B. H. Carroll Theological Seminary Admissions

Carroll PhD programs prepare students for careers in seminaries, colleges, universities, and churches, as well as counseling clinics, the military, hospitals, and parachurch organizations. Students receive robust instruction through individualized directed study and reading seminars, disciplinary and interdisciplinary seminars, core competency seminars which prepare the student to lead or serve in academic institutions, and practical activities such as service to their respective guilds and teaching.

In the first year, each student is enrolled in Advanced Research and Writing, which prepares the student for the rigors of doctoral research (students enrolled in Counseling are enrolled in Advanced Research Methods, which focuses on heuristic skills). Normal progression through the directed study and reading seminars which follow usually takes 3-4 years. Following the completion of all seminar work, students take a comprehensive written exam and begin the process of writing a dissertation prospectus. This task normally takes one academic year.

Students who present and defend their prospectus (thesis, research methods, and literature review, and outline) before the Doctoral Programs Council are admitted to doctoral candidacy and begin work on the dissertation. Following the completion of the dissertation, the student is scheduled for an oral defense of his or her findings. The PhD may be completed in as few as five years, but the average completion time is six years.

The following items must be submitted to apply:

1. Submission of an online application

2. Submission of supplemental documentation. As part of the online application, the applicant will submit the following supplemental documents:

• Official transcript(s) from an earned baccalaureate degree.*
• Three recommendations-A pastoral recommendation and two additional recommendations
• Church Endorsement
• Statement of past Christian experience--3-4 paragraphs of your commitment to faith in Christ, elements and factors that have influenced your spiritual development such as family involvement in church work, and your volunteer experiences in church-related activities • Statement of call to ministry--3-4 paragraphs about your call to vocational ministry or your decision to enter some form of Christian ministry and your goals for the future
• A digital photograph • Application fee ($50.00)

* Applicants will also be considered who have a comparable degree from a recognized institution outside the US. The degree must be evaluated by a recognized credentials evaluation service such as World Education Services (WES), P.O. Box 745, Old Chelsea Station, New York NY 10113-0745, phone +1 900-937-3895, www.wes.org.

Applicants should meet the following general criteria for admission to ALL DOCTORAL PROGRAMS:

1. Possession of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent from a college or university accredited by are regional or national body for the accreditation of higher education institutions, and an approved master’s degree in theological or religious studies from a college, university, or theological school accredited by the Association of Theological Schools, or a regional or national body for the accreditation of higher education institutions or, in rare cases, upon approval of the Doctoral Programs Council.
2. Overall grade-point average (GPA) of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) in all graduate-level work.
3. Applicants may be required to complete additional courses to meet equivalency requirements (a process known as “leveling”).

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD)
Applicants to the PhD program must meet the following general criteria for admission:

1. Have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 in all master’s-level work within the subject field of the intended major.
2. Demonstrate proficiency in biblical languages whether through transcripted course work (6hours of Hebrew, 12 hours of Greek) or through a barrier examination.
3. Obtain proficiency in research languages to include German (primary) and French (secondary);Latin or another language may be substituted as a secondary language for students in selected concentrations. Students in Counseling, Christian Education, and other selected fields must possess proficiency in quantitative and qualitative research methods. See the Doctoral Programs Handbook for concentration requirements.
4. Hold an appropriate prerequisite degree for the chosen PhD concentration:

Scripture and Witness PhD concentrations (Biblical Languages, Old Testament, NewTestament, Preaching, and Missions):

• Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages (MDivBL)
• Master of Theology (ThM)
• Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) with Biblical Languages
• Another approved Master’s which consists of the required hours in biblical languages, or to which the appropriate language study is added.

Faith and Heritage PhD concentrations (Church History, Ethics, Theology, and Philosophy):

• Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages (MDivBL)
• Master of Theology (ThM)
• Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) with Biblical Languages
• Another approved Master’s which consists of the required hours in biblical languages, or to which the appropriate language study is added.

Ministry and Formation PhD concentrations in pastoral vocations (Pastoral Ministry, Christian Education, Spiritual Formation, and Worship):

• Master of Divinity with Biblical Languages (MDivBL)
• Master of Theology (ThM)
• Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) with Biblical Languages
• Another approved Master’s which consists of the required hours in biblicallanguages, or to which the appropriate language study is added.

Ministry and Formation PhD concentrations in non-pastoral vocations (Counseling, Chaplaincy, Christian Education, Leadership, and Worship):

• Master of Divinity (MDiv)
• Master of Theology (ThM)
• Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS)
• Master of Arts in Worship (MAW)
• Master of Arts in Music (MAM), Church Music
• Master of Music (MM)
• Master of Arts Counseling (MAC)
• Master of Arts in Christian Ministry (MACM)

The application process to the PhD requires applicants to complete an application and provide three letters of academic reference, a church endorsement, a statement of past Christian experience and calling to ministry, a digital photograph, and a $100 application fee. Applications must also interview with the Doctoral Programs Council and submit a writing sample of 25-30 pages in Turabian Notes-Bibliography format; applicants in the fields of Counseling and Christian Education may submit the paper in APA Style.

APPLICATION DEADLINE
Applicants may be admitted to the PhD program in either the spring (January) or fall (August). For applicants with research language or ancillary skills competencies already demonstrated, and desiring consideration for enrollment in the fall semester, the applicant’s completed application packet must be received by the Seminary no later than April 1. For enrollment in the spring semester, this deadline is September 1. For students not having research languages completed, the application packet may be compiled and submitted while the student is engaged in language study.
Applicants may only be admitted to the DMin program in the fall (August). For enrollment in the fall semester, the DMin program applicant’s completed application packet must be received by the Seminary no later than April 1.

DISMISSAL FROM DOCTORAL PROGRAMS
The following reasons are grounds for dismissal from the B. H. Carroll Doctoral programs: (1) Inadequate performance during the conditional period of enrollment; (2) non completion of studies within seven years after entering the program; (3) failure to maintain continuous enrollment in the program; (4) failure to pay required fees; (5) academic or performance failure in any part of the program; or (6) violation of the Academic Integrity Policy. The Doctoral Programs Council will review the student’s record and render a decision.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR DOCTORAL PROGRAMS

1. Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA throughout the program.
2. Students must enroll in and attend Colloquy in each of their first six semesters in their program of study.
3. Students must pass Written Examination and Oral Defense of Dissertation.

Applicants should meet the minimum requirements for full admission to all Masters Programs:

1. Hold an earned undergraduate degree from a U.S. college or university accredited by a regional accrediting agency or one recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and CHEA (Applicants with degrees from foreign universities will have to undergo a transcript equivalency evaluation).
2. Have a minimum cumulative overall grade point average of 2.75 or a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in their last 60 hours of undergraduate course work.
3. Students who have earned undergraduate degrees from foreign universities may be asked to submit evidence of a minimum score of 550 (paper-based), 213 (computer-based), or 79 (Internet-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
4. Exhibit good character, in the judgment of the University. East Texas Baptist University reserves the right to deny admission to any individual who has been convicted or adjudicated of a felony or a Class A (or equivalent) misdemeanor.
5. Be in agreement with the University’s mission.
6. Meet additional program requirements or criteria established by the applicant’s desired program or field of study.

Admitted students may request acceptance of transfer hours provided:

1. The student has achieved full University and program admission.
2. The hours are graduate hours in the desired graduate major or related discipline as determined by the program director and dean, and deemed equivalent to courses in the selected graduate program.
3. Grades earned are at least "B" or higher.
4. The student provides the program director complete information about the course including goals, requirements, and assessments.