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Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

The Doctor of Philosophy degree of the School of Educational Ministries began in 1924 and is one of the oldest and largest of its kind in the nation. The Ph.D. degree is designed specifically for the preparation of highly specialized and competent professionals for various aspects of leadership in Christian Education. The program is designed to discover and nurture sound scholarship, meaningful research, and the interdependence of theory and practice. The Ph.D. degree is conferred on the basis of high scholarship and research skill demonstrated by the student’s resident work, examinations, dissertation and vocational experience.

The Ph.D. degree is supervised by the Ph.D. Committee in the School of Educational Ministries. All decisions related to the entrance, discipline and continuance of a student are made by the committee. This committee and the faculty of the School of Educational Ministries reserve the right to decline any applicant or to dismiss any resident or candidate for the degree who cannot qualify on the stated prerequisites or for any reason the committee deems valid.

The degree represents advanced training for such fields of endeavor as:

  • Professors and administrators in institutions of higher education.
  • Specialists in Christian Education in churches, denominational agencies and schools
  • Specialists in counseling and educational programming in marriage and family, community development and program evaluation
  • Home and foreign missionaries working in any of the previously mentioned fields

Majors are selected at the time of application from the following list:

  • Administration
  • Childhood Ministry
  • Church Growth
  • Foundations of Education
  • Psychology/Counseling
  • Student Ministry

A minor may be taken in any of the above fields, as well as Women's Ministry.

Application must be made first to the Office of Admissions for general admission to the Seminary, then to the Ph.D. Committee for admission to the program. If the applicant does not begin seminars within one year from the date of approval, a new application must be submitted. Students are expected to enroll in the fall and spring semesters each year and pay the enrollment fee from the time residency begins until the degree is conferred.

Application

A. Entrance Requirements

  • General Seminary Admission: Applicants entering the Seminary for the first time or those returning after more than three years are required to complete all general admission application procedures with the Office of Admissions. General admission application forms may be obtained from the Office of Admissions, SWBTS, P.O. Box 22740, Fort Worth, Texas 76122, (800) 792-8701. All Southwestern students returning within three years of their last enrollment must update personal information with the Office of the Registrar. Applicants must be approved for seminary admission prior to consideration by the Ph.D. Committee. The Office of Admissions and the Ph.D. Office work closely together to accomplish the general admission process and the admission process for the Ph.D. program concurrently, if posssible.The Director of Admissions will not clear the applicant for admission until the Associate Dean of Ph.D. Studies has notified the Director of Admissions of the applicant’s acceptance into the Ph.D. Program and/or any special instructions or conditions that must be met.
  • Educational Foundations: An earned bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (which would include those individuals that have completed the previously-offered Graduate Diploma Studies Program at Southwestern Seminary); and a master's degree or its equivalent from an accredited seminary or university must have been completed by the time the individual commences resident study. The applicant must have a minimum of 24 credit hours in Educational Ministries courses on the master's level including the five core subjects of the M.A.C.E. degree as offered by Southwestern. Individuals who desire to major in the area of psychology and counseling must have completed additional course work in marriage and family counseling from an accredited seminary or university. A minimum of 14 credit hours in biblical, theological and historical studies on the graduate level will be required for admission to resident study. If an individual is accepted in provisional status, these hours must be completed the first year before residency seminars commence. The designation of courses will be made by the major division and cannot be applied toward the student's doctoral program.
  • Scholarship: In order to apply for the program, an individual must have maintained an overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.3 in all graduate-level work and a GPA of 3.5 in Educational Ministry courses. GPA is based on a four-point scale.
  • Academic Potential Examinations: During the pre-application phase, the inquirer must complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) with an expected score of 500 on the verbal section, 500 on the quantitative section and a score of 4 on the analytical writing assessment. The GRE must have been taken within the past five (5) years. The inquirer may choose to take the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) instead of the GRE. The expected score for the MAT is 400 or higher.
  • International Students: International inquirers whose first language is something other than English will be required to take the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) with a minimum internet based score of 100 or computer-based score of 246. Please check with the Ph.D. Office for the latest information regarding required standards for the TOEFL.
  • Language Competency: Before application can occur, the individual will be expected to demonstrate graduate level competency in the language areas of Research Design and Statistical Analysis via completion of a graduate level course with a grade of B or better or by passing a proficiency examination. Three opportunities will be given to achieve a score of 75% on the proficiency examination. Those inquirers who fail to achieve a passing score by the completion of the third examination will not be given the opportunity to proceed with an application for Ph.D. studies. Examinations are administered by the Ph.D. Office.
  • Ministry/Vocational Goal: The applicant must have demonstrated vocational intent as validated through study or work experiences accepted by the division of the chosen major field of study. In nearly every instance, the student is expected to be involved in ministry-related activities either in a paid or volunteer position during the period of study.
  • Church Relationship: The applicant must be an active participant in a local church.
  • Personal Attributes: The applicant must possess a well-balanced personality as evidenced by satisfactory characteristics in appropriate attitudes, moral conduct and good physical health.

B. Application Process

  • When to Apply: To begin resident work in the fall semester, all application materials should be submitted no later than the fourth Monday of January during the same calendar year. To begin resident work in the spring semester, an application should be submitted no later than the second Monday of August during the preceding calendar year. If the applicant does not begin doctoral resident study within a year from the date of approval, a new application must be processed.
  • How to Apply: Request an application form from the Associate Dean for Ph.D. Studies, SWBTS, P.O. Box 22278, Fort Worth, Texas, 76122-0278. Individuals entering the Seminary for the first time shall also submit a general admissions form to the Director of Admissions, SWBTS, P.O. Box 22740, Fort Worth, Texas 76122. SWBTS graduates must update their general seminary application with the Office of the Registrar.
    • Select a major area of desired study and confer with the Chair of that division. See “Fields of Study” in the Residency section.
    • Provide official transcripts of all college, university, and seminary work to the Ph.D. Office.
    • Submit acceptable GRE/MAT, Research/Statistics Proficiency, and TOEFL scores to the Ph.D. Office.
    • For Southwestern graduates: provide personal recommendations from three individuals who will attest to the call to ministry and Christian character.
    • For applicants who are not Southwestern graduates: provide two personal recommendations attesting to a call to ministry and Christian character and two academic references (professors or teachers from graduate-level study) who will attest to one's capability for pursuing doctoral work. Recommendations will not be accepted from someone who is a SWBTS faculty member, or a member of the immediate family.
    • An applicant whose master’s degree was obtained from an institution other than Southwestern must request a transcript evaluation. The applicant should submit to the Ph.D. Office official transcripts and course descriptions of completed courses which may be considered for equivalency as Educational Ministries course work.
    • Applicants with bachelor's and/or master's degrees obtained outside the United States should be aware that their transcripts are subject to evaluation prior to general application by the World Education Services (WES), Bowling Green Station, P.O. Box 5087, New York, NY 10274-5087, telephone: 212-966-6311; fax: 212-739-6100; www.wes.org.
    • Applicants may be required to complete additional courses to meet equivalency requirements. See provisional acceptance below.
    • Submit the completed application along with a research paper of at least 25 pages on a subject related to the applicant’s requested major field of study. This paper becomes a part of the applicant’s portfolio. The paper should be an original work, and should give evidence of highly developed research and writing skills. The form and style shall follow the most recent edition of The Southwestern Seminary Style Manual.
  • Interviews: The applicant may be invited for a formal interview with the chosen major division. The division reserves the right to require additional coursework or language testing as appropriate before approval will be granted for continuation of the application process. An applicant must be recommended by a major division before consideration will be made by the Ph.D. Committee.
    • If tentative approval is given to the applicant by the major division and the Ph.D. Committee accepts that recommendation, the applicant will be asked to come to Fort Worth for an interview with the Ph.D. Committee. The purpose of this interview is to give the Committee an opportunity to further evaluate the applicant’s potential for advanced degree studies. This formal interview focuses on concerns such as Christian experience, call to ministry, family relationships and reasons for pursuing a doctorate. The Committee requests that, when possible, married applicants be accompanied by a spouse.
  • Academic Entrance Requirements: Upon approval of the Ph.D. Committee, the applicant shall be accepted to the program following the interview, or invited to take the Preliminary Examinations.
    • Individuals who have completed a M.A.C.E., M.A.R.E. or other equivalent graduate level Christian Education degree will not have to take and pass preliminary examinations over the core Christian Education areas.
    • Individuals who have graduate degrees other than Christian Education degrees will be required either to complete leveling courses in the core course areas of the M.A.C.E. degree (Ministry of Education, Administrative Leadership for Ministry, Principles of Teaching, Biblical Perspectives for Human Growth and Development, and Relationships in Ministry), or to complete and pass preliminary examinations.
    • Written preliminary examinations (if needed) are given in April and November over a two-day period. Preliminary Examinations test the applicant's competencies and graduate-level understanding of the essential core areas of study in the Educational Ministries Program: Administration, Foundations of Education, Human Growth and Development, Behavioral Sciences. Also, the major division may require an applicant to test in the area of the proposed major. Applicants may obtain study guides and reading lists from the Ph.D. Office to assist in preparation for the preliminary examinations. The examinations are graded pass/fail. An applicant must pass all areas of the exam before beginning seminar work. Should there be a failure, the applicant may, upon recommendation of the major division, be permitted one retake of the failed area. Applicants will be allowed to retake these November/April examinations only once before the application is withdrawn from consideration. In the event an applicant passes an examination in the major area of proposed study and at least three of the five Educational Ministries core examinations, then the applicant will be allowed a retake three months later of those failed areas in either the subsequent February or July. Upon passing the retake, the applicant will be able to move into the Ph.D. residency the next semester. This immediate retest will be considered the second opportunity for passing. If failure occurs, then the applicant will be removed from consideration for Ph.D. studies.
  • Change of Majors: Before applicants or residents may change majors, they must be evaluated by the prospective division and must meet any requirements for entrance that may be imposed.
  • Provisional Acceptance: Applicants may be admitted into residency in a provisional status if they have passed all requirements for acceptance as outlined above, but do not possess certain qualifying courses that would equate to the Master of Arts in Christian Education (M.A.C.E.) degree, or who do not have certain courses specified by the major division. This provisional acceptance may require leveling courses in two areas: Christian Education or theological studies.
  • Christian Education--Courses in Educational Ministries subjects may be required as: a) As a prerequisite to doctoral seminars; b) To complete Educational Ministries work to 24 hours or meet M.A.C.E. requirements; c) To meet special requirements of a major division as supplemental course work.
  • These courses will be determined by the Ph.D. Office and the major division and may be taken simultaneously with doctoral level work.
  • Theological Studies--Individuals who are accepted into provisional status must complete any deficiencies in the requirement of 14 hours of theological studies before they may commence Ph.D. residency work.
    • Courses taken as provisional leveling work must be taken from 3000, 4000, 5000 or 6000 level coursework.
  • Categories of Students:
    • Inquirer: A student who has contacted the Ph.D. Office about the possibility of entering the Ph.D. program and has begun to complete the necessary provisions to make application (requesting of test scores, transcripts, references, etc.). The Registrar's Office will classify this person as a Special Status - Educational Ministries Student.
    • Applicant: A student who has completed and reported all preliminary testing and has submitted an application for consideration with all necessary attachments (references, paper, etc.) before Monday of the fourth week of either January or the second week of August. The application process is conducted during the Spring and Fall semesters. The Registrar's Office will classify this person as a Special E.M. Student.
    • Provisional: A student who has completed all requirements, but who does not have 14 hours of theological studies.
    • Provisional Resident: A student who has completed all requirements for entry into residency, but who has leveling work in Educational Ministries subjects to complete.
    • Resident: A student who has completed all requirements for entering the Ph.D. program, and who has no graduate leveling work to complete; and who is about to begin or has begun taking seminars.
    • Continuous Enrollment Student: A resident that has been granted permission to conduct studies at an approved institution other than Southwestern (Continuous Enrollment R; RSRCH 8000); or, a student who has completed all the requirements of the residency program, but has not submitted an approved dissertation prospectus (Continuous Enrollment P; RSRCH 8040). Continuous enrollment students will be required to pay doctoral enrollment fees until graduation, whether or not they are enrolled in courses of study at Southwestern.
    • Candidate: A student who has passed all language and comprehensive examinations, has submitted an approved dissertation prospectus, and who is working toward the dissertation.
    • Leave of Absence: A student who has been granted permission by the Ph.D. Committee to suspend studies/dissertation for a period of time. Unless otherwise specified, LOA status will be limited to one year. LOA status does not stop the seven year period allotted for completion of the program.
    • Leave of Absence--Missionary Status: A special status of the leave of absence nomenclature that is granted automatically for any missionary currently appointed by the International Mission Board or the North American Mission board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Individuals in this status are exempt from paying continuous enrollment fees for any semester they are not actively involved in pursuing the degree (this includes residency, proposal preparation or dissertation). If, however, they are on the mission field and are actively working on the degree (taking courses, creating a proposal for study, or working on dissertation research and writing with their Guidance Committee), then they will be expected to pay enrollment fees.
  • Program of Studies: The student will move through two phases of academic activity in pursuit of the Ph.D. in Educational Ministries, Residency and Candidacy. The program of study must be completed in seven years from the end of the first semester of study.

Residency

The student will complete 44 hours of academic work above the Master's Degree level:

  • 20 hours of study in a major field
  • 8 hours of study in a minor field
  • 8 hours in elective study or second minor
  • 8 hours in research languages

Upon completion of residency, the student will be required to complete successfully two proficiency examinations: (1) Barrier examination in the doctoral languages, and (2) Comprehensive examinations in the major and minor areas of resident study. Students are expected to prepare for the comprehensive examinations throughout the program. This ongoing preparation is noted on the transcript by enrollment in DOCTR 7000, Comprehensive Exam Preparation. After these proficiency examinations have been completed, the student will present to the Ph.D. Committee, a proposal for dissertation research that has been chosen in concert with his or her guidance committee and the faculty of the major area of study.

Candidacy

Upon successful presentation and defense of a program of dissertation research before the Ph.D. Committee, the individual will enter into candidacy. The student is expected to remain in Candidacy a minimum of one year from acceptance of dissertation proposal to date of graduation.

Graduation

The award of the Ph.D. Degree is made at the discretion of the Ph.D. Committee, the faculty in general and the administration of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Approval for graduation is contingent upon completion of all academic seminar requirements, successfully passing all proficiency examinations, and the writing and oral defense of the dissertation of research study that demonstrates a high level of competence and professionalism.

For more information regarding Ph.D. studies in the School of Educational Ministries, contact us at phdeducation@swbts.edu