Academic Programs - Dallas Theological Seminary

Procedures & Information
Admission
PRESEMINARY PREPARATION
Dallas Seminary recognizes the importance
of a broad educational foundation. A
bachelor’s program that includes work in
the humanities, sciences, English grammar
and composition, literature, speech, logic,
and history gives students discipline and
general information helpful for theological
study and the work of the ministry.
NONBACCALAUREATE
ADMISSION
Applicants who lack the prerequisite college
degree may apply for admission to the
Th.M., professional M.A. programs (Biblical
Counseling, Biblical Exegesis and Linguistics,
Christian Education, Cross-cultural Ministries,
or Media and Communication), or the
Certificate of Graduate Studies.
Admission of students without bachelor’s
degrees is highly selective. Qualifications
considered include maturity, educational
background, ministry experience, and
vocational goals. Applicants must be at least
30 years of age, and preference is given to
those who have the most qualifying educational
background. Applicants are expected
to take and achieve acceptable scores on the
GRE or MAT assessment test to demonstrate
their readiness for graduate-level study.
ENTERING STUDENT
ORIENTATION
Orientation is designed to help entering
students adjust to seminary by providing
necessary information about the many
facets of seminary life and course work.
This time also allows new students to get
to know one another and faculty members.
Students should attend the Entering Student
Orientation held just prior to the semester
in which they enter. Students entering in the
summer should attend the fall orientation.
Two mandatory tests are administered
during orientation, the Test of Biblical and
Theological Knowledge (TBTK) and the
Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory
(MMPI). The MMPI assists Student Services
and Counseling Services in assessing whether
some may have personal struggles that, if
not addressed, could be detrimental to their
seminary experience or future ministries. (See
the student handbook or contact Student
Services for further details.) Students unable
to attend orientation still must complete the
TBTK and MMPI exams.
ACADEMIC AND CULTURAL
ORIENTATION FOR
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
The Seminary has developed a course for the
purpose of orienting incoming international
students to Dallas Seminary’s academic
standards and culture, along with adapting
to American culture. Topics include:
• time management of study and family life;
• using technology and resources for
academic writing and researching, with
attention to format and detail; and
• developing critical thinking and evaluation,
not only of academic sources but also of the
curriculum at Dallas Seminary, in light of
the student’s home culture.
The course, which is offered by the Department
of World Missions and Intercultural
Studies, provides the foundation for ongoing
mentoring and advising of international
students throughout their time at Dallas
Theological Seminary (IE100 Academic and
Cultural Orientation for International Students).
The course is required for all internationals
whose native language is not English,
unless they have previously completed a
degree in the United States.
CLASSIFICATION OF STUDENTS
Regular Students
Students enrolled in degree programs (M.A.,
Th.M., S.T.M., D.Min., or Ph.D.) are classified
as regular students. Continuation as a
student depends on satisfactory progress
toward graduation.
Nondegree Students
A limited number of applicants may be
admitted as nondegree students. Academic
and spiritual qualifications necessary for
regular student admission are the same for
nondegree students. Application procedures
are also the same, but some credentials are
not required. (See the instructions that
accompany the application.)
A maximum of 30 credit hours may be taken
by nondegree students or by students in the
Certificate of Graduate Studies program.
Nondegree students are not to be confused
with audit students. (See the following
section.) Course work requirements for
nondegree students are the same as for
degree students. Nondegree and degree
students are expected to do the course work,
which is graded, and upon satisfactory completion
of the work they receive credit for
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DALLAS THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 2006–2007 CATALOG