M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology Admission Requirements
Applying to the Wheaton College Graduate School
Learn more about the admission requirements and application deadlines for the M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology at the Wheaton College Graduate School.
Application Deadline Information
Please note that M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology applicants are highly encouraged to apply for the summer term.
United States Applicants (citizens, permanent residents, dual citizens)
Applicants wishing to join the Graduate Ancient Israel Summer Program (offered select summers) must apply by March 15. The M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology program will continue to review completed Fall Semester applications after March 15 on a rolling basis. Please note that decisions after the March 15 date are dependent upon the availability of remaining spaces. We encourage following the deadlines below to enhance your application experience.
Deadlines
Early Action Application: Apply by November 15 to receive an admissions decision by December 6.
Priority Application: Apply by January 15 to receive an admissions decision by February 5.
Regular Application: Apply by March 15 to receive an admissions decision by April 6.
International Applicants
Application deadline for all international applicants is January 1.
Please note that M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology applicants are highly encouraged to apply for the summer term.
United States Applicants (citizens, permanent residents, dual citizens)
Applicants wishing to join the Graduate Ancient Israel Summer Program (offered select summers) must apply by March 15. The M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology program will continue to review completed Fall Semester applications after March 15 on a rolling basis. Please note that decisions after the March 15 date are dependent upon the availability of remaining spaces. We encourage following the deadlines below to enhance your application experience.
Deadlines
Early Action Application: Apply by November 15 to receive an admissions decision by December 6.
Priority Application: Apply by January 15 to receive an admissions decision by February 5.
Regular Application: Apply by March 15 to receive an admissions decision by April 6.
Final Application: Apply by June 15.
International Applicants
Application deadline for all international applicants is January 1.
Please note that M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology applicants are highly encouraged to apply for the summer term.
United States Applicants (citizens, permanent residents, dual citizens)
Applicants wishing to join the Graduate Ancient Israel Summer Program (offered select summers) must apply by March 15. The M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology program will continue to review completed Fall Semester applications after March 15 on a rolling basis. Please note that decisions after the March 15 date are dependent upon the availability of remaining spaces. We encourage following the deadlines below to enhance your application experience.
Deadlines
Completed spring semester applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
International Applicants
Application deadline for all international applicants is January 1.
The M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology is a residential program except for the summer excavation in Israel. Students are highly encouraged to start the program in the summer term. Applications are reviewed holistically.
Official Transcripts from all colleges where a degree was earned or is currently being earned.
Applicants will be required to provide official transcripts from each institution where they have received or will receive a degree prior to enrollment in Wheaton College Graduate School. Applicants who have earned more than 25% of their degree from institutions outside of their degree conferring school will be required to supply official transcripts for those credits in the event they are not explicitly listed on their original transcript with course names and grades. Graduate Admissions will reserve the right to request additional transcripts as may be needed to meet departmental requirements or demonstrate proof of program-specific prerequisites.
E-transcripts preferred. Must be addressed to nancy.crane@wheaton.edu.
Mail hard copies to Graduate Admissions, Attn: Nancy Crane, 501 College Ave., Wheaton, IL 60187.
Three Recommendations, which are online forms. Letters are accepted as supplements to the forms.
Academic. A professor from whom you have taken a class preferred. Alternatives: a college-level instructor from whom you have not taken a class or an acquaintance with a doctorate or master's.
Pastoral. Can be a Christian leader who is not a pastor.
Professional. A person with whom you have had a supervisor-employee relationship, which can be in a volunteer role.
Recommendations from relatives not accepted.
Sample Research Paper. Ten to twenty pages.
Resumé. Chronological.
Application Fee. USD $30, non-refundable.
Prerequisite
Competency in Hebrew. Competency is defined as passing a competency exam or taking HEBR 101 Elementary Hebrew I, HEBR 102 Elementary Hebrew II, and HEBR 201 Intermediate Hebrew. See the Wheaton catalog for course descriptions. These language prerequisites do not count toward the completion of degree requirements.
Option to take Hebrew concurrently with the program. If students choose to take the courses concurrently with the program, it will take up to two years to complete the degree.
Additional Requirements for International Students
International students, and permanent residents of the US whose native language is not English, are required to take either the TOEFL iBT Test, IELTS Academic Test or Duolingo English test with the minimal scores indicated below:
TOEFL iBT Test: 80 with at least 18 in each category
IELTS Academic Test: 6.5 with at least 6.0 in each category
Duolingo English Test: 105
Applicants who wish to waive their Englishproficiency test, please refer to the English proficiency page for details.
Due to the travel associated with the Graduate Ancient Israel Summer Program, admission may be contingent upon current U.S. State Department travel advisories for the Middle East.
M.A. in Old Testament Archaeology
Learn more about the program and Biblical and Theological Studies at the Litfin Divinity School.
