Academic Programs - Dallas Theological Seminary

M.A. in Biblical Exegesis & Linguistics (M.A./BEL)
Academic Programs
Academic Programs
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
The application process for the M.A./BEL is
a dual process. Applicants for the program
must apply to both Dallas Seminary and the
Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics
(GIAL), and the admission requirements of
both institutions must be met. Since the
program is offered by Dallas Seminary, the
admission process should begin with the
DTS Admissions Office. In most cases
students admitted to Dallas Seminary will
meet the admission requirements at GIAL.
An orientation program at Dallas Seminary
is designed to facilitate transition into the
program and help students navigate the
unique aspects of this collaborative program.
Students interested in the M.A./BEL may opt
to begin their course work at GIAL. However,
until they apply to DTS for admission to the
program, they will not be officially enrolled
in the M.A./BEL program. Students are
advised to contact both institutions as soon as
possible regarding their intentions to enroll
in the M.A./BEL program so that adequate
advice and direction can be provided.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Sixty-two semester hours of course work are
required as a minimum for graduation. Of
those hours, 18 are prescribed in linguistics
and language, 12 in Greek grammar and
exegesis, 12 in Hebrew grammar and exegesis,
three in biblical manners and customs, three
in theology of world missions, nine in Bible
Exposition, and five in Systematic and Historical
Theology. The New Testament Studies
department advises students in this program.
Career guidance is also available from the
GIAL staff.
Substitutions may be made for required
courses with appropriate departmental
approval. Students who have linguistics
background or training should consult the
GIAL registrar for course advice.
Linguistics and related translation courses
are offered on the campus of GIAL in Dallas.
Biblical and theological course work, as
well as course work in biblical languages,
is offered at Dallas Seminary. A Spiritual
Formation group supervised by the Department
of World Missions and Intercultural
Studies is designed to meet the needs of this
group of students.
Completion of course requirements for the
M.A./BEL requires careful planning on the
part of students as they seek to coordinate
course work at two institutions. Every attempt
is made to facilitate the completion of the
program in two calendar years for full-time
students. However, students should be
aware that the linguistics courses from GIAL
require prerequisites that may extend the
length of the program. Before students begin
their studies in the M.A./BEL, they should
consult the DTS registrar to develop a degree
plan for completing requirements. This plan
will include input from GIAL on the completion
of linguistics requirements.
GIAL has designed its courses to be taught in
six-month bimesters, from either January
through June or July through December.
Each bimester is divided into four sessions.
Dallas Seminary follows a regular earlysemester
calendar. This may result in the
overlap of DTS courses with GIAL courses
in a given term. The following curriculum
chart shows two options for completing the
M.A./BEL in two or two-and-a-half years. In
Option 1 most of the GIAL course work is taken
at the beginning of the program, and this
option leads to the shortest route for completing
the M.A./BEL requirements in two calendar
years. Students should keep in mind, however,
that they will begin their studies at GIAL
rather than DTS. In Option 2 most of the GIAL
course work follows the DTS portion of the
program, and the completion time is slightly
longer. Both options allow students to proceed
through the M.A./BEL without interruption in
the progression of DTS or GIAL courses.
Because of the unique requirements of various
missions based on a student’s anticipated
geographic field of ministry, prerequisite
requirements for the GIAL portion of the
program may vary and may include completion
of the 27-hour GIAL Certificate in
Applied Linguistics (of which AL5207 and
AL5406 apply to the M.A./BEL program). Students
should consult both the DTS and GIAL
registrars’ offices for information on scheduling
options. The Admissions Office at Dallas
Seminary also will be able to assist students.
ACADEMIC PROCEDURES
A dual registration process is followed for all
GIAL courses taken for the degree. Students
must register through GIAL before taking
linguistics courses at that campus. Dallas
Seminary is then notified by GIAL and enters
the courses in the DTS registration system.
This allows the tracking of student status
for such purposes as loan deferments,
international visa requirements, etc. There
is no charge for the DTS portion of the
registration process for GIAL courses.
At the end of each term GIAL sends official
grade sheets to the Registrar’s Office at Dallas
Seminary for transcripting of their courses.
Grades earned for GIAL courses are factored
into the cumulative grade point average at
Dallas Seminary.
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DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2006–2007 CATALOG