DMin Defense & Graduation - Doctor of Ministry Program

Doctor of Ministry Defenses & Graduation

Before the Defense

    • Schedule your thesis-project defense date with your Thesis-Project Supervisor and Reader.
    • Submit your  thesis-project defense date to the DMin Office: [email protected] 
    • Here is a PowerPoint presentation to walk you through the entire thesis-project process.
    • If you are in need of an editor, check out this List_of_Editors. Please note that there are different types of editing. Discuss this before you agree to a contract.
    • Six (6) weeks before your scheduled defense date, you MUST submit a copy of your thesis-project to:
      • Thesis-Project Supervisor
      • Thesis-Project Reader
      • DMin Office
    • Formatting Checklist: Before submitting the thesis-project, review the checklist for important formatting issues.
    • Submit a completed graduation application.

After Your Defense

  • If you hired an editor, note that we will communicate with you, NOT your editor. You are ultimately responsible for your thesis-project.
  • You will need to turn in TO THE DMIN OFFICE the following forms DO NOT TURN THEM IN UNTIL DIRECTED.
  • A graduation fee will be charged to all graduates before graduation and must be paid before a student is eligible to graduate regardless of whether or not they participate in the graduation ceremony. Students who do not satisfy all necessary graduation requirements by the deadline for graduates will not graduate. They must reapply for graduation and will be charged a change of graduation fee. 
    • $525 Graduation Fee
    • $50 Change of Graduation Fee
  • Notes regarding DMin Continuation Fees.
  • If you desire to obtain personal copies of your thesis-project, third-party vendors www.lulu.com and www.createspace.com provide such services.

Graduation Application

 Thesis-Project Details

Graduation Schedule – 2024

Graduates

Required Graduate Survey

One of the requirements for graduation is completing the Graduating Student Survey. The information you enter into the survey is confidential. We ask for your student ID only so that we know that you completed the survey. The information you give us is used to continue to improve Gordon-Conwell. The survey must be completed online before graduation. Click here to take the survey.

Name Pronunciation

Your name is important! We want to pronounce your name correctly at Commencement.  If you have not already done so on your graduation application, please email a phonetic spelling of your name to the Doctor of Ministry Office ([email protected]). We need your help with this task.

Graduation Announcements

We are now in the process of having announcements (not invitations) printed. Each graduate will receive 10 announcements free of charge. They will be distributed along with your regalia from the Registration Office.

If you’d like to order extra announcements, please use this order form. Any extra announcement must be ordered by Monday, March 20th. The minimum order is $5.00, which will be billed to your student account. Graduates must order announcements in increments of 10. The announcements will be sent to the address that you provide on the form.

Regalia and Attire

All who march in the procession at commencement will wear full academic regalia. It is most appropriate for men to wear ties, as necklines are visible. Women should consider wearing blouses or dresses with buttons so that regalia hoods can be easily fixed to these (instead of pinned). After Commencement, graduates may keep their regalia.

Honor insignia on academic regalia are limited to official pins (Psi Chi pins or other seminary-sanctioned academic honors). Other insignia (e.g., cords, capes, and stoles) or decorations are not permitted.

Students who are not attending the ceremony will have the diploma and regalia mailed to them in late May.

When caring for the gown from home after graduation, use a dryer cycle of permanent press for 15-20 minutes to remove wrinkles. The hood should be lightly ironed.

In Absentia

Your name will be listed in the program, but not announced.

Diploma Size

11” x 17” The Hamilton Bookstore has a few GCTS Diploma size frames for sale.  Contact Adam Davis ([email protected]). Frames can also be ordered online at our online store.

Ceremony Instructions

Please review all ceremony information. If at any time you have questions regarding the commencement activities, please contact our office at [email protected].  

Hamilton Graduation

Charlotte Graduation

Alumni Services

Graduation is just the beginning of your lifetime relationship with Gordon-Conwell as an Alum. To find resources that will serve you in ministry and to stay connected as a valuable part of the worldwide Gordon-Conwell family. As an alum you can:

Stay connected to Gordon-Conwell and your classmates. Be sure to create an account online today!

Placement Services

Be sure to look for professional full-time and part-time ministry positions around the country (and even the world) on GCTS’s ministry employment website, www.MinistryList.com. While there, put your personal ministry profile on the Candidate List, along with your resume, so that churches and ministries looking for Gordon-Conwell degree holders may contact you. Finally, check out the left sidebar for helpful resume, interview and ministry job search tips!

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