In addition to the twenty-four semester hours of course work, two courses of Hebrew and two courses of biblical Greek, both beyond the elementary level, will be considered prerequisites. These should be taken in the first two semesters of study. In addition to the minimum of twenty-four credit hours of course work, each student must prepare and obtain final approval for a written thesis on a research project. The purpose of thesis guidance is to direct the student in readings pertinent to the chosen areas of concentration, help the student prepare a thesis proposal, and guide the student in the writing of the thesis. The normal course load for S.T.L. work is nine hours per semester.
Students sometime take twelve hours of credit the first semester of study.
A registration of two courses and S.T.L. Thesis Guidance is considered full time status. The thesis should give evidence of training in research and make a contribution to theological knowledge involving a limited, yet significant, problem of investigation. It must prove the candidate's familiarity with basic methods and techniques of research, technical mastery of the limited subject matter, and ability to exercise sound theological judgment and to formulate accurate conclusions. The thesis proposal is approved by the director and reader and then presented to the faculty of the department for approval. Upon completion of the thesis, the student will receive six credits.