Diploma in Diaconal Ministry

Deacons at convention

The Diploma in Diaconal Ministry is designed to prepare men and women for diaconal ministries (ministries of Word and Service) in the Evangelical Church of Canada (ELCIC).

This program is designed with sufficient flexibility to serve those who are seeking to become rostered Diaconal Ministers in the church.

Program Outcomes for the Diaconal Program:

  1. Apply critical thinking and a Gospel lens to primary sources, classical traditions, and current understandings of the Christian faith to support public proclamation of the Word.
  2. Integrate the liberating Gospel of Christ into their personal life in ways that inspire and support others to do the same.
  3. Engage in Gospel-based leadership in the intersections of church and society that points to the diaconal calling of the church as a whole.
  4. From both learning and teaching perspectives, engage informed, intentional, and contextualized approaches to life-long education that nurtures diaconal formation.
  5. Lead others in church and community collaborations that serve the transformative and life-affirming work of Christ-in-the-world.

Gretchen the deacon

Curriculum

Generally, the Diaconal Diploma is a two-year program (full time), or a five-year program (part-time). These time-frames include internship.

Students may take a combination of:

  • Onsite intensive courses,
  • Intensive distributed learning courses (designated with the DL suffix to the course number)

The curriculum is comprised of:

  1. 15 three-credit courses (45 credits)
  2. Participation in processes of spiritual formation and worship
  3. One unit of CPE/PCE
  4. A supervised internship (field placement of 9 -12 months), and
  5. Attendance at a one-week ELCIC Diaconal retreat.

Please view our Academic Handbook for details on required courses. 

Requirements for Admission

  • Attainment of a Bachelor of Arts degree, or its equivalent in an area of specialization applicable to working as a Diaconal minister.
  • Synodical Candidacy Committee endorsement (for ELCIC students)
  • Completion of the online Application for Admission, plus
    • - Submission of supporting documents as outlined in the application from
    • - Submission of application fee
  • Documentation of a criminal record check and vulnerable sector registry check (as available).

Tuition / Fees

Please visit our Tuition Page for a summary of tuition and other program fees.

Admissions

Please visit our Admissions Page to learn how to apply.

It is important to note that the online application form must be completed in full (or near to full), and the application fee must be paid before we can begin processing your application.

Learn More About the Program

Read our current Academic Handbook for more detail about the Diaconal Diploma and about studying at our seminary.  coming....

Apply Now

Students must apply online:

Diaconal Diploma Application Form

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