Ministry Residency
12 Hours of Credit
DTS believes it is vital to link theory and practice. Instead of learning only in the isolation of the classroom, DTS supports learning happening within the community of faith as the student ministers in a ministry context and reflects on that experience. Master of Arts in Christian Leadership (MACL), Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE) and Master of Theology (ThM) students have the option of completing either a three credit hour Ministry Formation Internship or a twelve credit hour Ministry Residency.
So what are the differences and which one is right for you?
| wdt_ID | 3 Credit Hour Internship | 12 Credit Hour Residency |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7-10 hours of weekly ministry in a local church or parachurch setting | 30 hours of weekly ministry in a local church or parachurch setting |
| 2 | 12 months to complete | 8 months to complete |
| 3 | Starts any semester (Fall, Spring, or Summer) | Starts Fall semester only |
| 4 | Does not require any time on campus | Requires one week on campus in the Fall semester and one week on campus after the Spring semester |
Students in the Ministry Residency program will come together on the Dallas campus before the start of the fall semester (early/mid August) for a weeklong experience with other residency students. After this week, the Residency students will return to their place of service and be placed in an online student cohort for encouragement and accountability during the rest of the school year. In addition, each student will have weekly interaction with an on-site Ministry Mentor and regular interaction (face-to-face or online) with their faculty member on the Dallas campus. The residency student then concludes with another week on campus after the end of the spring semester (mid May) for a weeklong celebration of what God did through the residency students and (more importantly) what God did in the residency students themselves.
Ministry Residency students gain access to unique benefits:
- Learning with fellow Residency students in a cohort format.
- Mentoring from a ministry leader on the field
- Interaction with a DTS faculty member
- Studying in areas of leadership (personal assessment, ministry vision, change management, teamwork, organizational leadership development)
- Applying leadership principles right away in one’s field of ministry
Approved Ministry Residency sites will provide the following for students:
- At least 30+ hours/week of compensated ministry at the ministry site.
- “Ownership” role of a ministry area (accountable for his/her leadership in that area).
- Teaching/speaking/preaching venue.
- Exposure to all associated areas of ministry at the site as deemed suitable (e.g., a pastoral role might include weddings, funerals, evangelism, visitation, etc.).
- Cross cultural experience through local outreach or international missions.
- Consistent mentoring time with the on-site Ministry Mentor.
Ministry Residency students must plan for:
- Participation in a one-week Dallas campus experience (both fall semester and spring semester).
- Consistent mentoring time with the on-site Ministry Mentor throughout the year
- Participation in a learning cohort with other residency students throughout the year.
- Professional development and spiritual development as a ministry leader.
Ministry Residency Prerequisites:
- Completion of at least half of required degree courses (30 hours for MACL/MACE and 60 hours for ThM)
- Fulfillment of student’s internship requirements based on selected degree (see the latest DTS Advising for more information)
- Any degree specific prerequisites for a Ministry Formation Internship apply to Ministry Residency eligibility as well. Please see the Academic Advising for more information.
2024-2025 Ministry Residency Application