All Courageous Leadership students pursue their own research projects. There are also 4 optional specializations available to Courageous Leadership students A specialization includes one required course plus topical research in your electives and professional project. 

Courageous Leadership DMIN students can opt to specialize in: 

• Women’s Religious Leadership – Women’s leadership is essential to thriving religious communities and social movements. This unique specialization deepens women’s considerable gifts for leadership, engaging women-centered theories, wisdom, and practices, as well as Drew’s long tradition of feminist, womanist, and LGBTQ theology and theory.
• Church After Pandemic – Emerging from a global pandemic, congregational leaders are finding new modes for their mission in the world.  This specialization empowers courageous leaders interested in the tools of technology, the frameworks of finance, and expansive expressions of ecclesiology to journey together as we look for what “the church” needs to be in this moment.
• Institutional Transformation for Social Impact – This specialization engages courageous leaders who are committed to changing society’s institutions — corporations, government, and church –  to more effectively contribute to the common good in their communities and to prophetically transform systems from a faith-based perspective.
• Faith, Health, and Social Equity – How can faith and spirituality be a catalyst for health equity? This DMin concentration dares to ask who and what is driving health disparity, and what kind of courageous leadership is needed to bring justice and wholeness in vulnerable communities and across societies. 

• Mix of on-campus and online (All DMIN students are required to be on-campus to attend a 2-week Intensive in July. Students can schedule all remaining classes in either online or on-campus intensives formats)
• DMIN 2023 Summer Intensive Dates: July 17-21 and July 24-28
• Curriculum: This 30-credit Courageous Leadership DMin consists of 18 credits of coursework and 12 credits for theologically reflective contextually-responsive research. In the first research module after coursework, students write a well-researched essay demonstrating the ability to reflect theologically and biblically. This paper then serves as the scaffolding for the second substantial paper, which integrates the themes of the reflection within a specific chosen contextual issue.
• Participants work with internationally known faculty.

How do students progress through their DMin? The following “roadmap” shows the most effective way to progress through the program so they may graduate on time.

Year 1 – Coursework

• Summer 1 
  • Students will take the following on-campus intensives in Madison, NJ
    • DMIN 701 (Context and Change: Introduction to the Doctor of Ministry)
    • DMIN Elective/Concentration 
• Fall 1
  • Students will complete their summer coursework (with no additional coursework)
• Spring 1
  • Students will take two elective/concentration courses, with their choice of a weekly synchronous online course or an on-campus intensive during Spring Break
• Summer 2 
  • Students will take two elective/concentration courses via an on-campus intensive in Madison NJ

Year 2 and 3 – Research Modules

• Fall 2 
  • Students will engage in a weekly synchronous online session for Research Module I in the Fall along with individual work with a mentor.
  • Goal: Develop an approved project proposal.
• Spring 2
  • Students will continue and complete Research Module I through individually paced work with a mentor.
  • Goal: Write initial 25-page paper
• Fall 3
  • Students take Research Module II and will continue individually paced work with a mentor.
  • Goal: Approve professional project in context (IRB approval if needed)
• Spring 2
  • Students will continue and complete Research Module II through individually paced work with a mentor.
  • Goal: Complete project and write and present an additional 50-page paper.

Graduation in May of Year 3.

Here is just a few examples of some of the course offerings available to Drew’s DMin cohorts:

• DMIN 706 – Pilgrim Spirituality: The course explores pilgrimage, or a pilgrim-themed spirituality, as a theological method for Christian formation. The course focuses on a definitional methodology, biblical expressions, theoretical approaches, the pilgrim experience, and applications for religious travel, everyday Christianity, social justice, and congregational life.
• DMIN 950 – Religion, Faith, and Finance for Social Impact: This class is designed to help students critically and constructively explore the various ways in which pastors and church leaders can access multiple sources of capital (beyond the offering plate) to fund church growth and community revitalization. Examining the history of financing religious life as well as biblical and other faith-based paradigms, the course explores strategies and practical applications to address the many issues facing local congregations in under-resourced or low-wealth communities. Students will be taught how to develop partnerships with entrepreneurs and how to collaborate with large corporations to make a meaningful social impact in their communities.
• DMIN 712 – Women, Religion & Society: This course does a deep dive into questions of women’s religious leadership. It surveys the phenomenon of women’s religious leadership by an expansive understanding of leadership types. Thereby it opens to a vista of current women’s religious leadership with examination of ancient documents that discussed women and their potential in ancient Greek and Roman empires. The goal of such delving is the pursuit of elusive answers to a vexing question, “What is the mysterious anxiety about women that manifests as religious misogyny?” It’ll be an adventure. Please join Rev. Dr. Althea Spencer Miller and others in a quest for historic and contemporary evidence of women’s leadership in religion and the reciprocal impact on and in society.

The message of Christ is deeply rooted in the heart of the ministry of South Korea. The lead faculty for this concentration partner together to deepen the study of meaning and ministry in South Korea.

• Working with leading semioticians and educators, students deeply examine the power of the biblical narrative. What stories do we tell? In what ways does the biblical narrative shape, transform, and direct ministry?
• Meet in Madison, New Jersey, Seoul, South Korea, and online to explore and cultivate a deeper understanding of ministry in the South Korean context, particularly its interconnectedness with outside ministry contexts, as well as its expanding global influence.
• Develop innovative ministry insights based upon a reflective analysis of South Korean religious culture, history, and trends.

Participants study with

• Dr. Leonard Sweet, semiotician, preacher, best-selling author, and Drew Emeritus Professor of Evangelism
• Dr. Byoungho Zoh, Founder of Tongdokwon, Institute of Reading the Bible Through
• Dr. Younglae Kim, scholar of the Bible Education through Stories, Professor of Methodist Theological University

This concentration is a three-year, 30-credit D.Min degree. Credits are earned in a combination of on-campus and online courses held in South Korea. All students will be required to attend the Drew summer intensives in Madison, NJ during the summer of their first year. This concentration begins Fall 2022 and is taught in the Korean language.