The Doctor of Missiology Degree (DMiss) program is organized around a cohort group of 8-12 students who build community as a cohort and pledge to loosely center their studies around a theme that enables each to contribute to maximizing their research for God’s Kingdom. Ideally, each member will contribute to the collective interests of the cohort. Each cohort will be structured to meet strategic purpose, goals, and significance that are of mutual benefit to all members of the cohort.
The degree program requires the completion of 48 quarter hours structured as four twelve (12) unit seminars extending over a four year period (with additional time for dissertation writing where necessary), culminating in a final integrative seminar designed to pull together the disparate research pieces and help organize the dissertation writing process.
Students in the D. Miss degree program may elect to have their doctorate degree designated as a Doctor of Missiology degree (D. Miss) or as a a Doctor of Intercultural Studies degree (D. ICS). The election must be made at the time of submission of the Application for Graduation. Once the degree has been awarded the election is non-revocable, non-changeable, and permanent.
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Each year will be structured as an initial two-week seminar requiring the cohort to meet as a group with a School of Intercultural Studies (SIS) professor. Each seminar will include 2 courses: an eight (8) unit tutorial (with a missiological and theoretical focus) combined with a four (4) unit methodological/relational course that will move the research forward. Seminars two, three and four will begin with each student making a presentation based on the outcomes of the previous year. Each presentation will be critiqued by another member of the cohort thereby facilitating mutual awareness of each member’s contribution to the overall scope of the cohort.
- Each seminar is structured in a two week/8 hours per day intensive format. This structure will allow intensive interaction between members of the cohort with their SIS professor.
- Each seminar consists of 2 courses, comprised of pre-reading, an eight-unit tutorial combined with a four-unit methods course, and post-seminar write-ups. Generally, at the end of each seminar students will turn in a 50 (the 8 unit course) and a 15 (4 unit course) page paper.
- The cohort of 8 to 12 participants will be focused on a specific area of missiology. The same cohort members will then meet together once a year for the duration of the program.
- Each seminar must be completed within the standard 34 week DMiss term.
- Cohorts will convene around organizational (e.g. people working within a particular mission organization), topical, or regional interests.
- Generally, cohorts will meet annually at prearranged sites to be determined based on the purpose and goals of the cohort.
- The fourth year integration seminar will be held on the Fuller campus in Pasadena.
The focus of the first year is to understand missiological principles as they relate to the cohort objectives and design a research plan that will seek out theories and models appropriate for the student's particular organization, topic, or region. An SIS faculty member will convene the cohort and serve as the mentor throughout the life of the cohort. Objective: Give opportunity for missiological reflection that provides impetus for an overall emphasis to be collectively determined by cohort members. The program design process will suggest a focus to which each member of the cohort can contribute. Outcomes: At the completion of Year 1, students will:
1) Demonstrate their ability to think missiologically as they reflect on assigned reading as it pertains to their project interests; 2)
Understand the elements of a research design and be able to present it to the faculty mentor and peers within the cohort. *Literature Review |
The focus of the second year is placed on relevant theory within the sub-discipline and models of praxis in focus for the cohort. This seminar will cover precedent literature appropriate to relevant theory and contemporary context in order to establish areas that lack sufficient attention. Research methods necessary to facilitate the next phase of the study will enable data collection and analysis. The seminar will be led by a specialist in the relevant theory and methods required to accomplish the cohort objectives. Objective: Understand the theoretical reading and be able to apply it to the development of a methodological approach that will enable effective collection and analysis of data. Outcomes: At the completion of Year 2, students will 1) Be able to identify key theoretical materials that relate to their chosen focus and be able to evaluate these materials in light of their project; 2) Understand the relationship between theory and context; 3) Be able to formulate a methodological approach commensurate with the sub-discipline and the desired findings of the research project and 4) Be able to apply the methodology to the collection of data that will enable them to discover new findings. This will impact interaction with the data of other cohort members. *Methods of data collection and analysis |
The focus of the third year is understanding the nature of leadership as it impacts the missiological response to the organizational, topical, or regional focus of the cohort. The seminar will focus on the nature of leadership within the context, including the current practices and structures of leadership within the ministries represented in the cohort. Building on the leadership issues, the methods course will emphasize the dynamics of change as they impact the necessary restructuring or development of leaders in response to the findings of the research at this point in the study. This seminar will be led by a leadership specialist. Objective: In collaboration with the members of the cohort, the leadership and structures of their organization/ministry will be analyzed in order to determine the most appropriate changes that will effectively address the critical issues emerging from the missiological and contextual findings of the overall research project. As in prior years, students will continue with research and its application. Outcomes: At the completion of Year 3, students will be able to 1) Present a profile of the current leadership structure of their organization/ministry (Note: Individual leadership profiles will be collated. Together, the sum of these profiles will enable the cohort to produce a corporate ministry profile or other tool agreed upon by the cohort to meet the organizational, topical or regional requirements of assessing leadership dynamics within the context of cohort needs and objectives); 2) Identify the organizational and ministry dynamics that must be addressed to implement the missiological changes to more effectively impact the contextual issues identified in the research. *Leadership Profile |
The focus of the 4th year serves to integrate the previous three seminars across the cohort and enable the effective write-up of the final project/dissertation. The faculty mentor for the cohort will lead this seminar in order to focus on demonstrating the integration of theory, research, leadership and change dynamics to the relevance of the cohort goals and their significance. The structure and format of each student’s dissertation will be designed to maximize their individual missional interests as well as the collective focus of the cohort. Objective: Integrate all program materials individually and collectively to maximize the findings in order to apply them to effective ministry that meets the purpose and goals of individual students as well as the cohort. The significance of the projects can then be presented in the form of applications to the ministry context and concomitant recommendations can be made. Outcomes: At the completion of Year 4, students will 1) Write-up a Project outline commensurate with the reading, research, and writing accomplished during the previous three modules; 2) Be able to integrate the three previous modules to enable the writing of a 37,500 wd. (150 pgs.) writing Project/Dissertation; 3) Relate their findings to the findings of other cohort members to ensure value to ministry and the mutual success of the cohort purpose and goals. *Integration of missiological theory, practice, and leadership
** Assessing ministries for strategic implementation and final project |