Doctor of Education
The Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) is a 60-hour degree that has been carefully designed to develop skills in scholarship, service, and problem-solving in the context of coordinated learning communities. This design has been structured around a “signature pedagogy” that sets the Ed.D. apart from other doctoral degrees at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Modular Format
- The degree program is designed so that students are not required to relocate to Louisville.
- Prior to each seminar, students will complete pre-seminar work that includes reading and online discussions.
- While on campus for seminars, students will participate in day-long seminars with faculty and experience meals with research teams, faculty members, and others to conduct research, further discussions, and discuss thesis development.
Completion in 30 Months
- The Ed.D. is designed so that students can complete the entire degree in 30 months.
- Two weeks of on-campus study are required each year, the second full week of July and the second full week of January.
- In addition to an orientation seminar and a thesis defense, this means students may complete the entire degree making only four trips to Louisville, plus a defense hearing.
Coordinated Learning Communities
- Students enrolled in the Ed.D. program will participate in seminars of twelve or so students who remain together throughout their seminars.
- Each student becomes part of a research team or “pod.” Each research team includes three or four students who will focus their studies and their theses on a single, selected topic. A faculty mentor and a field practitioner with expertise in the chosen topic oversee each research team, working closely to develop students as theologically-grounded stewards of educational practice.
Specialized Collaborative Research
- At the beginning of the Ed.D., each student will be assigned a mentor and a research topic with a team of students studying the same topic under the same mentor. Students will develop a research question that will form the foundation for his or her thesis.
- In selected seminars throughout the program, students will draft chapters in preparation for the completion of this thesis. The theses developed within each research team will build on one another to provide a solution to some particular problem or demonstrate the validity of a particular approach to an education- or leadership-related issue.
- It is anticipated that the combined theses from each research group will be published by an academic press with the group’s faculty mentor serving as editor.
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
The purpose of the Doctor of Education program is to equip men and women to serve as leaders in church-affiliated educational institutions and in the educational ministries of the church.
Consisting of 60 total credit hours, the Ed.D. program offers a cohort-based experience, with intensive seminars meeting on campus in a modular format twice per year.
The program curriculum (listed below) is designed to be completed in 30 months.
Curriculum
All seminars meet in modular format in the Summer (July) and Winter (January) terms.
| 81020 Graduate Research Seminar | 2 |
8 Seminars
|
48 |
| 92080 Thesis Research and Writing | 6 |
| 92090 Thesis Defense | 4 |
| Total Program Requirements | 60 hours |
|---|
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate a mastery of the educational disciplines that is rooted in a graduate-level understanding of the theological disciplines.
- Students will demonstrate the capacity to serve the church, the academy, and the world through leadership and teaching.
- Students will apply educational research to solve complex social and organizational problems.
Admission Requirements
Prerequisites
- A regionally-accredited master’s degree totaling at least 48 hours, with at least 12 hours in biblical or theological studies and at least 12 hours in leadership, administration, education, or ministry studies
- Students having earned a master’s degree but lacking required hours may complete the additional hours through online or on-campus study at SBTS*
- A master’s-level cumulative GPA of 3.3 or above
*To request an equivalency review based on your master’s-level work, please submit a request for a Doctoral Equivalency Report. Students who have earned a master’s degree but lack required hours may fulfill them through online or on-campus study at SBTS.
TOEFL
Non-native English speakers, including those who have graduated from any U.S. school, must submit an official score report of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL scores must meet a minimum of 95 for internet-based test (iBT), 233 for computer-based test (CBT) or 575 for paper-based test (PBT).
GRE
All applicants are required to submit official GRE scores. Scores must be less than three years old.
Admission Deadline
The application deadline for matriculation in the Summer term is January 15.
Entrance Examinations and Interviews
Qualified applicants will be invited to participate in an entrance exam and faculty interview. These steps may be completed either in person on campus or virtually.
Entrance exams are exams designed to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their comprehension of the subject area in which they are applying. You can find more information about the entrance exam here.
Faculty interviews provide Ed.D. faculty with the opportunity to interact with students who are applying in their area while allowing students the chance to get to know the faculty. Students should prepare to discuss not only their research interests but also their personal interests.
Entrance Exams & Interview Dates
First Friday in March for Summer matriculation
Start Your Application
Click here to begin your online application. Our Admissions Team will assist you with submitting the materials listed below to the online portal:
- Recommendation Letters – 3 total references (2 academic and 1 pastoral)
- Research Paper – a graduate-level research paper (10-15 pages) in a field related to leadership, education, or ministry
- Vita – a summary (1-2 pages) of previous academic studies, rationale for doctoral studies, personal goals, area of research interest, and description of past missions experience
Below is a link to a list of precedent literature with which applicants should familiarize themselves. During their first year in the program, students must complete and submit Abstracts for each of the included texts.
Program Fees
The program fee is paid in a $1,000 down payment with the remaining balance due equally over 30 months.*
| Initial Down Payment | $1,000 |
| Program Fee — SBC Student | $20,363 |
| Program Fee — Non-SBC Student | $34,005 |
| Continuation Fee (paid per semester after 30 months) | $2,000 |
*Program Tuition shown is for the 2022-23 Academic Year. Additional fees are subject to the current catalog. Please see the current catalog for full listing of current fees.
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