Internal Independent Study

An Internal independent study is undertaken with an SBTS professor who will oversee the student in guided reading and writing on a specific topic. Approval must be granted by the student’s supervisor and the Research Doctoral Studies office.

Students are allowed, but not required, to take one of these during their program.

To request an independent study, PhD students must submit the Independent Study Contract.  Please reach out to the RDS office at thmphd@sbts.edu to receive this form.

The student must include the correct course number listed below on their application.

External Independent Study

An External Independent Study can be undertaken either by a student enrolling in a PhD-level course at another institution or by a student contracting with a professor at another institution who will oversee the student in guided reading and writing on a specific topic.

In both instances approval must be granted by the student’s supervisor and by the Research Doctoral Studies office.

The External study must contribute to the student’s major field of specialization, or be clearly relevant to the student’s program of study. The student is responsible for all fees and ensuring that an official transcript of course work taken at other institutions is sent to the Office of Academic Records.

Upon completion of the course, the student is to submit a descriptive and evaluative report of the external study to the Faculty Supervisor.

The student must include the correct course number listed below on their application.

Students must follow the guidelines for the syllabus listed in the External Study Contract and use the following syllabus template