COURSE DESCRIPTION
I648—Thesis Residency
January 5-8 and 11-15, 2016, McCormick Theological Seminary
Instructor:
Peggy Lindsey
Contact Information:
Department of Pastoral Care
Mount Nittany Medical Center
1800 East Park Avenue
State College, PA 16803
814-278-4805 (o)
540-525-1584 (cell)
Margaret.Lindsey@mountnittany.org
peggyblindsey@gmail.com
Dates and Times: Thesis residency will begin on Tuesday, January 5, 2016 at 9 AM. The course
will formally end on Friday, January 15, at 12:00 noon. There will be no scheduled sessions
over the weekend of January 9-10. Each full day of class is from 9:00am-to-5:00pm. However,
large portions of class will include individual study time, in the library or at a location of your
choice, and so you will not be in the classroom for the whole day, every day.
On-campus Residency Requirement: Students are not required to utilize McCormick housing
for residency. If you are a commuter and wish to commute, you may do so. However, please
consider the observation from many past students, that much teaching, learning, and insight
into the thesis process happens during informal evening conversations with other students in
the residence. In the end, it’s up to you, your educational budget, and your other obligations.
We recommend that you consider staying on campus, at least during the week, and if you
choose not to do so, perhaps to set aside a day or two each week in which to share an evening
meal with your classmates.
Course Overview: Effective pastoral leadership requires the ability and means for sustained
reflection and evaluation upon the practice of ministry, and the application of pastoral
imagination to the challenges and opportunities of ministry today. Thus, the pastoral leader at
his or her best is not only a professional practitioner, but an inquiring professional; in short, a
practical theologian. In the McCormick Doctor of Ministry program, this practice becomes most
visible in what we know as a “thesis-in-the-practice-of-ministry,” a key program requirement
built on three goals:
1. Your continued learning and increased effectiveness in ministry. As you work on your
particular and specific thesis project, you will gain new insights and capacities that will
strengthen your own particular work in ministry.
2. An enhanced life and work of the church or agency with which you are in ministry.
McCormick’s mission is to individual students and also to the wider church. The thesis
process and other components of the doctor of ministry program are always pointed
toward the church and its ability to be more faithful and effective in its ministry in the
larger world.
3. A distinct contribution to the knowledge and the practice of ministry by other
ministers and lay church leaders. For that reason, the format requires not hundreds of
pages, but a brief, readable article of 40 pages, accessible to a wide audience.
Thesis Residency is intended to be the next logical step in your thesis development, following
M617—Methods. The goal is to provide the time and space, away from the normal duties of
your ministry work, to focus on your thesis work and to complete, as the final project of
residency, your final thesis proposal. We know from experience that, burdensome as it may
strike you, taking this focused time on campus is a huge head start and advantage in moving
your thesis project forward. You are encouraged to approach it with that view and attitude.
Course Objectives
1. Build on the skills obtained in M617--Methods and on preliminary thesis proposal to
develop and produce a final thesis proposal.
2. Identify the key resources, both in print and in people, that will address issues of
choosing research methods; identifying ministry contexts, sound biblical and theological
thinking, and active ministerial practice as part of the development of your particular
thesis project.
3. Develop the timelines and deadlines that will frame the thesis project.
4. Gain both the confidence and determination necessary to produce a thesis that is
effective and has impact in your local setting.
Required Texts:
There is no common required reading prior to class; you’re coming here to work on a thesis, not
discuss a common set of books. That said, you’ll want these documents as reference for your
thesis:
The McCormick Theological Seminary D.Min. Thesis Manual
Badke, William. Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog, 5th
ed. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse.com, 2014
Booth, Wayne C., et.al. The Craft of Research (Third Edition). University of Chicago Press,
2008.
Drummond, Sarah. Holy Clarity: The Practice of Planning and Evaluation. Herndon, VA:
The Alban Institute, 2009.
Osmer, Richard R. Practical Theology: An Introduction. Grand Rapids, MI: William B.
Eerdmans, 2008.
Sensing, Tim. Qualitative Research: A Multi-Methods Approach to Projects for Doctor of
Ministry Theses. Wipf & Stock, 2011*
*Remember: while this book is a great overview of qualitative research, not ever detail of Dr. Sensing’s
thesis outline is identical to McCormick’s. When in doubt, consult the manual, or contact me.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers (7th edition). University of Chicago Press, 2007.
Pre-class Assignment:
Your pre-class assignment for I648—Thesis Residency is exactly the same as your final project in
M617—Methods: your preliminary thesis proposal, as assigned by Dr. Kapp:
By December 1, you must submit the preliminary proposal for your McCormick Doctor
of Ministry thesis, according to the outline you will be provided from the McCormick
Seminary thesis manual. The preliminary proposal is a fifteen-page paper that draws on
your introductory paper and your course work, and begins to construct the intellectual
framework that will support your thesis project. That framework has elements that are
contextual, practical, and theological. In every step of the thesis process, you will put
these elements into conversation with each other.
The preliminary proposal should be submitted through Moodle.
The preliminary proposal need not be as polished as other papers you submit to
McCormick. The purpose of this paper is to focus your thinking and provide reference
points for your discussions with your faculty advisor and peers. Do your best, though, to
make this document precise and concise; such discipline will allow you to have more
constructive conversations. Write a paper that will work for you.
I will have access to your submission on Moodle; I will also ask Dr. Kapp to provide me
with her comments at the same time she returns it to you. That proposal will form a key
foundational piece for your work in Thesis Residency.
The final project:
Your post-class project is completion of your final thesis proposal and the formation of a
personalized thesis timeline. Parameters for the final thesis proposal are outlined in the thesis
manual and will be covered in detail during the two-week class session, in brief, it’s this:
The final proposal is a 30-40 page paper that articulates your plans for your thesis project. It is a
working document that pulls together your thinking in a number of areas:

Your concerns, observations, and hopes about the significant situation you wish to address.

The research you’ve done about this situation, the Judeo-Christian tradition, and the local
knowledge on which you’ve reflected.

The theories about ministerial practice or organizational leadership that you have examined.

How all of the above connect, in your mind, re: your practice of ministry.
In addition, your final thesis proposal will include:

Your plans for your thesis project (an outline of concrete steps you will take to carry out the
project).

Your plans for project evaluation.
The final thesis proposal will be due no later than March 1, 2016. Early submissions are always
accepted and welcomed.
There is also a thesis timeline in the thesis manual. You may either adopt that timeline exactly
as printed, or adapt a more personalized version. You must have your particular thesis timeline
signed by the instructor no later than the final day of class.
Course Grading: I-648 Thesis Residency is graded on a pass/no-pass basis. A passing grade is
determined by class attendance and participation, a signed timeline, and the satisfactory
completion of the final thesis proposal.
Ongoing Thesis Advisor: I will be your thesis advisor for the duration of your thesis project. My
role is to guide you through the thesis project; work directly with you on thesis content through
the writing process; and help you connect with other faculty, both at McCormick and beyond,
who could contribute to your ongoing work.
Other Course Notes:
Attendance / Deadlines: Attendance in class is important; missing a single class is a significant
loss both for you and for the rest of the class. We’ll be engaging in regular in-class discussion,
hearing each other’s wisdom and contributing to each other’s thesis development in ways that
will be diminished if you are absent. If you know you will miss a class (because of illness or
other serious circumstance), please notify me in advance. The deadline for the final paper is
clearly stated; if you are not able to meet that deadline, we need to have a conversation prior
to that time.
Active class participation: is expected. That includes being a part of the discussions, with the
whole group and in smaller subsections, both as listener and speaker. To do that well means
being prepared.
Appointments and Conferences: You will have at least two scheduled appointments with me
during residency. Other McCormick faculty will hold appointment hours during residency; you
may choose if you wish to consult with those faculty members. In addition, you are always
welcome to contact me by email or phone, prior to, during, or after residency.
Academic Integrity: You are expected to adhere to the academic standards of McCormick
Theological Seminary. Fabrication, plagiarism, cheating, and other violations of these standards
will not be tolerated here—and neither, by the way, are they (or should they be) in your own
places of ministry. It is dishonest to pass off the ideas of others as your own.
Course Schedule (Preliminary draft, subject to change and faculty availability):
Tuesday, January 6:
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15 – 12:00 Community re-engagement: Catching up
Orientation to residency / review of schedule and content
A brief review of the thesis manual / Elements of a thesis
12:00
Lunch
1:00 - 3:00
An overview of research in general: what needs to happen to succeed during
residency, and with a thesis project?
3:30 – 5:00
Practical theology method (a review of Osmer)
Wednesday, January 7
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15 – 12:00 Individual presentations (15-20 minutes each)
 A summary of your preliminary proposal
 What do you really hope to learn?
 Where are your most important challenges?
Discussion / Brainstorm: How we can best support each other?
12 noon
Lunch
1:00 – 3:00
Thesis Proposal part 1 - Situation Description/Contextual Analysis
Thesis Proposal part 2 - Research and Literature Review
3:00 – 5:00
Individual consultations with thesis advisor
3:00-3:45
_________________
3:45- 4:30
_________________
4:30-5:15
_________________
5:15-6:00
_________________
Individual research and/or writing
Thursday, January 8:
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15 – 10:45 Thesis Proposal Part 3 – Theoretical Framework
Plenary session: Research in Biblical Studies for the thesis (with a member of the
Bible faculty, this time may change, subject to faculty availability)
11:00 – 12:00 Discussion / Brainstorm: How does the Bible affect my project?
12:00
Lunch
1:15 – 5:00
Individual consultations with thesis advisor
1:15-2:00:
_______________
2:00-2:45:
_______________
2:45-3:30:
_______________
3:30-4:15:
_______________
4:15-5:00:
_______________
Individual consultations with faculty
Individual research and/or writing
Friday, January 9:
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15 – 10:45 Thesis Proposal Part 3 - Theoretical Framework, continued Plenary Session: Research in Theology for the thesis (with a member of the
Theology faculty, this time may change, subject to faculty availability)
11:00 – 12:00 Discussion/Brainstorm: How does theology affect my project?
12:00
Lunch
1:00 – 5:00
Individual Library Research or Writing
Individual consultations with faculty or advisor
Saturday, January 10, and Sunday, January 11:
Time for individual study, writing, relaxation, and worship.
Monday, January 12:
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15
Quick check-in from the weekend: are there questions we need to answer?
9:30 – 12:00 Thesis Proposal part 4 – Objectives and Strategies
Empirical Research (a review of Sensing)
Interventions
12:00
Lunch
1:00 -5:00
Individual library research and/or writing
Individual consultations with faculty or advisor
Tuesday, January 13:
9:00
Morning Prayers
9:15 – 12:00 As needed: A review of the thesis manual and structure—what still doesn’t make
sense?
Thesis proposal part 5 - Evaluation (a review of Drummond)
Thesis proposal part 6 - Significance: Why does your project matter?
Thesis proposal part 7 - Abstract
The process of writing and self-editing
12:00
Lunch
1:15 – 5:00
Individual library research or writing
Individual consultations with faculty or advisor
Wednesday, January 14
9:00
Morning Prayers
Individual library research and writing
Individual consultations with faculty or advisor
12:00
Lunch
1:15 – 5:00
Individual library research or writing
Individual consultations with faculty or advisor
Thursday, January 15
9:00
Morning Prayers
Individual library research and/or writing
Individual consultation with thesis advisor
9:00-9:30:
_______________
9:30-10:00: _______________
10:00-10:30 _______________
10:30-11:00: _______________
11:00-11:30: _______________
11:30-12:00: _______________
12:00-12:30: _______________
12:30- 1:15 _______________
Note: Please come to this consultation with a proposed individualized thesis
timeline; we will discuss, negotiate, and finalize. You will also turn in your
Research Review form at this time.
2:00
Revisiting individual presentations (15 - 20 minutes each)
 A revised summary of your developing proposal: what's becoming more
clear? What’s changed?
 What are the key challenges remaining?
Discussion / Brainstorm: How we can support each other?
Friday, January 16 - No scheduled class activities