Doctoral Program Deadlines
✵ Fall — Feb 1 for PhD, June 30 for DMin
✵ Winter — October 15 for DMin
✵ Spring — November 30 for DMin
✵ Summer — March 15 for DMin
OST's doctoral programs are designed for experienced ministers and scholars seeking to deepen their expertise and expand their capacity for leadership. Through advanced research, critical reflection, and integration of theory with practice, our doctoral students develop specialized competencies that strengthen their ministry and contribute to the broader theological community.
Select a program for a detailed application process in the tabs below.
Each program and degree has different requirements, please review detailed instructions to apply for your desired degree / program
Doctor of Philosophy in Spirituality
The Doctor of Philosophy degree was established in response to an expressed interest for academically rigorous graduate formation and scholarship in Spirituality. This is a full-time residential program designed to give each student the tools to assess religious experience, critically evaluate contemporary movements within spirituality, help mentors others in spirituality, and do scholarly research and publishing. Our faculty is comprised of internationally recognized and published scholars, authors, and leaders in the field of academic spirituality not available in one program like this anywhere else.The Doctoral Program in Spirituality produces scholars with comprehensive knowledge of the overall discipline as well as a specialization in at least one particular area of Christian Spirituality. The specific approach is academic and theological from the Roman Catholic tradition, with genuine openness to ecumenical and interreligious perspectives.
Fully-Funded Residential Program
5 Years
Doctor of Ministry
The Doctor of Ministry (DMin) advances the professional competency of experienced ministers in today’s Church who seek to serve the ecclesial community while remaining attentive to the signs of the times. The program is intended for experienced ministers with a Master of Divinity degree or its equivalent who are ready to take their practice of ministry to the next level. The program can be taken in two forms: either on a semester basis (for residential or commuter students) or on an intensive basis (for students at a distance) with different concentrations including Spirituality and Ministry, Spiritual Formation in the Local Community, U.S. Hispanic/Latino Ministry, African American Pastoral Leadership, and Pastoral Leadership.
36 Credit Hours
3-5 Years
Select your program for specific requirements.
Doctor of Philosophy in Spirituality
Doctor of Ministry
See the Admissions & Registrations section of the OST Course Catalog for Graduate Studies at a Doctorate Level.
Prerequisite for Doctoral Degree-Seeking Students
Persons seeking admission to Oblate School of Theology should have satisfactorily completed a Master’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Applicants for the Doctor of Ministry should have a Master of Divinity or its equivalent; applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy (Spirituality) should have a Master’s degree in Divinity, Theology, or Spirituality.
Deadlines for Doctoral programs are:
✵ Fall — Feb 1 for PhD, June 30 for DMin
✵ Winter — October 15 for DMin
✵ Spring — November 30 for DMin
✵ Summer — March 15 for DMin
General Requirements for Admission
Students applying for doctoral level must fulfill the general requirements for admission to the Oblate School of Theology and any special requirements for admission to a particular degree program.
Online Application
Complete the online application and submit with the application fee. This fee is non-refundable. (See Tuition/Fees page for current price.)Official Transcripts
Submit official transcripts from all colleges attended, undergraduate and graduate, reflecting degree(s) conferred from accredited U.S. institution or equivalent training at an institution outside the U.S. sent directly to OST. Student copies are not acceptable.Letters of Recommendation
Three recommendations, online forms provided by the School, attesting to the candidate’s religious, moral, and intellectual qualifications for ministry:Two from someone who is qualified to attest to the applicant’s academic ability;
One from any person of the applicant’s choosing. The applicant gives the recommendation form to the recommender, who sends it directly to the School.
Résumé / Curriculum Vitae
Upload a detailed professional résumé/curriculum vitae including a list of all professional publications. In “Description of File Upload” list degree you are applying for and “Resume”Proof of Meningitis Vaccine (for new students under age 22)
Effective January 1, 2014, a change to Texas State law (SB 62) mandates that all entering students under the age of 22 provide a certificate signed by a health care provider or an official immunization record verifying that a student has been vaccinated against bacterial meningitis, or has received a booster during the five years preceding admission to OST.
An entering student includes:A new student, including transfer students
A student previously enrolled in any institution of higher education following a break of at least one fall or spring semester.
The vaccine must be received prior to the 10th day before the first day of the semester. The vaccine is available through your local health department, your Primary Care Physician, HEB, Walgreens, CVS and many other convenient care centers. Pricing will vary and is covered by 20 REVISED 7-1-23 most private health insurance at city-wide pharmacies.
Additional Materials Upon Request of the Director
Fechas límites para solicitud:
Otoño — 30 de junio
Primavera — 30 de noviembre
Verano — 30 de abril
Requirements for Doctor of Philosophy in Spirituality
A Master of Divinity degree, Master of Arts degree in Spirituality or Theology or the educational equivalent
Students who do not already have a graduate degree in Theology or Religious Studies are required to obtain the M.A. in Spirituality before applying to the program.
Students who have completed an M.A. in Spirituality in another institution will be evaluated and prerequisite courses may be required.
Requirements for Doctor of Ministry
Application for Candidacy
Acceptance into the Doctor of Ministry Program does not imply acceptance to Candidacy for the degree. Upon admission, the administrators of the DMin program guide a student through the program requirements. Normally, once a student completes all course work (except Doctoral Project I and II), the DMin Administration assists the student with the creation of his/her Doctoral Project Committee (DPC) and the student writes his/her doctoral proposal under the DPC’s guidance. Candidacy status is conferred upon the student whose doctoral project proposal has been accepted by his/her DPC. A student must petition in writing for doctoral candidacy in conjunction with the DPC’s approval of the proposal. (Additional information and policies regarding doctoral candidacy and the Doctoral Project Committee will be made available in the DMin Handbook, which is presented at orientation.)
Additional Admission Requirements for Doctor of Ministry (DMin) include:
Essay
A six to ten-page essay in which the applicant describes:
The applicant’s understanding of ministry in light of a given faith tradition
Reasons for undertaking the DMin program and how it relates to that understanding of ministry
Projected area of specialized competency
A specific challenge to applicant’s particular ministry which the applicant hopes to address in a future pastoral project
Letter of Endorsement
Ecclesiastical approbation/denominational endorsement is required when appropriate. If married, spousal approval (checked off on doctoral application)Specialization requirements:
Spiritual Formation Annotated bibliography of works that have been read in the past three years that are germane to this area 21
Hispanic/Latino Ministry Spanish competency with the ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write. Also, experience in Hispanic ministry.
DMin Admission Standards
For those with theology or ministry-related MA Degrees (MAPS, MAPM, MATH, MATS, etc.) Applicants are eligible to apply for the DMin Degree if all the following criteria are met:
Earned a ministry-related master’s degree from an ATS accredited graduate school or international equivalent.
You have had at least 3 years of full-time or significant ministry experience after degree completion
You will continue in full-time or significant ministry during the time of your doctoral studies.
Application Process
The following are required to complete your DMin Application Portfolio:
Submit the following documentation:
All official undergraduate and graduate transcripts
Records indicating additional study such as certificates and syllabi for complementary and further study you have undertaken in ministry especially in the disciplines of scripture and theology
(2) different ministerial artifacts (e.g., sermon, lecture, lesson plan) that demonstrate evidence of thoughtful interpretation of scripture and theology in ministry.
(3) recommendation forms:
One from a ministry supervisor; if no supervisor, then someone in authority within your denominational structures verifying your good standing
One from someone who is qualified to attest to your academic ability
One from any person of your choosing.
A detailed professional résumé/curriculum vitae including a list of all professional publications.
Case Study - See section below for guidelines.
An 8-10 page essay using the following headings (indicated in bold print):
Briefly narrate your call to ministry, including key role models and mentors, confirmation from leaders in the Christian community, and the evolution of your prayer life.
Explain how you have demonstrated a readiness to engage in ongoing personal and spiritual development for ministry
Describe your understanding of ministry in light of your faith tradition
Indicate your reasons for undertaking the DMin program and how it relates to that understanding of ministry
Explain your projected area of specialized competency (concentration)
Narrate a specific challenge to your particular ministry that you hope to address in a future pastoral project
Testimonial letter of good standing from your denominational or religious community authority. This letter should acknowledge the time and financial commitment involved in relation to your ongoing ministerial responsibilities. Denominational endorsement should be provided when appropriate.
Annotated bibliography of works you have read in the past three years that are germane to your concentration
Hispanic/Latino Ministry Concentration
Spanish competency with the ability to comprehend, speak, read, and write.
Experience in Hispanic ministry.
Letter of Endorsement
Ecclesiastical approbation/denominational endorsement is required when appropriate. If married, spousal approval (checked off on doctoral application)
Proof of Meningitis Vaccine(for new students under age 22)
Once the portfolio is assembled by the Registrar’s Office, an interview will be set up.
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Identifying a Ministerial Experience for Use in the Case Study: “A case study is a report that presents an event involving a dilemma or problem for consideration. It is a slice of life, a recounting of an actual human situation. … It is one person’s recollection of what happened told as accurately and honestly as possible. Other persons involved may give different accounts. A case study is not an account of an extraordinary event in ministry but rather one that is fairly typical and which involves some responsibility on the part of the minister or chaplain. … Case studies are written in the first person….” (Coll, Supervision of Ministry Students, 78-79)
Assignment: Write a case study.
Choose a key ministerial situation you have encountered that has raised significant theological questions or tensions that require a discerned pastoral response.Using format below for your paper.
[Name]
[Date of Ministerial Experience] - [Today’s date]Identify the pastoral issue in the ministerial experience:
Background - Put the experience in context: pertinent background details; the ministry setting; your prior feelings or expectations.
Description - Narrate as objectively as possible what happened. Report the facts: who, what, when, where, how, and why. Include all important details.
Reflection:
Personal - What did the experience evoke within you at a personal/human level? Professional/Pastoral: What was your pastoral response to the situation? What skills and knowledge were needed? What skills and knowledge did you use? How does this experience impact your pastoral identity? How adequate or inadequate was your response? What did you use to evaluate it?
Cultural Context - How do you describe the cultural milieu in which you were ministering? How does your own background help or hinder you to understand these cultural realities? Considering your own social location and the ministry’s social context, what cultural issues are raised? How did you pastorally express cultural awareness and sensitivity? How have your pastoral studies informed this experience?
Theological - What theological issues or themes emerge from this incident? How does this experience inform theology? Spiritual: How does this experience help support your spiritual development?
Integration - What insights has this reflection provided? Would you change anything in your pastoral response following this reflection?