Educational Ministries Studies (EMS)

EMS 800 Topics in Educational Ministry Studies - 1-3 Units

Provides an opportunity for students to engage critically with emerging issues, debates, and developments within a specific academic discipline. Students explore contemporary topics that shape the Church's witness, theological reflection, and vocational practice in today's world. Emphasis is placed on integrating biblical and theological perspectives with scholarly inquiry, fostering spiritual formation, and cultivating leadership rooted in humility and social responsibility. The course develops advanced research and communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and a deeper awareness of the student's role as a reflective practitioner within the global Christian community.

EMS 810 Organizational Leadership Seminar - 1-3 Units

Students engage critically with emerging issues, debates, and developments within the topic of organizational leadership. As dynamic spaces for scholarly dialogue and collaborative learning, seminars refine students' critical thinking, research, and teaching skills. Participants engage deeply with readings, contribute to discussions, and present their own research. Faculty guide conversations, ensuring a balance of theoretical depth and practical application. The seminar develops advanced research and communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and a deeper awareness of the student's role as a reflective practitioner of organizational leadership within global Christianity.

EMS 820 Local Church Seminar - 1-3 Units

Students engage critically with emerging issues, debates, and developments within the topic of the local church. As dynamic spaces for scholarly dialogue and collaborative learning, seminars refine students' critical thinking, research, and teaching skills. Participants engage deeply with readings, contribute to discussions, and present their own research. Faculty guide conversations, ensuring a balance of theoretical depth and practical application. The seminar develops advanced research and communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and a deeper awareness of the student's role as a reflective practitioner in the local church within global Christianity.

EMS 830 Teaching and Learning Seminar - 1-3 Units

Students engage critically with emerging issues, debates, and developments within the topic of teaching and learning. As dynamic spaces for scholarly dialogue and collaborative learning, seminars refine students' critical thinking, research, and teaching skills. Participants engage deeply with readings, contribute to discussions, and present their own research. Faculty guide conversations, ensuring a balance of theoretical depth and practical application. The seminar develops advanced research and communication skills, interdisciplinary thinking, and a deeper awareness of the student's role as a reflective practitioner of teaching and learning within global Christianity.

EMS 910 Orientation to EMS Doctoral Studies - 0 Units

The Educational Ministry Studies doctoral program furthers the development of leaders already serving in organizations such as higher education institutions, mission agencies, congregations, parachurch agencies, and relief and development agencies. This orientation course gathers new students into an understanding of the learning culture of the community and of its values, core competencies, and expected learning outcomes.

EMS 911 Leadership and Organizations - 3 Units

Students survey and analyze contemporary issues in developing and leading healthy organizations. Participants will engage in theological reflection regarding potential contributions from the field of organizational development in leadership of organizations. Topics include organizational design; innovation; diagnosing and facilitating healthy organizational change; team building; collaborative leadership; leadership development and succession strategies; and the development of vision, mission, and values using large group intervention strategies.

EMS 912 Adult Learning Foundations - 3 Units

Students critically examine selected adult education theories and perspectives in light of the teaching of Scripture and consider their application to the Christian adult educator's philosophy of educational ministry and practice. Topics include adult development, experiential education, critical educational theory, global models of adult learning, and transformational learning.

EMS 913 Foundations: Social Sciences - 3 Units

Through critical reflection based on sound biblical interpretation, students investigate the psychological and sociological underpinnings of educational theory and practice. Topics include major psychological and sociological theories; primary issues of educational psychology and sociology; and implications for contextualized teaching, learning, and educational practice.

EMS 914 Christian Formation of the Educator - 3 Units

Integration of God's sovereignty and redemptive work within educational ministry. Participants will address the implications of this revealed truth for life and educational ministry by examining Biblical, theological, historical, and contemporary resources. Topics include image-bearing agency, vocational stewardship, worldview formation, and theologically shaped education.

EMS 915 Foundations: History and Philosophy - 3 Units

Through critical reflection based on sound biblical interpretation, students investigate the historical and philosophical underpinnings of educational theory and practice. Participants explore historic and contemporary philosophical streams from major western and non-western resources. Topics include key philosophers and educational theorists; primary issues of educational philosophy; and implications for contextualized teaching, learning, and educational practice.

EMS 916 Higher Education Administration - 2 Units

Examination of the basic elements of academic administration: faculty resources, student affairs, finance and budget, board and presidential roles, library services, development and public relations. Particular application is made to Christian higher education institutions and to administrative relationships with parent organizations.

EMS 917 Teaching in Higher Education - 2 Units

Through critical reflection based on sound biblical interpretation, students examine the core elements of transformative learning theory and practice. Topics include critical reflection and the mind of Christ, personal and social change dynamics, whole person domain teaching and learning, and cultivating gospel healthy learning climates.

EMS 925 Professional Development Practicum - 0-2 Units

Opportunity for doctoral students to design, conduct, and evaluate a supervised professional development activity that integrates academic expertise, vocational calling, and ministry practice. Activities may include teaching, consulting, curriculum development, coaching, pastoral ministry, grant writing, or other approved engagements. Students may propose Trinity-related or external opportunities, and must initiate planning conversations with their program director prior to the practicum semester. Each unit represents approximately 35?40 hours of invested work and may be repeated for credit up to a total of 2 units. Credit/No Credit.

EMS 941 Research 1: Literature and Design - 3 Units

Exploration of how to conduct systematic literature reviews of the social science research literature that serve as a theoretical framework for research design. Linkages will be made primarily from sociology, anthropology, psychology, business management, and education to the participants' present research interests.

EMS 942 Research 2: Qualitative Research - 3 Units

Prepartion of participants to design and conduct fieldwork research in both Christian education and mission communities. Observation techniques and in-depth interviewing are the primary inquiry skills learned in order to discover the individual's perspective. Particular attention is given to the processes of gathering, recording, coding, and analyzing data in order to report rich descriptive findings and conclusions supported by the data. How qualitative research methodology is used to generate "grounded theory" is also examined.

EMS 975 Comprehensive Exam Prep - 0-2 Units

Facilitation of student preparation for the comprehensive examination in their discipline. Students review and synthesize core disciplinary literature, theories, and methods, while preparing to demonstrate their readiness for dissertation research.

EMS 990 Dissertation Proposal Prep - 0-2 Units

An independent study for students to research a topic of study and prepare a proposal for their dissertation project.

EMS 991 Dissertation Research - 1-4 Units

Students write a dissertation which embodies the results of their original research and makes a genuine contribution to knowledge in the field of concentration.

EMS 992 Dissertation Extension - 0 Units

Registration permits students who have completed all required dissertation credits to work toward the completion of their dissertation.