DMin in Biblical Counseling

The DMin in Biblical Counseling at Puritan Reformed is a four-year program (maximum 6 years) designed for those who desire to advance their ministry skills, particularly in biblical counseling.

Overview

The Doctor of Ministry degree program in Biblical Counseling is developed for those who have a passion for biblical counseling, have a love for souls, and show promise in their local and regional ministry of pastoral ministry and counseling.

Objectives

The specific focus of the Doctor of Ministry program at Puritan Reformed is on biblical, Reformed, experiential, and practical counseling. PRTS seeks to adhere to the Reformed and Puritan tradition of casuistry, as well as consider developments in the modern biblical counseling movement. We aim to do so by offering a Doctor of Ministry program in counseling that is distinctive in its academics as well as its biblical piety. This will be evident in the admissions requirements, as well as the program’s academic rigor, and spiritual and practical formation components.

The Doctor of Ministry program in biblical counseling will be academically rigorous as we seek to offer a comprehensive program with high, measurable, and peer-reviewed academic standards. The program will be further enhanced by 1) resident faculty and Puritan Reformed-approved and qualified adjunct faculty serving as subject experts and co-advisors for the DMin student; 2) external courses taken by the DMin student; and 3) publication of the DMin dissertation project. Spiritual components of the DMin program may consist of assigned readings and preaching (in theory and practice). Resonating with the Reformed and Puritan tradition of international learning, Puritan Reformed, in summary, seeks to establish a Doctor of Ministry program with a strong attention to biblical counseling that couples academic excellence and spiritual richness.

Admissions Requirements

The requirements for admission and study are subject to the educational and degree program standards set forth by ATS; admission requirements may vary, but will general include the following:

1. The DMin in Biblical Counseling is open to ordained pastors and to women with previous training who have a ministry to other women in the church and want to further their education to be better equipped to both counsel and equip other women for ministry and meet the qualifications as set out in the admissions process.
2. The deadline: It is recommended that applications for admission to the doctoral program be submitted no later than April 30 (for a fall-semester start) or October 30 (for a spring- semester start). The applicant will be informed about the decision of the Admissions Committee by the Director of Admissions shortly after a decision has been made. The Admissions Committee meets on a rolling basis approximately every month. Applications are considered at the next available meeting only when all application components have been received, though the committee reserves the right to deny applicants before the administering of the applicant interview should components do not meet program standards.
3. Admission of applicant: A prospective student must apply for the Doctor of Ministry program via the seminary website; the application must include personal and academic essays, and academic and ecclesiastical The Doctor of Ministry applicant will most likely be approached by the program director for an interview. The interview with the applicant concerns academics, spiritual life, study requirements (on-campus courses/residency requirements, questions of tuition, etc.), passion for counseling, previous counseling experience, as well as employment and family circumstances. The program director will submit a report to the Admissions Committee, either recommending or not recommending the applicant for admission. The report will include an evaluation of the academic and counseling contribution of the proposed study, and an evaluation of the applicant’s contributive ability for counseling. NB: The president or his designee(s) is (are) free at all times to attend the interview and admission process.

Residency Requirements

The delivery of educational material via technology allows students to complete the required coursework (both residential and non-residential) within a period of four years. The resident or on-campus requirements of four (4) modular courses (week-long courses) must be completed within a period of four years. To foster involvement all students are encouraged to be on campus in August while taking the core courses.

Required Coursework and Credits

A total of twenty-four (24) credits + a DMin project are required for the Doctor of Ministry degree. The four (5) required modular (week-long) courses are offered on a rotating basis in August, with each August two of the required courses being offered, and then the next August the other two required courses offered. Courses do not need to be taken in order from 901 to 905.

Six Core Courses (18 credits):

1. BC 901 – Systematic-Theological Considerations for Biblical Counseling
2. BC 902 – Anthropology and Biblical Counseling
3. BC 903 – Counseling Issues in Marriage and Family
4. BC 904 – Speak the Word: A Study in Oral Communication[1]
5. BC 905 – Puritan Casuistry in Preaching/Pastoral Ministry[1]
6. BC 906 – Directed Study (Medical-Legal Issues or Secular Psychology)

[1] BC 904 and 905 are cross-listed with the DMin and PhD in Homiletics as required courses.

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BC 901 – Systematic-Theological Considerations for Biblical Counseling: This course focuses on issues of special revelation, providence and general revelation, and their roles in the counseling process, both from the counselor’s and counselee’s perspective; a thorough study of theology proper, specifically the attributes of God, and the practical implications in relation to counseling; and soteriology will also be considered with a focus on regeneration, repentance, faith, justification, and sanctification as foundational to the understanding of the counselee.

BC 902 – Anthropological Considerations for Biblical Counseling: Increasingly anthropology is the focal point of counseling, particularly with issues regarding human sexuality. This course is taught from a Reformed biblical and confessional viewpoint and seeks to link a biblical anthropology with the counseling process. This course will address the nature and extent of sin, the image of God, human sexuality, as well as the person and work of Christ in the redemption of sinful humanity.

BC 903 – Counseling Issues in Marriage and Family: This course will cover issues in counseling related to marriage and family such as premarital counseling, conflict in marriage, divorce, parent-child relationships, bereavement counseling and other issues related to marriage and family. The focus will be on bringing the whole counsel of God to bear on the human relationships within marriage and family.

BC 904 – Effective Communication of the Word in Preaching/Pastoral Ministry: This course addresses how to be an effective communicator of the Word; learn how to articulate ideas clearly, argue logically, listen carefully, and unify groups of people under a common goal. Authentic and effective communication skills are a must for effective speakers and communicators of the Word in both the pulpit and private counseling and pastoral ministry.

BC 905 – Puritan Casuistry in Preaching/Pastoral Ministry: At the heart of the Puritan preaching and pastoral ministry was the practice of casuistry or dealing with cases of conscience, essentially a form of biblical counseling. This course examines the major contributions of Puritan casuistry in both the preaching and counseling of William Perkins, Richard Baxter, William Ames, and a host of others. Particular attention is given to the different types of hearers of the Word, the wide array of spiritual problems that lay at the heart of so many cases of pastoral counseling and preaching, as well as the scriptural and pastoral response to such categories of spiritual need.

BC 906 – The Directed Study Course: One directed study arranged between the student and advisor. A directed study is an opportunity for a student to study a subject area in medical-legal issues, secular psychology, or any related counseling issue approved by the counseling department. This is different than an independent study, which uses the recordings and syllabus of a previously taught course. For enrollment in a directed study, please contact the registrar.

Two Elective Courses — 6 credits

Two additional elective courses will need to be taken to fulfill the course requirements for the DMin degree. The electives can be chosen from ThM/DMin/PhD courses at Puritan Reformed. Elective courses taken at partner institutions must be done in consultation with their academic advisor. These courses should have papers written focused on their particular program concentration, i.e., a strong biblical counseling focus. A maximum of one of the two elective courses can be an independent study. For information on an independent study, please contact the seminary registrar.

Project Requirements

The Doctor of Ministry dissertation project is a written doctoral-level study that addresses both the nature and practice of biblical counseling. The study is completed with an oral defense and evaluation. The study shows evidence of being informed by research method, course work, and project research, enhancing the knowledge and practice of one’s counseling capacity.

1. Dissertation Proposal: A proposal of the DMin project must be approved by the Doctoral Program Director, advisor, co-advisor (and if necessary, one subject-expert scholar outside PRTS). The proposal is to be written following a proposal template and is normally to be submitted to the registrar two years before completion of the DMin project.
2. Advisors: Upon entrance of the student into the DMin project phase, the student will be assigned an advisor and at least one co-advisor. The advisor or co-advisor should be a member of faculty or an adjunct faculty member
3. DMin project: The DMin project should demonstrate the student’s mastery of relevant sources and methods and should make an original contribution to the field of biblical counseling. It should include a concluding summary written in English that demonstrates the relevance of the research for the ministry of biblical counseling. The DMin project will be submitted to the office of the registrar for examination by at least two external subject experts and at least two members of faculty. The acceptance of the DMin project must be affirmed by a two-thirds majority of the examiners. Upon acceptance, a formal defense will be held on campus in the presence of a panel of scholars, including members of the board of trustees and faculty. This defense should take place before graduation.
4. DMin project defense and Graduation: The dissertation should be submitted no later than January 1 in order to graduate in May of the same year.

Tuition and Fees

• Application for admission (non-refundable): $50.00
• Enrollment deposit: $100.00 (applied to tuition)
• Tuition for the DMin program: $325.00 per month for four (4) years
• Late registration fee: $50.00 per course
• Continuation fee (after 4 years): $975.00 per year (not prorated)
• Distance Education fee: $75.00 per course that is taken from a distance
• Graduation fee: $250.00

Church-Matching Scholarships

Multiple church-matching scholarships are available up to a maximum of $1950.00 per year. This Church-Matching Scholarship is awarded to a DMin student whose church agrees to financially support their studies. If awarded, this scholarship could provide up to one-half of the DMin tuition cost, with the student’s church providing the other half of the DMin tuition cost.

See link on right to apply for a scholarship.