Frequently Asked Questions Q: Can you briefly describe the Ph.D. program at Southeastern Seminary? Q: What are the entrance requirements? Q: What if I have some entrance deficiencies? Q: In what areas may I concentrate? Q: What are cross-area concentrations? Q: When should I apply? Q: How can I obtain an application for the Ph.D. program? Q: Can courses transfer from other institutions? Q: What is the starting date once I have been accepted? Q: Is there a time limitation on my studies in the Ph.D. program at Southeastern? Q: What is the cost for Ph.D. students at Southeastern? Does the cost differ if I am not a member of a Southern Baptist Church? Q: Where are you located? Q: What if English is not my first language? Q: How are courses graded? Q: What is the integrative seminar? Q: Are there comprehensive examinations? Q: Are there language requirements? Q: May I defer enrollment? Q: How well have your graduates been placed in teaching positions? Q: Can you briefly describe the Ph.D. program at Southeastern Seminary? A: The Ph.D. degree at Southeastern is an advanced academic research degree in the major fields of Biblical studies, theological studies or applied theology. The Ph.D. program requires a minimum of three academic years (six semesters) to complete. The program requires a two-year residency (four semesters) prior to the dissertation stage. One full year is assumed as a minimum for post-residence dissertation work. Q: What are the entrance requirements? A: The minimum entrance requirements for the Ph.D. program at Southeastern are six hours of Greek, six hours of Hebrew (plus an additional 3 hours of either Greek or Hebrew, equalling 9 hours of at least one of the biblical languages), a minimum 3.25 GPA and an M.Div. or its equivalent from an institution that is accredited. In addition, a 600 minimum paper-based TOEFL score (250 minimum computer-based) is required for all applicants for whom English is not their first language. Students must also submit their results from the Miller Analogy Test (MAT) and a graded research paper. The application process also includes an interview with the Ph.D. director and an interview with the faculty member with whom the student aims to study. The final step of the application process is an entrance examination given on campus.   Q: What if I have some entrance deficiencies? A: Accreditation standards require that a person admitted to the doctoral program have an M.Div. or equivalent from an accredited institution. Deficiencies will sometimes result when a student applies to the program with a master’s degree other than the M.Div. or Th.M. If a student is accepted into the program, he or she will be notified of any deficiencies that must be removed. Any deficiencies must be met before a student can start the program. Q: In what areas may I concentrate? A: The Ph.D. program at Southeastern is divided into three areas of study: Biblical studies, theological studies and applied theology; each field is divided into concentrations. Students may choose from the following concentrations:             Biblical Studies – Old Testament, New Testament Theological Studies – Systematic Theology, Philosophy of                       Religion, Church History, Christian Ethics             Applied Theology – Preaching, Evangelism, Christian Missions             Cross-Area – Biblical Theology, Hermeneutics, Women's Studies   Q: What are cross-area concentrations? A: Cross-area concentrations include Biblical Theology, Hermeneutics, and Women's Studies. These concentrations give students greater variety and more flexibility in determining their studies. Students who choose one of the cross-area concentrations would (after consultation with their mentors) choose seminars from more than one field. Q: When should I apply? A: Application materials should be requested from the Graduate Studies Office in August of the year prior to the year you plan to attend. The deadline for applying to the Ph.D. program at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is December 1 prior to the year you plan to attend (for starting in the fall) or July 1 (for starting in the spring). Entrance examinations are generally offered the third or fourth Monday of January and August. Students are usually informed of the results of the exams in early spring.           Example (for fall admissions cycle):              Request application materials             August           Deadline for submitting application      December 1           Entrance examinations                       January           Examination results                           Spring   Q: How can I obtain an application for the Ph.D. program? A: Application materials are available for download here:       Contact information: Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary Office of Ph.D. Studies P.O. Box 1889 Wake Forest, North Carolina 27588-1889 (919) 761-2491   Q: Can courses transfer from other institutions? A: The graduate studies committee will make decisions on transfer of credit on a case-by-case basis. Courses taken in the Th.M. or D.Min. programs are not repeatable nor transferable into the Ph.D. program.   Q: What is the starting date once I have been accepted? A: Students who have been accepted into the program in the spring will begin attending seminars in August. Those accepted in the fall will begin their program in January. Doctoral students follow the same academic calendar as Southeastern Seminary.   Q: Is there a time limitation on my studies in the Ph.D. program at Southeastern? A: Students must complete the program within seven years. Q: What is the cost for Ph.D. students at Southeastern? Does the cost differ if I am not a member of a Southern Baptist Church? A: Concerning the difference in costs between Southern Baptist and non Southern Baptist students, see the tuition and fee schedule located here for the most recent tuition information for the Doctor of Philosophy program. Continuous enrollment may be waived for international field-based missionaries under career appointment through the Southern Baptist International Mission Board. All students must have made payment arrangements for tuition by August 4. Failure to make payment in full by the deadline will result in your immediate dismissal from the program. Q: Where are you located? A: Wake Forest is less than 15 miles north of the state capital of Raleigh, N.C., less than 30 miles from RDU International Airport and about 45 minutes from the campus of Duke University. The seminary is located in the heart of the downtown, historic district and only minutes from several Falls Lake recreation areas. The North Carolina coastal town of Wilmington can be reached in about two hours. Q: What if English is not my first language? A: The admissions procedure for international students requires additional information and processing time due to seminary policies and the requirements of the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. In order to qualify for admission to the doctoral program at Southeastern, international students are required to provide a minimum score of 600 on the TOEFL. An international student admissions guide that provides details of these special requirements is available from the admissions office.   All work submitted in the Ph.D. program is expected to be in well-written, correct English grammar and idiom.   Q: How are courses graded? A: Participants in graduate classes, seminars, the integrative seminar and the mentorship are given traditional letter grades. Participants must receive a grade of B or above in any graded course to receive credit for the course. Students receiving a grade of C or lower will not be given credit. Two grades of C or lower will result in an automatic review of the student’s program by the graduate studies committee and may lead to a student being put on probation or being dropped from the program.   Q: What is the Integrative Seminar? A: The year-long integrative seminar is considered to be equivalent to 2 three-hour courses. Participants include all first-year Ph.D. students. The integrative seminar is moderated by the director of Ph.D. and Th.M. studies. Individual sessions on topics of interdisciplinary interest are led by lecturers invited by the director of Ph.D. and Th.M. studies. The integrative seminar provides an opportunity for students to observe and engage in interdisciplinary dialogue. It also serves the function of continuing to monitor students’ progress in research and writing skills by critiquing written assignments submitted at each individual session.   Q: Are there comprehensive examinations? A: After all class and language requirements have been satisfied, each student is required to pass a written and oral comprehensive examination in the area of his or her concentration. The requirement reflects the intention of the seminary that doctoral students achieve mastery of the literature and issues in their area of concentration with a view toward their anticipated dissertation research. Much of the mentorship will normally be dedicated to helping the student prepare for this examination.   Q: Are there language requirements? A: All Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate reading proficiency in two research languages, normally German, plus either French or Latin. This may be done through passing foreign language examinations (or otherwise demonstrating competency). Courses in German, French and Latin are regularly offered by the seminary to help students acquire and demonstrate proficiency in these languages. (All students must also demonstrate reading proficiency in English, Greek and Hebrew.) Q: May I defer enrollment? A: Students who are accepted into the program and wish to defer admission may, at the discretion of the graduate studies committee, be allowed to defer admission for up to one year. Deferred admission is not automatic. The graduate studies committee may determine that the student’s application should be reconsidered along with those of new applicants the following year. Q: How well have your graduates been placed in teaching positions? A: “The answer is exceedingly positive. Alan Branch and Ken Keathley serve as professors of ethics and theology and as deans of students in two Southern Baptist seminaries. Michael McDill and Thomas Howe are both professors of theology and philosophy at two additional seminaries. Mark Howell has served as professor of theology at still a fifth seminary and now serves as the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Little Rock, Ark. Cky Carrigan occupies a prestigious position with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) in the interfaith witness department. Chris Scofield also directs the prayer ministry at NAMB. Meanwhile, David Nelson, Pete Schemm, Steve Ladd, Bruce Little, David Jones, Bill Brown, Russell Woodbridge and Bruce Ashford have all joined the faculty here at Southeastern. This represents an amazing achievement for a young program.”             Paige Patterson, Adapted from Academicus, Vol. 3, Is. 1     Glossary of Terms   Comprehensive Exam    End of second-year written and oral exam                                         in student’s concentration Concentration                A student’s major (New or Old Testament,                                         church history, ethics, etc.) Dissertation                   Written work in the student’s area of                                        specialization Field                               Broadest area of study (Biblical or                                         theological studies, applied theology) Major Professor             Faculty member responsible for guiding a                                         student through the Ph.D. program Mentor                            Role of the major professor primarily during                                         the year of mentorship Mentorship                     Course of study in one’s area of                                        concentration with one’s major professor Mentorship Session        Regular meeting of major professor and                                         student during mentorship year Ph.D. Candidate              Doctoral student in the dissertation stage of                                          the program Prospectus                      Formal dissertation proposal specifying                                          title, research method, outline and other                                         features of the planned dissertation Specialization                 The focus of a student’s dissertation                                         research