Preparation to produce Bible expositors who are qualified to serve God effectively as pastors, missionaries, or leaders in other areas of vocational Christian ministry.
Degree Overview
| Total Hours | 120 credit hours |
| Degree Time Limit | 8 years from first DTS class |
| Real-time courses | 10 courses required (i.e. 30 credit hours) |
| Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) | 15 credit hours per academic year |
Main priorities during this time:
Can I complete the ThM from a distance?
The ThM is not currently designed to be completed for students living outside of the Dallas, Houston, or DC areas. More courses are available online (OL), by Remote Video (RV), Live Stream (LS), or in various hybrid and intensive formats. The main challenges in completing the ThM from a distance:
Students are encouraged to relocate near the Dallas, Houston, or DC campus for more course options and concentration electives. The BE and ST courses are usually available in a one-trip hybrid for real-time credit with some electives available by RV or LS.
If students plan to pursue the ThM from a distance, he/she will need to meet with an academic advisor every 6-9 months to develop a plan for meeting degree requirements and plan to take courses each fall, spring, and summer.
What are ThM tuition-free courses?
ThM students can do five (5) tuition-free courses. These are courses above and beyond the 120-hours. Tuition-free courses cannot apply toward a concentration or emphasis.
Students can request tuition-free registration from the Registrar’s Office on the Enrollment Forms section of the student portal.
Main priorities during this time:
How do I select a ThM concentration (previously called Emphasis)?
All ThM students have 24 hours of electives and of those 9-hours must be taken from the Ministry and Communications divisions. Ministry Communication electives (M&C or M/C) are upper-level electives taken in: PM, WM, EML, BC, MW. Students must select an emphasis/concentration listed in their specific catalog.
A few questions to ask yourself and discuss with friends, faculty, or an academic advisor:
The emphases or concentrations listed in the student’s ThM catalog year either by matriculation or reclassification, are the options available to that student. Students will need to change ThM catalog years to select new concentrations available in the ThM (with a potential for more hours with changes to the core curriculum over time) or work with the department and your academic advisor to complete the requirements in your catalog.
To select a concentration/area of study, please submit the form in the Student Portal.
Previous/Current ThM Emphasis and Concentration by catalog:
Main priorities during this time:
| Internship & Residency Prerequisites | |
| Credit Hours | – 60 hours completed – Concentration selected |
| Courses | – Completed SF5100 or SF5110 – PM5103 Expository Preaching I – BC/CM 5101 Pastoral Counseling and Ethics |
Should I do the Ministry Residency or Internship + Electives?
The Ministry Residency is limited to students serving in full-time vocational ministry. The internship requires fewer hours each week during the three-semesters and designed for students serving in a volunteer or part-time capacity.
Those in the 2022-2023 academic catalog and beyond who opt to do the Ministry Residency will also register for a concurrent internship at their Ministry Residency site. For those in prior catalogs, the Ministry Residency will take the place of the internship and nine hours of electives.
Both the Ministry Residency and internship require an application. Ministry Residency applications are due in January for the upcoming year (ex. January 2023 for Fall 2023). The internship application is required the semester before starting. If students pursue the Ministry Residency option, they must select Leadership Studies as their concentration.
Some students may benefit from specific electives courses they may not be able to obtain serving in ministry. While others who are working or are given the opportunity to work in full-time vocational ministry may benefit from the Ministry Residency program.
| Internship | Ministry Residency + Internship | |
| Courses | INT5130 (3 hours) + 9 hours Ministry Communication Electives + 15 Hours Open Electives | Fall: EML5801 (6 hours) Spring: EML5802 (6 hours) INT5130 (3 hours) + 12 Hours Open Electives |
| Semesters | 3 | 3 (Fall-Summer) |
| Hours | 7-10 hours per week | 30+ hours in local church or parachurch ministry |
| On-campus | Not required | Fall: One-week in Dallas Spring: One-week in Dallas |
| Start Dates | Starts any semester (fall, spring, or summer) | Fall semester only |
Main priorities during this time:
What is required for Graduation?
How do I meet Last Year Free criteria?
Students should review the full criteria on the Last Year Free page and review their plan with an Academic advisor. Last Year Free covers only the final 24 required credit hours and usually applies from hours 97-120.
Students must apply for Last Year Free (LYF) using the need-based scholarship application each semester they intend to use LYF. Other scholarships are applied to a student’s account first and then Last Year Free is applied. A few general criteria to keep in mind:
Who do I contact if I’m interested in applying for various ministry positions or need help with other ministry/job plans after graduation?
What are the main difference between an RS5102 and Thesis paper?
All ThM students write a final research paper. The topic will often be related to the concentration students select. Students should discuss potential topics with their faculty advisor or another staff member. Some concentrations allows students to choose a research topic outside of their selected concentration. A few key differences between an RS5102 and Thesis are:
| RS5102 | Thesis | |
| Paper Length | 20-25 pages | 2-hour Thesis = no more than 12,000 words 3-hours Thesis = no more than 17,000 words |
| Semesters to Complete | one-semester | three-semesters (one-year) |
| Faculty Members | 1 | 2 |
| Selection of Faculty | Assigned based upon topic submitted in the course | Students find faculty supervisor and second reader with department approval |
| Registration | Like other courses | Requires Thesis Registration form and faculty approval (topic, due dates, etc.) |
The following are degree worksheets specific to students who entered the ThM or reclassified to the ThM in the following academic years. If students have questions about their specific degree requirements or degree audit, students should contact their academic advisor.
Master’s level students keep their current Logos Bible Software package. Future Logos updates or upgrades are the responsibility of each person and not done through DTS.
DTS graduates have three options for further training:
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