Zinzendorf School of Doctoral Studies

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Admissions

How To Apply

Ph.D. Requirements

  1. Applicant must give evidence of studies in recognized schools equivalent to at least four years of advanced university-level humanities and theological studies, as determined by the Doctoral Committee.
  2. Applicant must give evidence of ability to do doctoral-level work as indicated by a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.3 (on a 4.0 scale) at the graduate level.
  3. Applicant must provide samples of his or her writing, such as a Master’s thesis or at least twenty pages of academic papers for advanced university-level theological courses.
  4. Applicant must have fluency in Greek for those specializing in New Testament themes and fluency in Hebrew for those specializing in Old Testament themes.
  5. Applicant must have a reading competency in two other languages, preferably one of which is either German or French.
  6. Applicant must demonstrate the ability to use the English language with skill and precision. An applicant for whom English is a second language must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or OLSPT scores that meet one of the following standards:
    • A minimum TOEFL iBT total score of 80, including a minimum score of 20 on the writing section, or
    • A minimum TOEFL CBT score of 213, plus a minimum of 4 on the TWE, or
    • A minimum TOEFL PBT score of 550, plus a minimum of 4 on the TWE, or
    • A minimum IELTS score of 6.5, plus a minimum of 5 in IELTS Writing, or
    • A minimum OLSPT score of 80, plus a minimum of 17 in OLSPT Writing and a minimum of 16 in OLSPT Speaking.

D.Min. Requirements

  1. Applicant must possess a Master of Divinity degree from an accredited seminary or its educational equivalent, as determined by the Doctoral Committee.
  2. Applicant must give evidence of ability to do doctoral-level work as indicated by a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) at the graduate level.
  3. Applicant must have a minimum of three years of ministry experience during/after M.Div. studies and be currently involved in a ministry and normally remain in ministry throughout the duration of his or her doctoral program.
  4. Applicant must demonstrate the ability to use the English language with skill and precision. An applicant for whom English is a second language must submit TOEFL, IELTS, or OLSPT scores that meet one of the following standards:
    • A minimum TOEFL iBT total score of 80, including a minimum score of 20 on the writing section, or
    • A minimum TOEFL CBT score of 213, plus a minimum of 4 on the TWE, or
    • A minimum TOEFL PBT score of 550, plus a minimum of 4 on the TWE, or
    • A minimum IELTS score of 6.5, plus a minimum of 5 in IELTS Writing, or
    • A minimum OLSPT score of 80, plus a minimum of 17 in OLSPT Writing and a minimum of 16 in OLSPT Speaking.

Application Process

  1. Application Form
    Prospective students interested in applying to the doctoral programs must submit the application form from http://apply.myolivet.com/
  2. Motivation Letter
    Applicants must submit a written essay describing: 1) Biography or brief sketch of their life 2) Their reason for pursuing study at Olivet and how your study is to be incorporated in your future work 3) how they relate to the ‘Statement of Faith’ as given on the university website.

  3. Curriculum Vitae
    Applicants must attach their curriculum vitae including following items: Name and contact information (including e-mail) and family data (wife & children), Educational background (name of the colleges or universities attended, degrees earned, area(s) of study and graduation dates), Brief work history (Place of employment including address and job title, main tasks and achievements), Service documentation (any professional associations, volunteer work, committee membership, etc.).

  4. Recommendations
    Applicants must submit at least three recommendation letters. One letter must be a reference from a church pastor who is knowledgeable about the applicant’s current church involvement. The other two recommendations should come from Zinzendorf School of Doctoral Studies – someone who is able to comment on your professional and educational goals and potential. This could be a professor or supervisor. Recommendations may not be from a member of your immediate family or your spouse.

  5. Statement of Faith
    Applicants must sign Olivet University’s Statement of Faith.

  6. Application Fee
    Applicants must submit non-refundable application fee.

 

Transfer Policy

The transferability of credits you earn at Olivet University is at the complete discretion of an institution to which you may seek to transfer. Acceptance of the degree or certificate you earn in your Program is also at the complete discretion of the institution to which you may seek to transfer. If the credits, degree, or certificate that you earn at this institution are not accepted at the institution to which you seek to transfer, you may be required to repeat some or all of your coursework at that institution. For this reason, you should make certain that your attendance at this institution will meet your educational goals. This may include contacting an institution to which you may seek to transfer after attending Olivet University to determine if your credits, degree, or certificate will transfer.

Prospective students should notice that no more than 20 graduate quarter credits or its equivalent awarded by another institution may be credited toward a doctoral degree. Olivet does not offer credits for prior experiential learning. Prospective students should notice it in prior to the application of the credit transfer.

Application Deadlines 

The Admissions Office looks forward to your application. Please contact our admissions staff at admissions@olivetuniverisity.edu with any questions during the application process.

Complete Ph.D. and D.Min. programs on the following schedule for 2025-26 entry:

We will begin accepting applications on March 1, 2025 and end on April 30, 2025.