What is the D.Min. Degree at Vanderbilt?
The Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) in Integrative Chaplaincy is a three-year, 36-credit advanced professional program undertaken alongside a student's work as a chaplain in a professional ministry setting (e.g. healthcare, military, prisons, or other organizations), with the aim of better equipping students to address whole person healthcare needs—both as individual spiritual care providers and as collaborative professionals partnering with other care providers. An M.Div., M.T.S., or equivalent degree and work as a chaplain are required for admission.
Chaplains who complete this program will be equipped to:
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of mental health concerns
- Apply evidence-based psychological practices within the scope of chaplaincy practice
- Collaborate with mental health and healthcare professionals
- Foster resilience and mental health prevention efforts
- Engage with scientific research critically and constructively
- Understand psychosocial and psychological dynamics in religious/spiritual contexts
- Practice self-care and care for fellow caregivers
- Address distinctive religious, spiritual, cultural, and relational needs
- Reflect theologically on religious/spiritual traditions for transformation and healing
- Develop a ministerial identity and spiritual care ethic informed by suffering, trauma, and human flourishing
Why You Should Earn Your Doctorate in Ministry at Vanderbilt
Chaplains serve as spiritual and emotional caregivers in settings where they often support a wide range of individuals, frequently in partnership with other professionals. This program is designed to equip chaplains to offer high-quality, collaborative, evidence-based care that meets diverse psychosocial and spiritual needs. It reflects Vanderbilt’s commitment to whole-person care shaped by intellectual rigor, interdisciplinary excellence, and spiritual integration.
Since its founding, Vanderbilt Divinity School has functioned as a university-based, interdenominational institution. Its non-denominational identity and global orientation align naturally with the work of chaplaincy, especially in pluralistic, multi-religious contexts such as hospitals, higher education, the military, correctional facilities, and other organizational environments. This breadth of emphasis enriches each student’s formation and prepares chaplains to lead with empathy and effectiveness across religious and cultural lines.
The D.Min. in Integrative Chaplaincy reimagines the chaplain’s role in today’s care systems. It blends research-informed insights and evidence-based practices with the art of spiritual care, while positioning chaplains as trusted collaborators and leaders. Students engage with faculty across various fields, including psychiatry, psychology, theology, and pastoral care, gaining a model of ethical leadership grounded in rigorous training. You’ll be invited to think theologically, lead courageously, and serve holistically—deepening your vocation and expanding your impact in the communities you serve.
What I found was a very transparent perspective on mental health care and human flourishing that recognized the limitations of psychotherapy and the aching need for what Chaplains bring to the table, a focus on ultimacy, transcendence, values, and the potential for suffering to lead to transformation. As Chaplains, we were treated like valued partners in the care of "whole beings." It was truly integrative.
Doctor of Ministry Program Format and Curriculum
The D.Min. features hybrid courses designed for immediate application in the diverse settings where chaplains serve. Each course combines regular synchronous online seminars with asynchronous content, allowing students to engage meaningfully while balancing their work schedules.
Students attend three 3.5-day, on-campus intensives at Vanderbilt Divinity School—one in each of the first three semesters. All other coursework is delivered through online platforms, video conferencing, and other distance learning tools.
The first three semesters align with the Mental Health Integration for Chaplain Services (MHICS) training. Courses and practica are closely integrated, with students applying course content directly in their practicum settings and receiving consultative feedback. This phase is led by faculty who are also affiliated with Integrative Mental Health in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
The final three semesters, taught by VDS faculty, focus on the D.Min. Project—a 45–60 page project centered on a real-world challenge from the student’s chaplaincy practice. Students analyze and address this issue using insights gained throughout the program, including asynchronous modules developed by VDS faculty that provide further theological grounding. The project is shaped and strengthened over time through faculty led writing seminars that include weekly feedback from both faculty and peers.
D.Min. Degree Eligibility
- Students must have completed a Master of Divinity or Master of Theological Studies degree from an ATS-accredited school, or the educational equivalent from an institution of higher education accredited by a US agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation, or approved by a Canadian provincial quality assurance agency. Comparable degrees from institutions outside North America are accepted after review by Vanderbilt’s International Curriculum and Credentials Analyst.
- Student’s academic record must evidence master’s level work in a wide range of theological disciplines and the capacity to integrate, critically and constructively, theory and practice.
- Students are expected to have achieved a GPA of 3.0 or above in their M.Div., M.T.S., or equivalent degree as part of the evidence of aptitude for advanced theological study.
- Students must also be functioning as a chaplain or in an environment where they will be capable of fulfilling practicum coursework requirements.
- Master's degrees in related fields may be considered for admission, contingent upon completion of three courses (comprising nine credit hours) in an ATS-accredited institution of theological education covering the following topics:
- Sacred texts (depending upon your tradition)
- Pastoral theology and care
- Theology/ethics
- Applicant must have a grade of B- or above in these courses, which must be completed before admission into the Doctor of Ministry.
We welcome learners from all traditions and backgrounds and believe that advanced ministerial formation should be grounded in spiritual integration, ethical leadership, and a commitment to whole-person care. If you’re discerning how to serve more deeply as a chaplain or faith leader, we invite you to take the first step.
The integrative skills I have learned (exploration and synthesis of the three primary evidence-based practices) has greatly enhanced my pastoral care and counseling practice. I am able to draw from a wide variety of tools and evidence-based approaches now to more effectively companion and support the Service Members in my charge.