Doctor of Philosophy in Biblical Studies (PhD)

This program blends the American and European model of PhD studies by devoting 40 hours to the coursework phase and 20 hours to the dissertation phase. Other things that set our program apart include:

• It’s designed for life-engaged learners who need to maintain residency near their existing ministries and vocations.
• Courses are delivered in a unique, blended learning model that combines online and face-to-face classes, including three face-to-face learning experiences each year.
• This program uses the cohort model, which allows a group of students to travel the educational path together, supporting and encouraging each other throughout the journey. Admission is limited to 12 to 18 applicants per cohort group.

The PhD in Biblical Studies will prepare you for a wide range of service and ministry contexts. Here is a sampling of ministries of our PhD alumni serve in:

• Lead Teaching Pastor in a church of any size
• Director of a parachurch ministry or a missions organization
• Professor of Bible or Theology in an institution of higher Christian education
• Program Director in an institution of higher Christian education

• Develop greater expertise in exegesis through advanced training in the original biblical languages of Hebrew, Aramaic and Greek.
• Comprehend and analyze Scripture against the backdrop of the languages, civilizations, and literatures of the ancient world in which the revelation of God was first given to humanity.
• Explore and evaluate the history of hermeneutical frameworks and theological developments from the early church to the present day in order to have a more informed understanding of the theological foundations of the church.
• Be equipped to think and execute skillfully as classroom and online teachers in the rapidly changing higher education environment.
• Be equipped to think and execute skillfully as research scholar and authors, honing the skills necessary to complete a doctoral dissertation.
• Elect one of two approaches to research – the humanities approach most commonly employed in biblical scholarship or the empirical approach often employed in the field of education.