Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Spirituality

Program Snapshot

70	Credit Hours
4	Years to Complete
Modular Learn more

Immersive studies in legacies of Christian faithfulness.

The Ph.D. in Biblical Spirituality focuses on the pursuit of piety in both the individual Christian and the local church. This degree centers on the nature, theology, purpose and practice of biblical spirituality.

Modular format – relocation to Louisville not required.

Students will complete this program with trips to campus twice each year for doctoral seminars. Each seminar session will last two weeks. Travel to campus only required during the Ph.D. coursework stage.

Advance your studies. Grow in your love for God.

Phd Student Stage
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
81020	Graduate Research Seminar	2
81260	Foundations for Theological Studies	2
81270	Course Development and Design	2
81300	Higher Education	2
	8 Seminars	32
	4 Colloquia	4
	Prospectus Development 1-4	4
	2 Research Languages	4
	Comprehensive Exams	2
Total		54

Phd Candidate Stage
Course Number	Description	Credit Hours
81910	Dissertation Writing & Defense	16
Total		16

Total Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Spirituality: 70

Seminars

Incoming Ph.D. students are matched with a supervisor from our world-class faculty who shares their research interests. Seminars in this concentration include:

88905 Biblical Foundations for Spirituality	This seminar explores the biblical foundations of Christian spirituality. This study is juxtaposed with the Christian mystical tradition which seeks the bare communion of the soul with God whereby the Creator/creature distinction is no longer perceived.
88910 Reformation and Puritan Spirituality	This seminar explores two classical eras of biblical spirituality: Reformed (15th & 16th centuries) and Puritan (16th & 17th centuries). A particular emphasis will be given to examining the contrast between Reformed and Puritan spirituality with the Platonic/Neo-Platonic/ Gnostic tradition prevalent within the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions.
88920 Theological Foundations of Spirituality	This seminar engages in exploration of foundational theological understandings that rightly undergird a genuine and faithful expression of biblical spirituality, done within the context of some major historic models of Christian spirituality.
88930 Contemporary Christian Spirituality	The purpose of this seminar is to study how the Holy Spirit’s work of renewal is understood in the contemporary context. This will include theological, methodological, and practical foci.
88935 Classical Evangelical Spirituality	This seminar is a detailed study of the history of 18th-century British Evangelical Spirituality, with special focus on such figures as George Whitefield and Jonathan Edwards, the Wesley brothers, Ann Griffiths and William Williams Pantycelyn, Anne Dutton and Andrew Fuller

Students can be supervised by the following faculty:

Michael A. G. Haykin

Professor of Church History and Biblical Spirituality

Joseph C. Harrod

Associate Professor of Biblical Spirituality

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The Ph.D. in Biblical Spirituality is available in a modular format, requiring two trips each academic year to Louisville for doctoral seminars. Students should plan for each campus session to last two weeks.

Winter seminars are typically held during the last week of November and the first week of December. Summer seminars are typically held during the second & third week of May each year.

Refer to the academic calendar for current year seminar dates.

Applicants should have (or be on track to graduate with) a Masters of Divinity or its equivalent (72 credit hours minimum in specific disciplines).

If you do not have an M.Div. but you do have a M.A. or other masters-level divinity credit, you may submit a doctoral equivalency evaluation to the admissions office to find out if you qualify for SBTS PhD programs.*

A minimum master’s level cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale is expected.

For a complete listing of doctoral admissions requirements, see the “Admissions & Cost” tab.

*International transcripts must be evaluated by a NACES approved organization for both admissions consideration and for equivalency requests.

During the application process you will indicate your research interest, but this can be subject to change until you are accepted and enrolled in the program.

During your first year in the program you will have the opportunity to discuss and receive advising on your research topic, as well as the most appropriate supervisor for your area.

Admissions for the Ph.D. program consists of:

Initial Application Submission

All required materials must be submitted to the Office of Admissions by the appropriate deadline (see “Admissions” tab above for more information).

Entrance Essay and Interview

Students who are believed to have a reasonable possibility of acceptance are invited to participate in entrance essays and faculty interviews.
Essays and interviews are held on various Fridays throughout the year and are administered remotely via Zoom (travel to campus not required).
For more information on Entrance Essays, click here.

The Ph.D. program is structured for 48 months (4 years). Students who take longer than four years will be assessed an additional $2,000 fee for each semester of extension beyond the four-year limit.

During the PhD student stage (coursework stage), students will complete eight seminars, usually five seminars in their major and three seminars that may be completed in any area.

Some concentrations, such as biblical studies, historical and theological studies, and philosophy and theological studies, will require four seminars in each of two separate areas. All students will take the four RDS general education courses, four colloquia, and four installments of Prospectus Development.

In addition, students must demonstrate proficiency in two research languages (for School of Theology concentrations) or research methodology courses (for Billy Graham School concentrations).

Admissions

Admissions Prerequisites

To be considered for admission in our Ph.D. program we require the following for applications:

An M.Div. or its equivalent (72 credit hours minimum in specific disciplines) for most concentrations (exceptions are listed below):
- For the PhD concentrations in Christian Apologetics, Christian Philosophy, Christian Ethics, Ethics and Public Theology, and Philosophy and Theological Studies, the 72 hours may consist of an M.A. or equivalent in the field (60 hours minimum in specific disciplines), with the addition of 12 credit hours in biblical languages
- For the PhD concentrations in Christian Worship, Biblical Counseling and Practical Theology, Leadership, Missions, Evangelism, and World Religions, an M.A. or equivalent in the field (60 hours minimum in specific disciplines) may be acceptable.
- For the PhD concentration in Christian Studies (online), a Master of Arts (minimum 60 credit hours) with at least 12 hours in biblical studies and at least 12 hours in systematic theology and/or church history is acceptable.
If you do not have the required hours for your program of interest but you do have some masters-level divinity credit, you may submit a doctoral equivalency evaluation to the admissions office to find out if you qualify for SBTS PhD programs.
- Students requiring additional coursework may attend Southern Seminary as a “Doctoral Leveling Student” online or on-campus.
A minimum master’s level cumulative grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale is expected.
International transcripts will require an official evaluation from a NACES approved organization (World Evaluation Services is preferred).

*For more information about our equivalency standards, leveling options, or to request an equivalency review based on your master’s level work, please email admissions@sbts.edu.

Application Requirements

All applicants must receive a reference from the local church where they are a member. Family members may not complete this reference. If you are the pastor of your church, please select another church leader (associate pastor, elder, deacon, etc.) to complete the church recommendation. Recommendation forms are automatically emailed to references via our online application.
Two additional academic recommendations. We suggest that a professor or a business acquaintance who can speak to academic performance complete the 2 additional recommendations required for doctoral students.
Transcription from the educational institution or institutions that conferred any required degrees should be submitted to the Admissions Office. Contact the registrar or academic records office of your previous institution(s). They may e-mail the transcripts (directly or via 3rd party such as Parchment) to admissions@sbts.edu or mail copies to our physical address. Transcripts must come directly from schools either electronically or in sealed/unopened envelopes.
A graduate level research paper in the same field to which the applicant is applying must be submitted along with the application. The paper should be 12-20 pages in length. You may upload this research paper directly onto the application.
$40 application fee – paid after application submission.

Application Deadlines

All application materials must be received by:

September 1 – Spring matriculation

March 1 – Fall matriculation

Entrance Essays and Interviews

Entrance Essays and Interviews comprise the final stage of the Ph.D. application process. Students will be notified soon after submitting all application components as to whether they are invited to participate in the entrance essay and interview.

Essays and interviews are held on select Fridays throughout the year, and are administered remotely (travel to campus not required). Click here to learn more.

Ready to learn more?

Prospective doctoral students are invited to visit Southern Seminary.

Doctoral Visit Opportunities

Program Cost

$1,000 down payment, and remaining balance due equally over 48 months.*

	Total Cost	Monthly Payment
Total cost for SBC students	$27,670	$555.62
Total cost for non-SBC students	$39,140	$794.58

*Program tuition shown is for the 2024-2025 academic year. Additional fees are subject to the current fee schedule.

Financial Aid

Southern Seminary does not offer fully-funded scholarships or grants for the PhD program. Limited financial aid may be available for students that meet certain criteria. Click here to view our financial aid page to learn more.

Engage with our Faculty

When you choose a seminary, you choose a faculty.

Learn how the professors at Southern Seminary can equip you for a Lifetime of Faithfulness through one of our upcoming virtual Q&As or doctoral events.

Faculty and Program Q&As Virtual and In-Person Doctoral Events

Questions?

Contact Admissions

Phone: (502) 897-4200

Text: (502) 305-3554

Email: admissions@sbts.edu

Call Text Email