PhD in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership Shape the Church’s Future
60
Credit Hours
100% online, 8-week courses
Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total
Become an Effective Leader in Your Church or Ministry Organization with a PhD in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership
As a ministry leader, you have an important responsibility to serve and foster the spiritual growth of the people in your congregation. Whether you work in a church or ministry-related organization, it’s essential that you learn to lead with skill, integrity, and humility so you can provide godly guidance and support to the people in your care.
With Liberty’s 100% online Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership, you’ll explore the practical and theoretical aspects of overseeing ministry efforts. Throughout this program, you can develop the skills you need to become a leader in Christian education, local churches, nonprofit work, and more. This PhD program is specifically designed to help you apply your own original research to solve various problems in the field of Christian leadership. By studying a blend of theory and praxis, you can prepare to make a greater impact in your church or organization.
Partner with us and fulfill your unique calling as you pursue your PhD in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership at Liberty.
The PhD in Applied Apologetics, PhD in Bible Exposition, PhD in Christian Leadership, and PhD in Practical Theology are not approved by the Commission on Accrediting of The Association of Theological Schools but are approved by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
Why Choose Liberty’s PhD in Ministry Leadership?
Liberty has been a pioneer in distance learning since 1985. A lot has changed since then, but our commitment to offering a flexible, affordable, and high-quality education has not. We’ve designed our PhD in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership degree with your success in mind. This program is 100% online, and the courses have no set login times – meaning you’ll have the freedom to earn your degree on your schedule and easily access your course materials whenever you need them.
Throughout your PhD program, you’ll study under professors who have years of experience in Christian ministry. They are excited to come alongside you and share their expertise with you as you seek to become a more effective ministry leader. Our faculty will also provide valuable guidance as you work through the dissertation process, so you can be confident as you conduct your own research and seek to address various challenges in the field.
At Liberty, you won’t have to sacrifice quality for flexibility. We are regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Additionally, our commitment to excellence also helped us rank in the top 10% of Niche.com’s best online schools in America. You can rest assured that we’ve taken the time to develop a rigorous, top-notch curriculum that can help you stand out to employers as you prepare to take the next step in your career.
What Will You Study in Our PhD in Christian Leadership – Ministry Leadership Degree?
As you complete this online degree in ministry, you’ll explore several core topics in Christian leadership so you can be better equipped to serve with excellence in academia, Christian education, parachurch organizations, and local churches. Some of the topics you’ll study include biblical and theological foundations of leadership and education, organizational theory and development, leadership and management theory, and theological anthropology.
You’ll also examine group theory, team dynamics, and teaching and learning theory within the context of faith-based organizational leadership. By studying these and other essential Christian leadership topics, you can prepare to help carry out the Great Commission as you minister to those around you.
Within the ministry leadership specialization, you’ll explore how to develop and oversee effective ministries that help foster spiritual growth in the church and beyond. Specifically, you can learn how to do the following:
- Demonstrate principles of entrepreneurial leadership as you develop strategic initiatives within faith-based organizations
- Foster individual and corporate spiritual formation in the body of Christ
- Oversee and implement needed changes that allow churches and organizations to grow
- Take advantage of the opportunities presented by new technologies, creative methods, and strategic initiatives to move churches and organizations forward
- Use social networks to evangelize to non-Christians and facilitate edification in the church
Lastly, you will complete an in-depth sequence of research courses culminating in a dissertation. As you research, write, and defend your dissertation, you’ll have the opportunity to examine various challenges in the field of Christian leadership and develop original research to help address these issues.
Potential Career Opportunities
- Church administrator
- Director of ministries
- Ministry team leader
- Nonprofit administrator
- Professor
- Researcher
- Teacher or administrator in a Christian school
Featured Courses
Degree Information
- This program falls under the John W. Rawlings School of Divinity.
- View the Graduate Divinity Course Guides (login required).
- Contribute to the body of knowledge in your field through this program’s integrated dissertation process.
Degree Completion Plan
Not sure what to choose?
Speak to one of our admissions specialists to help you choose the program that best fits your needs.
Tuition & Aid
Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.
To continue our mission of providing affordable education, electronic textbooks are provided for many divinity courses* all for one convenient fee.
*Electronic textbooks are not provided for PACO courses or courses that fall under departments outside the School of Divinity.
Doctoral Divinity Block Rate (7-15 credit hours) | $2,750 |
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Doctoral Divinity Part Time (0-6.99 or over 15 credit hours) | $395/Credit |
Military Doctoral Divinity Block Rate (7-15 credit hours) | $2,700 |
Military Doctoral Divinity Part Time (0-6.99 or over 15 credit hours)* | $395/Credit |
*Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more).
Financial Aid & Scholarships
Admission Requirements for Liberty’s PhD in Christian Leadership
Admission Requirements
- Apply online or over the phone with an admissions counselor by calling (800) 424-9596.
- A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required).
- Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing. Previous education should show at least 15 hours of graduate-level Bible, Theology, or Leadership courses.
- Submit the School of Divinity Questionnaire (login required).
- Writing Sample – Submit 10 pages from prior academic coursework.
- Departmental approval is required.
- Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy.
Preliminary Acceptance
If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:
- Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
- Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
- Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
- Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.
Transcript Policies
Official College Transcript Policy
An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to luoverify@liberty.edu.
Admissions Office Contact Information
Liberty University Online Admissions Verification
1971 University Blvd.
Lynchburg, VA 24515
Ready to Apply?
Submit your application online or over the phone.
Military
Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.
Who May Qualify?
- Active Duty
- Reserve/National Guard
- Veterans/Retirees
- Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees
- Current Department of Defense Employees
Available Benefits:
- Discounted divinity block rate – $2,700 per semester*
- Additional discount for veterans who service in a civilian capacity as a First Responder
- 8-week courses, 8 different start dates each year, and no set login times (may exclude certain courses such as practicums, internships, or field experiences)
*Credits taken below 7 and above 15 credit hours per semester are charged at the part-time rate of $395/credit hour.
Eligible current and former service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour (learn more), but the $300/credit hour doctoral military rate cannot be combined with the First Responder Discount.
Inner Navigation
- Overview
- What Sets Us Apart?
- Why Choose Liberty?
- What Will You Study?
- Tuition & Aid
- Admission Information
- Military
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