Equipping for the Academy and the Church at the Highest Level

Newly structured: 60 credits, nine of which make up the sequence of comprehensive exams and dissertation.

Classes can be taken in residence or through advanced modules. Many classes are livestreamed as well. These new class options make it possible to earn a PhD without living in the Greenville area.

Overview

The Doctor of Philosophy in Theological Studies program at BJU Seminary offers a terminal degree for those who desire to teach on the college or graduate level. The degree also prepares those seeking the highest preparation for any pastoral or preaching/teaching ministry in the local church.

Candidates for this degree must demonstrate outstanding academic performance, competence in critical research and writing, and a high level of personal leadership and Christian character. Students may qualify to enroll in the sixty credit PhD with a Master of Divinity degree, or a research-based master’s degree like BJU Seminary’s MA in Biblical Language & Literature. The total credits are reduced to 36 for those entering the program with an approved Master of Theology degree, with specific requirements determined in consultation with the PhD program coordinator.

BJU Seminary has been awarding PhD degrees to qualifying candidates for over 50 years, and its faculty are experienced at preparing students at this highest level of education. Doctoral seminars are taught by an interdisciplinary faculty with significant teaching experience who are publishing and active in their fields.

Concentrations:

Old Testament Interpretation
New Testament Interpretation
Biblical and Systematic Theology

For those with outstanding scholarship in Bible and theology, desiring to function as a:

College or Seminary Professor
Scholar Pastor

WHY?

A Doctor of Philosophy degree is now more accessible than ever. Hybrid models of education, which combine the convenience of online interaction and weeklong on-campus seminars, make it unnecessary for you to uproot your family or interrupt your ministry to move to Greenville. The cost of BJU Seminary’s PhD courses is also highly competitive.

Program

Our PhD program will challenge you to read widely, to write clearly, and to think deeply and critically, equipping you with the tools necessary to gain extensive knowledge in the areas of theology, biblical languages, exegesis, and biblical interpretation. You will choose one area of focus: Old Testament Interpretation, New Testament Interpretation, or Biblical and Systematic Theology.

The PhD application process includes competency exams in Hermeneutics and Exegetical Method, Old Testament (including Hebrew), New Testament (including Greek), and Biblical and Systematic Theology.

At the end of your course work, you will take oral and written comprehensive exams that focus on your area of concentration. Finally, you will complete your degree by writing a substantial, publishable dissertation in your field of study under the supervision of a faculty committee.