A Ph.D. degree is normally a prerequisite for a teaching career at undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral institutions. Major research papers are components in each of these courses.
Students take at least five seminars in their designated major field, including a methods seminar.
The remaining courses, which constitute the minor field, are selected from the other concentrations under the guidance of the student's mentor. Depending on the time a student can devote to the program, a minimum of four years and a maximum of eight years are usually invested to complete the degree program, with residence near Pasadena required during the first two years. Students may complete three seminars, or one full year, of their degree at another institution subject to prior approval by the CATS Committee. Advanced standing may be granted to students who have completed a Th.M. from an ATS-accredited institution, which may allow them to satisfy degree requirements with seven courses instead of nine. Dissertation Languages Students entering the Ph.D. program are required to have 8 quarter units of Hebrew and 12 quarter units of Greek or the appropriate equivalents.