Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Ministry
Become an expert in the field of marriage and family ministry so you can be at the forefront of leading a revolution through the church
100% Online Education
Affordably earn your doctorate degree in marriage and family ministry
Gary T Smalley School of Marriage and Family is an evangelical Christian institution of higher learning with the purpose of offering exceptional programs of study where academic excellence is a priority and a biblically based perspective is designed. Gary T Smalley School of Marriage and Family is committed to creating an educational environment where students can thrive spiritually, intellectually, and professionally so they can serve God through the church in marriage and family ministry.
The online Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Ministry was built out of a growing need to create a marriage and family revolution through the local church. You will hone your critical thinking, expand your knowledge of effective marriage and family ministry, and learn from the best marriage education theories and practices so you can make a positive impact on couples and families through the local church.
Upon completion of the Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Ministry program you will be able to:
- Run and design a proven strategy for marriage ministry at a church
- Successfully coach couples and families in crisis with proven techniques from the top minds in marriage and family education
- Teach at a college or university
- Confidently speak or preach on marriage and family topics from a biblical perspective
- Train marriage mentors for your marriage ministry team
- Skillfully write for the masses on marriage and family topics and complete a trade-book ready for publication at the completion of your doctoral paper
- Learn how to implement the highly successful Smalley Marriage Intensive program through your church for couples in crisis
We know that trying to fit education into your busy schedule can feel overwhelming. That's why our doctoral program can be completed at your own pace, is 100% online, and utilizes the latest in technology so you can pursue your doctoral degree on a schedule that fits your needs. And it can all be done right from the comfort of your own home!
Two Paths to Earn Your Doctorate
If You Hold a Qualified Bachelor's Degree
You can go directly from a bachelor's degree to our doctorate program as you earn a masters degree on the way to your doctorate. If you go full-time, you can earn both your masters and doctorate in as little as three years.
If You Hold a Qualified Masters Degree
Already hold a qualified masters degree? Great! We welcome you to take the next step and earn your doctorate. We will accept qualified masters degrees allowing you to immediately begin the doctorate level classes. You could finish iin as little as 15 months.
* A qualified bachelors degree must come from a nationally accredited college or university. * A qualified masters degree must be earned from a nationally accredited graduate school. Your masters needs to be in marriage and family, social work, or other related human health science.
The Oxford Model and Program Overview
Begin when you are ready! The Ph.D. program centers around your dissertation and passion!
Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Ministry Program Overview
You choose your field of study and we help design
DMFM 710 Marriage Intensive Theory and Practice
DMFM 711 Coaching Internship III
DMFM 712 Creative Writing and Communication
DMFM 713 Christian History and Theology Survey
DMFM 714 Comprehensive Psychological Assessment
DMFM 715 Premarital and Blended Family Coaching
DMFM 716 Personal and Professional Development II
DMFM 717 Spiritual Formation II
DMFM 718 Essentials of Preaching
DMFM 719 Coaching Internship IV
DMFM 720 Doctoral Dissertation Research
DMFM 721 Doctoral Dissertation Proposal
DMFM 622 Doctoral Dissertation Defense
Prerequisite Courses
If you are not transferring into our doctorate program already holding an approved master's degree, you get to earn your masters on your way to a doctorate.
65 HOURS TO COMPLETE YOUR PHD
Benefits of a Doctoral Degree
What you can achieve with a masters degree from Gary T Smalley School of Marriage and Family Ministry
Quality Coach
You get to experience an entire degree plan specifically designed to help you become an excellent marriage and family coach through the church. Every course builds on the others so your "tool belt" will contain a variety of proven techniques to help you be the best coach possible. But possibly most important, our masters program gives you the opportunity to grow spiritually, mentally, and emotionally...because you can't take people farther than you have gone yourself.
Massive Opportunity
There is a serious deficit of highly trained and educated marriage and family ministers in the church today. There's over 300,000 churches in the United States alone who need someone trained to make a positive impact on marriages and families. You can be at the forefront of a needed culture shift in church staffing for marriage and family leaders.
Generational Impact
With a masters degree from us, you will be fully equipped to make a life-changing impact on marriages and families that will trickle down for generations to come! You get a chance to be a part of a marriage and family revolution specifically designed and implemented for the church.
Pricing Options
Choose the plan that works best for you
18 PAYMENTS OF
$1,271
$352 PER CREDIT HOUR
SAVE 10% OFF THE 24 PAYMENT PLAN
TOTAL COST: $22,880
36 PAYMENTS OF
$664
$368 PER CREDIT HOUR
AFFORDABLE MONTHLY PAYMENTS
TOTAL COST: $23,920