Doctor of Philosophy in Leadership

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. 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 Exams and Interviews

Entrance Exams are exams designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their comprehension of the subject area in which they are applying and sometimes in related fields. Students will be notified soon after submitting all application components as to whether they are invited to participate in the entrance exam and interview.

Exams and interviews are held on one Friday each month and are administered remotely (travel to campus not required). Click here to learn more.

Program Cost

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

*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.