This is a non-residential modular program, offering week-long intensive courses, once or twice a year, which enables the participant to advance at the rate of three to four courses a year. Participants take courses as a cohort for the first three years of the program, living and studying together for a month at IGSL in Manila, Philippines, or at another location that might be more suitable for the course being offered. After a multiple course intensive study block, another week is added that involves debriefing, personal mentoring, and library research. The PhD program requires more courses after the first three years, some of which may be conducted online. This format allows busy ministry leaders to continue in their work while decreasing travel costs.
Pre-course and post-course work are required, including reading, writing, and application to ministry. Mentored ministry experience is spread through the program.
Elective courses are offered either as residential intensives, tutored on-line courses, or mentored tutorials in the participant’s home country. After all courses are finished for the degree, the PhD candidate must sustain a comprehensive exam and submit a proposal for their dissertation. The final one or two years are dedicated to researching and writing the final paper, thesis, or dissertation, depending upon the degree to be attained.
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Core Courses shared by ThM, DMin, and PhD:
(8 courses of 3 credits each + 2 practica of 1.5 credits = 27 semester credits)
Personal Life and Ministry Assessment
Theology and Practice of Personal Peacemaking
Negotiation
Coaching and Mediation
Comparative Peace Systems
Building A Culture of Peace
Community and Inter-Faith Conflict
Introduction to Qualitative Research
Practicum I, II (1.5 credits each = total 3 credits)
Requirements additional to the 27-credit core:
ThM
Add 6 semester credits = 1 elective of 3 credits + 3 credits for the thesis (OR for another elective and a major publishable paper instead of thesis)
DMin
Add 12 semester credits = 1 elective of 3 credits + Literature Research course of 3 credits + dissertation of 6 credits
PhD
Add 33 semester credits = 3 electives of 3 credits + Literature & Field Research of 3 credits each + 2 practica (of 3 credits each) + comprehensive exam + proposal writing/defense (3 credits) + dissertation of 9 credits
Electives may include:
Community Development and Peace Building
Shame, Honor and Story Telling in Peacemaking
Economics and Restorative Justice in Peacemaking
Healing Wounds of Violence, Trauma, Abuse
Peacemaking in Marriage and Family
Teaching and Curriculum Development
First Block of courses (with mentoring):
July 2019
Personal Life and Ministry Assessment
Theology and Practice of Personal Peacemaking
Introduction to Qualitative Research
Second Block of courses (with mentoring):
Negotiation
Coaching and Mediation
Third Block of courses (with mentoring):
Comparative Peace Systems
Literature Research
Fourth Block of courses (with mentoring):
Building a Culture of Peace
Community and Inter-Faith Conflict
Electives (for ThM, DMin, PhD)
Field Research Methods
To Be Announced
The PhD degree (60 semester credits, four years of course work, finished in 5-6 yrs part time study) – meets the needs of those teaching at the masters or doctoral level, or those who are high level practitioners needing enhanced credibility in government, community or ministry representation. Further content mastery and skill development are combined with original qualitative research and academic writing for the dissertation. This degree equips participants to be thought leaders, practitioners, and influencers in their various fields of service.
The DMin degree(39 semester credits, three years of course work, finished in 4-5 yrs part time study) – meets the needs of those whose primary calling is in high level leadership of pastoral ministry, parachurch ministry, or NGO work. Their research is focused on applying peacemaking theory and qualitative research skills to practical ministry problems, and results in a project written in the dissertation. This degree enhances their impact as peacemakers and as trainers of peacemakers.
The ThM degree (33 semester credits, three years of course work, finished in 3-4 yrs part time study) – meets the needs of those who anticipate teaching in undergraduate or masters level contexts. Their thesis literature research helps them to upgrade their teaching and writing as they explore in more depth a focused area of biblical peacemaking. This degree fits those do not continue on to the required doctoral level field research and dissertation writing.
The Diploma– If a program participant satisfactorily completes course work and exhibits baseline ministry competency, but for various reasons cannot finish the degree, consideration may be given for granting a “Graduate Diploma in Peace Studies” in place of a degree. Those reasons may include not meeting the GPA requirements for candidacy, and/or not satisfactorily completing the required competency exams, and/or not satisfactorily completing a publishable paper or thesis or dissertation for the degree.
