Doctor of Education

The EdD program admits men and women who show evidence that they (1) are born again; (2) are of proven Christian character; (3) are endowed with appropriate spiritual gifts; and (4) adhere to the following doctrines: the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, the Trinity, the full deity and humanity of Christ, the spiritual lostness of the human race, the substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, and the physical return of Christ.

In addition, the following prerequisites apply to EdD applicants. All applicants must:

• Normally have at least three years of vocational educational experience;
• Give evidence of growth and competence in educational skills and leadership;
• Have an academic record that demonstrates superior ability and shows promise of success in doctoral studies;
• Test results from the GRE; and
• Hold a Dallas Theological Seminary’s Master of Arts in Christian Education (MACE) or its equivalent or a Master of Education (MEd) degree plus leveling courses as necessary to provide DTS MACE equivalence.

Courses needed to meet the DTS MACE equivalence requirements must cover the breadth and scope of DTS’s curriculum and commitment to Scripture as prescribed by the EdD office and the Registrar’s office. Courses required for MACE equivalence may be earned at DTS, its extension sites, through external studies programs, or other accredited institutions. For more information on MACE equivalence, please contact the Doctor of Education office or the Registrar’s office.

Applicants must supply the requisite written admission materials and must have a personal or remote interview with members of the faculty. Prospective EdD students may apply for admission at any time. The normal deadline for applications for admission in the fall is March 15, but applications will be considered on a continual basis and individuals may be admitted as space allows. Further details on admission requirements and procedures are available from the Admissions office.

The EdD program requires 48 semester hours, 39 of which are coursework (including Core, Research, Electives and Comprehensive Exams). The remaining 9 hours are dedicated to the dissertation. The program normally requires three to four years of study.

In addition to the Core, Research and Elective courses, students may choose one or two independent study courses, ED7901 Independent Study, designed in consultation with the director of the program. Course descriptions may be found in the Course Descriptions section of the catalog.

The EdD program at DTS allows students to stay in their current place of ministry or employment and still move through the program. Courses are designed so that students who live locally may attend in person on campus or if they live elsewhere, they may attend remotely online during class. All courses are scheduled within the normal fall-spring-summer academic calendar.

All work leading to the Doctor of Education degree must be completed in no less than three and no more than six years from the time of matriculation. A minimal grade of B- must be received in every course credited toward graduation. This minimal grade of B- also applies to the dissertation project.

Transfer of up to 10 hours of doctoral-level credit may be applied toward the EdD degree if those hours constitute equivalent work. Normally only courses taken after receiving an MA, MDiv, ThM, STM, or equivalent degree can be credited toward the EdD degree. Requests for transfer of credit should be sent to the director of EdD studies. Plans to take other courses for transfer credit must be approved by the EdD committee prior to taking the course.

Students may be admitted to candidacy for the EdD degree by action of the faculty only after these requirements have been met: (1) completion of all residency requirements leading to the degree; (2) the satisfactory completion of a minimum of 30 semester hours of coursework; (3) evidence of proven Christian character; (4) effectiveness in Christian ministry; and (5) adherence to the following doctrines: the authority and inerrancy of Scripture, the Trinity, the full deity and humanity of Christ, the spiritual lostness of the human race, the substitutionary atonement and bodily resurrection of Christ, salvation by faith alone in Christ alone, and the physical return of Christ.

Students applying to candidacy for the EdD degree must also provide a written letter of reference from the local church or organization where the student is serving, endorsing the student’s ministry / work.

Students must be admitted to candidacy, successfully submit an accepted prospectus and successfully complete their comprehensive exams before they can register for ED7103 Dissertation.

The dissertation is the student’s major research project in the degree program. It must be related to his or her educational interests and should be designed to make a significant contribution to the professional field of education as well as to the student’s personal life. The length is to be appropriate for the subject as judged by the student’s advisors.

If the dissertation project is not completed within the first year after enrolling in ED7103, then the student will be automatically registered for ED7105 Dissertation Continuation each fall and spring term until project completion.

Details on the procedures and deadlines for the prospectus, and first and final drafts of the dissertation project are available in the Doctor of Education office as well as in the EdD handbook.

Candidates for the EdD degree must have completed 39 semester hours of coursework (including comprehensive exams) and the 9-hour dissertation project for the EdD degree along with any other requirements that may have been assigned. The completion of minimum requirements does not automatically qualify a student for the degree. The candidate must evidence, to the satisfaction of the faculty, proven Christian character, ability, and acceptability in Christian ministry, and adherence to the doctrines stated in the previous Admission to Candidacy section.

Diplomas will not be awarded, transcripts issued, or placement assistance provided unless all financial obligations to the seminary and/or the student loan program are current.