Admission Requirements

Discipleship in Lifespan Education - PhD

Eligibility Requirements

• Master’s Degree: hold an MDiv degree; an MA (Religion); or an MA degree in education or related area plus have 28 credits in religion (16 of which may be on the undergraduate level). Have 16 undergraduate or graduate credits in education.
• Biblical Language Proficiency: required to the intermediate level in either Greek or Hebrew for student pursuing studies in the specialization area of Theological Curriculum and Instruction.
• Usefulness: show high promise of future usefulness to church and/or society.
• English Proficiency: demonstrate the ability to handle doctoral-level work in English. Students whose language of education is not English must submit a minimum TOEFL score of 90.
• Proficiency Exams: depending upon the applicant's academic background, the PhD-ThD Committee may also require proficiency examination(s) before granting admission to the doctoral program.
• GPA: minimum graduate level GPA of 3.50. The entire student profile is considered during the admissions process.

Admission Requirements

• Official Transcripts: from institutions where all post-secondary coursework was taken. Download Transcript Request PDF
• Recommendations: two academic recommendations and one church admin/employer recommendation are required. Recommendations from relatives or friends will not be accepted. You are asked to provide names and email addresses on the online application. Recommenders will then receive an email with a direct link to the form.
• Resume or Professional History: information about your employment, research, or special projects.
• GRE Score: the exam must be taken within five years prior to admission.
• Statement of Purpose: a 600-word statement of purpose, which includes their mission statement, a description of the journey that created a desire to pursue doctoral studies, and a vision of the professional accomplishments they foresee.  Additionally, a 200-300 word description of their area of interest for dissertation research and an explanation of this choice. 
• Research Paper: a significant research paper (term paper, thesis, or research report), normally written during the master’s level studies. This paper should give evidence of the applicant’s ability to carry out research and to present the results and conclusions of such work in standard English and in an acceptable style.
• Personality Questionnaire: complete and return the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire as directed.

Additional Requirements for International Students

• Transcripts: students have two options for submitting their transcripts:
  • Sending transcripts directly from the university attended. Official, literal English translations of transcripts, along with the original-language documents, from institutions where English is not considered the official language.
  • Or Having official transcript evaluations done through one of our approved credential evaluation agencies: WES, AACRAO or ECE. Evaluations must be sent directly from the organization us and must include:
    • At least the overall GPA
    • Degree title equivalent in the U.S.
    • Date the degree was conferred
• Bachelor’s Degree Diploma: a copy of the literal English translation of the diploma, along with the original-language document may be sent by email. The copy of the Diploma is not needed if the transcripts come through an approved credential evaluation agency (WES, AACRAO, ECE) listing the graduation date. Also, a copy of the diploma is not needed if the transcripts list the graduation date and degree conferred.
• Secondary Documents: a copy of these Secondary Documents may be required where applicable:
  • Baccalaureate for the French system
  • Abitur Diploma for the German system
  • A-level results for the British system
• Summary of Educational Experience: Complete the Educational Summary Form and submit to the Office of Graduate Enrollment Management.
• I-20 form: International students must obtain an I-20 form before applying for a visa. The requirements for obtaining an I-20 form are:
  • Academic acceptance
  • Payment of $3,000 advance deposit (not required for Mexico and Canada)
  • Submit the Estimated Budget Sheet showing evidence of financial resources for one academic year
  • A full semester payment in advance is required for citizens of Kenya and Ethiopia

The Office of Graduate Enrollment Management reserves the right to request additional documents at its own discretion.