Doctor of Ministry –

PASTORAL CARE AND COUNSELING and MEMBER CARE FOR MISSIONARIES

This concentration is designed for persons who seek professional ministry preparation in the area of
Pastoral Care and Counseling and/or Member Care for Missionaries. The concentration is designed
not only for persons in specialized settings, but also for those who wish to enhance pastoral care in
parish ministry. Students pursuing this concentration will follow the curriculum structure outlined
below. The curriculum varies only with regard to a single seminar focused on The Ministry of
Membercare/Wellness. Students preparing specifically to offer Membercare may take this seminar
in lieu of the seminar Issues in Advanced Pastoral Care and Counseling.

Curriculum Overview
DSDM502 The Ministry as Life-Long Learning: Pastoral Care and Counseling 2 semester hours
This course includes a segment on hermeneutics as interpreting stories—biblical stories, a person’s
own story, and the stories of others.
*DSDM542 Issues in Advanced Pastoral Care and Counseling 4 semester hours
This course will address studies in Pastoral Theology, Self-Assessment (the person and professional
minister), and selected issues (such as cultural/ethnicity, gender/sexuality, career assessment,
worship and spiritual care, etc.).
*DSDM543 The Ministry of Member Care/Wellness 4 semester hours
This course will address such issues as the missionary selection process, field policy, missions in
diverse cultures (i.e., Asia, Europe, South American, Africa, and Middle East), remaining and
returning to the field, MK families, pitfalls of multicultural mission teams, Best Practices, crisis
contingency, burnout, worship and spiritual care.
DSDM544 Clinical Aspects of Care 4 semester hours
This course will address issues of diagnosis/assessment (including Spiritual Assessment), pathology
[DSM IV, TR Revised], addictions, and interventions.
DSDM545 Interpersonal Relationships and Family Systems Theory 4 semester hours
This course will address such issues as parent/child relationships, triangulation, family patterns,
stepfamilies, healthy & dysfunctional families, MKs, 3rd Culture Kids, etc.
DSDM 546 Crisis Intervention Theories 4 semester hours
This course will address a variety of crises, including complicated grief, mental illness, addictions,
disaster interventions, conflict resolution, abuse, suicide, violence, disaster response, and PTSD.
DSDM584 Supervised Ministry 6 semester hours
This seminar includes 400 hours of supervised ministry, with at least 100 of these hours in
group/peer experiences or individual supervision. It may be done in an institutional setting (i.e.,
hospital, hospice, prison, etc.), including Clinical Pastoral Education, Pastoral (or Marriage and
Family) Counseling, Congregational Setting, or Membercare with field missionary personnel. (The
Supervisor and Field setting shall be approved by the Department of Pastoral Care and Counseling).
*Students will choose one of these seminars in consultation with faculty.
Ministry Project 6 semester hours
Candidates will design, implement, and reflect upon a self-directed, original project of ministry
conducted in the minister’s own setting.