requirements, Doctoral Program faculty must also recommend that the student is eligible for conferral of the degree on the basis of evidence of Christian life and character established during his or her course of studies. All financial obligations must be settled. Attendance at commencement ceremonies is required when the degree is granted unless approval has been received from the Dean to graduate in absentia (see the Doctoral Program Handbook for further details).
Doctoral Program Proposal During the first term of study and in consultation with the program director, students identify the respective 27- unit electives program they will complete, along with the remaining core courses, to meet the 48-semester unit (Ph.D.) or 45-semester unit (Ed.D.) minimum requirement. Once approved, this schedule serves as the projected course of study. A copy of the Program Proposal is placed in the student’s file. Modifications must have prior approval of the program director. Candidacy Examination During the final semester of coursework, the student also enrolls in TTDE 886 Candidacy Examination Orientation to prepare for TTDE 887 Candidacy Examination the following semester (Students in modified residential programs take the candidacy exam during the fourth year January module). Upon completion of all course work, the student completes the Candidacy Examination before engaging work on the dissertation. The Candidacy Examination evaluates the student’s attainment of program learning objectives. Detailed information about the Candidacy Examination is available in the Doctoral Program Handbook. Advancement to Candidacy Official candidacy for the doctorate signifies an advanced stage in the student’s progress and is characterized by self- directed research in the completion of a dissertation under the direction of a faculty dissertation advisor. Successful completion of the candidacy exam admits the student to candidacy status. Dissertation After passing the Candidacy Examination, the student will enroll in TTDE 889 Dissertation Proposal Development (3 units) for one semester and then TTDE 891 Dissertation (3 units) for up to two semesters (Ed.D.) or four semesters (Ph.D.). A student must be enrolled in 891 or 895 Dissertation Extension the semester of graduation. Dissertation students are considered full-time for a maximum of one semester of TTDE 889 and two semesters (Ed.D.) or four semesters (Ph.D.) of TTDE 891 only. Doctoral students must submit a dissertation evidencing high attainment in scholarship. Detailed information may be found in the Dissertation Guidelines Handbook. Final Dissertation Defense The final examination is an oral defense of the dissertation before the student’s dissertation committee and other invited guests. Detailed information regarding the defense and final submission deadlines for graduation may be found in The Dissertation Guidelines Handbook. Graduation Requirements All students must present an acceptable dissertation, satisfactorily pass their candidacy examinations, and complete all coursework with a minimum 3.25 GPA to qualify for graduation. Beyond completion of academic
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Admission Requirements
The doctoral program seeks to admit applicants whose background clearly demonstrate scholarly aptitude, a commitment to the historic Christian faith, personal character and integrity, a service-oriented motivation toward endeavors of educational ministry and a deepening relationship with God. Biola University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic group identification, gender, age or physical disability. Persons interested in attending should request the doctoral application form (the same form for both degree programs) for Talbot School of Theology from the Graduate Admissions office at Biola University. As in many graduate programs, enrollment is limited. In order to be admitted to full graduate standing, the applicant must comply with the following: 1. Have completed at least three years of full-time vocational experience in educational ministry with evidence of leadership gifts and abilities. 2. Have earned a Masters degree in Christian or Religious Education (MACE or MRE) or its equivalent from an accredited educational institution. Equivalence is defined as an earned master’s degree of 36 semester units of graduate study in areas related to the Christian education ministry, including 18 units of graduate Bible and theology. At least one course in each of the following areas should have been completed: Philosophy or History of Christian Education, Human Development or Educational Psychology, Educational Administration, Interpersonal Communication / Group Dynamics or Counseling, Curriculum Design and/or Methods of Teaching. A minimum GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale in all previous graduate work is required. Students whose formal educational preparation does not include all of the required prerequisite coursework may be admitted provisionally with a deficiency of master’s level courses. See the Doctoral Program Handbook for several ways to address deficiencies.
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