You’ll also be qualified to bring these enhanced skills into all functional areas of chaplaincy such as healthcare, corporations, sports teams, military, education, community, public safety, crisis response, prisons, and more. This degree will prepare you to strategically expand your missional ministry in ways the church is otherwise limited. Moreover, Regent’s D.Min. program is among the first in the nation to receive approval by the ATS to offer the degree completely online with no residency.

Online
36
January 13, 2025
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ENHANCE YOUR EFFECTIVENESS

Minister effectively in today’s culture, technology and diversity.

GAIN HANDS-ON TRAINING

Simultaneously minister and learn as you complete an original D.Min research project.

ADVANCE YOUR CAREER

Qualify for strategic chaplain ministry leadership positions.

ALIGN YOURSELF WITH EXCELLENCE

Regent has been ranked among Top National Universities by the U.S. News & World Report for two consecutive years (2019 and 2020). We have also been recognized as a Military Friendly Top 10 School by Military Friendly®, 2020, and among the Top 10 Best for Vets Colleges: Online & Nontraditional by Military Times, 2020. Our Military Resource Center is dedicated to serving you. Experience the Regent difference through the Doctor of Ministry – Chaplain Ministry & Leadership program.

Regent University ranked #2 of Top 25 Accredited Online PhD & Doctoral Degree Programs | Learn.org, 2020
Association of Theological Schools (ATS) Accredited
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) at Regent University is accredited by The Commission on Accrediting of the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) who fully approves the online D.Min. program.

Upon completing your doctorate in Chaplain Ministry & Leadership, you’ll be able to:

  • Work flexibly and fruitfully as a skilled ministry leader in any of the 10 functional areas of chaplaincy, including many subareas.
  • Lead and supervise chaplains and volunteers to maximize ministry effectiveness in larger settings.
  • Assess, analyze and engage prevalent identify and belief systems in secular, multicultural, multireligious settings.
  • Enhance and enlarge the scope and spread of chaplain ministries.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

  • Senior Chaplain
  • Corporate Research Consultant
  • Chaplain Endorser
  • Graduate-Level Teaching
8.2%
Employment increase for clergy, 2016-26 Bureau of Labor Statistics

2020-2021 Semester Check-In Deadlines:

All new students are expected to check-in for the semester 2 weeks prior to the session start date. Students should apply, be accepted, enroll in their first courses, and confirm a plan to pay for their courses prior to this date.

Session

Semester Check-In

Session Start Date

Session A

Friday, August 14

Monday, August 24

Session M

Friday, September 11

Monday, September 21

Session B

Friday, October 16

Monday, October 26

Session C

Tuesday, January 5

Monday, January 11

Session T

Friday, January 29

Monday, February 8

Session D

Friday, March 5

Monday, March 15

Session E

Friday, April 30

Monday, May 10

Session F

Friday, June 11

Monday, June 21

International Applicants

International student applicants should allow at least 4-6 weeks for an admission decision to be made once all required documents have been submitted to the appropriate offices and the applicant has followed all processes and procedures required for an admission decision.

Admissions Requirements

To be considered for acceptance into the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) program at the School of Divinity, an applicant must have completed either of the following:

  1. Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree (or equivalent theological master’s degree of at least 72 credit hours) from a regionally accredited, post-secondary institution or an institution accredited by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
  2. M.Div. equivalency of 72 credit hours of graduate-level coursework, with at least 48 credit hours being graduate-level seminary credits.

In addition, applicants to the Doctor of Ministry program should have:

  • a cumulative master’s degree GPA of at least 3.0
  • current activity in a church or parachurch ministry context
  • a minimum of 3 years of significant ministry experience; experience must be gained following the completion of 72 credit hours of graduate coursework
  • high intellectual achievement and scholarship as evidenced by college transcripts and the applicant’s writing sample
  • spiritual maturity, integrity of character and willingness to grow as a leader
  • personal goals consistent with the mission of Regent University
  • a positive recommendation from a clergy member
  • understand and accept the Statement of Faith

Doctor of Ministry Application Process (D.Min.)

1. Submit Your Application
Complete the School of Divinity Application for Admission.

2. Submit a Clergy Recommendation
Request the Clergy Recommendation Form. It can be completed online or through the mail by your current pastor or ministry leader.

3. Complete Your Admissions Questionnaire
Please complete a brief admissions questionnaire based on your professional goals and interests, and provide thoughtful and thorough responses. This will give us a better opportunity to get to know you and see how your objectives align with our programs. Once completed, the questionnaire will be sent directly to an admissions counselor who will be in touch with you to help complete the rest of your application. Access the Admissions Questionnaire.

4. Resume
Submit a professional resume or curriculum vitae that highlights your senior-level ministry and leadership experience. Please email it to the Admissions Office at apply@regent.edu using the subject line: DIV Doctoral Application Pieces.

5. Submit your Unofficial College Transcripts
We are able to examine and view your unofficial transcripts from U.S.-based schools, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs, in order to review you for an admissions decision. Please submit your unofficial transcript to our Transcript Request team by email to apply@regent.edu using the subject line: DIV Doctoral Application Pieces.

Non-U.S. transcripts must be evaluated by an NACES-approved company. For further details, please review the International Admissions Checklist on the International Students Admissions page.

International Applicants: Please visit the International Students Admissions page for a more detailed explanation of the Regent University application information and to determine whether or not you qualify as an international student.

*Upon conditional acceptance to the program by review of unofficial transcripts, Regent University’s Admissions Office will attempt to obtain your official transcripts from your U.S. degree-granting institutions, which indicate successful completion of bachelor’s and master’s degree programs. We will notify you if your previous institutions will not release transcripts directly to us.

6. Government-Issued ID
To ensure academic integrity, Regent University requires a copy of a government-issued ID. Please email a scanned copy or photograph of it to apply@regent.edu with the subject line: Government ID.

7. Pay Your $50 Application Fee
Your application will be fully processed once we have received your nonrefundable application fee. Mail a check payable to “Regent University” to Enrollment Support Services (see address below).

8. Mail official transcripts to the following address:
Regent University
Enrollment Support Services
1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464 USA
Phone: 757.352.4127 | Fax: 757.352.4381

After all application materials are received, the comp leted application will be reviewed by the Divinity admissions committee. When decisions are made, you will receive written notification. Financial aid and housing requests are reviewed after decisions have been announced in writing.

If you have questions about the School of Divinity’s admission process, our programs or to verify that we have received your application materials, please contact us.


Note: All items submitted as part of the application process become the property of Regent and cannot be returned.

2019-20 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)

$650 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


 

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (Online Students)$550

2020-21 Tuition Rates

Degree Level / ProgramCost Per Credit Hour

Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.)

$650 per credit (In-state & Out-of-state)


 

Student Fees Per Semester

University Services Fee (Online Students)$600

*Rates are subject to change at any time.

“As a husband, father and entrepreneur, I continually change hats. Regent University helped me juggle it all.”

Phillip Wyman, 2016

“The online and on-campus experiences were different, but both very rewarding. The way they designed the online learning really felt like a live classroom environment — still very informative and relational, even with people from around the world there.”

Jesse Eisenhart, Joint M.A., 2009 M.A. in Practical Theology & Human Service Counseling

“It was the beginning stages of Regent's D.Min. program that really helped define my leadership gift and lay a foundation for what the Lord has done. It gave me the practical tools that I needed.”

Mark Batterson, D.Min., 2012 Best-Selling Author

“All the professors at Regent are truly gracious and they're willing to talk to you and help you — even if it's not class-related. They care, and they treat their job like it's their calling. Through them I learned to care for people like a pastor would.”

Derek Hirtz, M.Div., 2015

“Regent University puts care into creating ministers with longevity.”

Timothy Berry, M.Div., 2015 Biblical Theology