The studies in ministry minor is grounded in a belief in the Triune God, and in a belief that we are called to love others as God has loved us. Thus its goals are to:
- Help students explore Christian ministry as vocation
- Equip students for Christian ministry by nurturing a community of learners who can love, think, discern, serve and pray together
- Foster the development of a theological framework for ministry
- Encourage students to develop spiritual disciplines that will sustain a lifetime of discipleship and service
- Provide all students with the opportunity to begin a lifelong love of theology and commitment to the church
- Serve the church by providing women and men who have been trained to lead and serve in many different aspects of Christian ministry.
The minor has three different tracks; Social Witness, Worship Leadership, (with two sub-tracks: pastoral and musical) and Youth Ministry. Depending on the track and courses chosen, the minor will comprise 25-30 credit hours, to be distributed across required classes, electives and an internship. Before applying for acceptance into the minor, students are required to take a prerequisite course: a two-credit introductory course (MIN 201 - Foundations for Theology and Ministry ). The introductory course is designed to help provide students with a common language for thinking about theology and ministry, as well as to help them in their discernment process as they decide whether to pursue this minor. Students must have taken it to be eligible to apply for acceptance into the Studies in Ministry minor. (Details of the application process will be provided during MIN 201 . Applications are reviewed each spring semester).
All students accepted into the minor are required to take one of the following Religion courses: REL 241 , REL 261 , REL 262 , or REL 263 ; a capstone seminar course sequence; and an internship. The four-credit capstone sequence will meet across one school year-two courses of two credits each. It will, in most cases, be taken at the same time as students are doing their required internship. The four to eight credit internship will require six to twelve hours per week of involvement with a ministry or organization throughout one school year, depending on the number of credits selected. Summer internships are also possible.
In addition, each of the three tracks within the minor has one required concentration course and one or two elective courses, depending on the track.
Each student will be matched with a mentor for the duration of the student’s involvement in the minor. Mentors will be chosen in conversation with students, the coordinator of mentoring and internships and the director of the minor.
