Building from its historic liberal arts base, Wheaton College offers graduate programs that support the professional education of its students. Regardless of their professional, vocational, or academic focus, the graduate programs at Wheaton College endorse the importance of a broadly based liberal arts education as the optimal preparation for graduate study at the College.
Students who are selected for admission to Wheaton College Graduate School should demonstrate evidence of a vital Christian experience, personal integrity, social concern, and academic ability. The College seeks students who desire a commitment to the educational outcomes valued by the graduate programs. These values include:
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Commitment to the centrality of the Word of God;
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Preparation in one of the distinct academic disciplines;
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Commitment to liberal arts study within the Christian evangelical framework;
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Integration of the content (as well as the skills and attitudes) of the chosen discipline with theological foundations;
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Sensitivity to the special needs of the evangelical community.
Admission Requirements
Doctoral applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university at a level indicative of quality scholarship. With the exception of master's degrees in the Litfin Divinity School, master’s degree applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university at a level indicative of quality scholarship. Applicants to master’s degree programs in the Litfin Divinity School may have a bachelor’s degree from a college or university accredited by the Association for Biblical Higher Education (ABHE) or Association of Theological Schools (ATS) if the applicant meets all other admissions requirements. Each program of Wheaton College Graduate School maintains its own requirements for admission beyond the completion of a bachelor's degree (see Graduate Application Deadlines and Admission Requirements for program-specific details).
Applicants from non-regionally accredited schools may be admitted on a provisional basis, pending completion of possible deficiencies, and will be considered for admission to a degree program on an individual basis. Each applicant's case will be considered on its own merits.
All applicants from approved international colleges and universities are required to have the equivalent of a U.S. bachelor's degree. All entering students must have a facility in the reading, writing, speaking, and comprehension of English to adequately complete graduate work. Admission exceptions, though rare, may be made on a case-by-case basis.
Optimal preparation for graduate study at Wheaton will be achieved by the student who has done undergraduate coursework in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics, and foreign languages. This type of coursework forms the core of a liberal arts education. These liberal arts studies are recommended for all entering graduate students. The theological studies courses required of all students presuppose some basic exposure to the humanities and sciences.
Admission Procedure
Applicants are able to submit their application directly online at https://go.wheaton.edu/portal/applytoday
Items You Submit Online
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Application Form
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Application Fee: $30.00 for M.A.; $50.00 for Doctoral
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Recommendations
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Personal Essays
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Résumé (overview of volunteer and/or work experiences)
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Research Paper (for select programs)
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Signed Statement of Faith and Community Covenant
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Additional items may be required by the degree program of choice and will be outlined on the individual program website
Transcripts and Test Scores
In order for your application to be evaluated in an efficient manner, please request that the following items be submitted promptly.
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Transcript: Certified E-Transcripts are preferred and must be sent directly from the e-transcript provider or service. Paper transcripts must be sealed in an official university envelope issued by the institution
Mail them to:
Graduate Admissions Department
501 College Ave.
Wheaton, IL 60187
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Official transcripts from all colleges where a degree was earned or is currently being earned
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In the case where 25% (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) or more of the student’s earned degree was comprised of transfer credits from another institution, the student must also submit an official transcript for the institution from which the credit originated.
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Additional transcripts may be required to meet program requirements or prerequisites.
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Students seeking a post-master's certificate are only required to submit a transcript from one qualifying post-baccalaureate degree.
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Test scores: The testing organization sends them directly to us. However, you may include a photocopy or self-report of your scores with your application for evaluation purposes. The official score report is required before enrollment (Wheaton College code is 1905).
The following materials are required for Master of Arts applicants:
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Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was earned or is currently being earned
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In the case where 25% (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) or more of the student’s earned degree was comprised of transfer credits from another institution, the student must also submit an official transcript for the institution from which the credit originated.
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Additional transcripts may be required to meet program requirements or prerequisites.
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Academic, pastoral, and professional recommendation forms. Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Marriage and Family Therapy applicants must also submit a recommendation from a mental health professional
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A résumé that provides an overview of volunteer and/or paid work experiences
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Signed Statement of Faith and Community Covenant
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$30.00 application fee
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Additional items may be required by the degree program of choice and will be outlined on the individual program website
The following materials are required for Post-Master's Certificate applicants:
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Official transcripts from one qualifying post-baccalaureate degree
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Academic, pastoral, and professional recommendation forms. Post-Master's Certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy applicants must also submit a recommendation from a mental health professional
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A résumé that provides an overview of volunteer and/or paid work experiences
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Signed Statement of Faith and Community Covenant
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$30.00 application fee
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Additional items may be required by the certificate program of choice and will be outlined on the individual program website
The following materials are required for Doctoral applicants:
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Official transcripts from all institutions where a degree was earned or is currently being earned
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In the case where 25% (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) or more of a student’s earned degree was comprised of transfer credits from another institution, the student must also submit an official transcript for the institution from which the credit originated.
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Additional transcripts may be required to meet program requirements or prerequisites.
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Recommendations
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Ph.D. in Biblical and Theological Studies applicants must submit four recommendations: three academic and one pastoral.
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Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology applicants must submit three recommendations: one academic, one pastoral, and one professional.
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D.Min. applicants must submit three recommendations: one pastoral, one academic, and one recommendation from a ministry peer or ministry supervisor.
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Applicants must submit a sample of their academic writing, e.g., a copy of a class research paper (see application for details)
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Ph.D. in Biblical and Theological Studies minimum 20 pages
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Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology minimum 10 pages
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D.Min. 8-10 page paper
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A résumé or curriculum vitae
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Scores from the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) general test. https://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/admissions/admission-requirements/ for details (not required for D.Min.)
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Signed Statement of Faith and Community Covenant
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Essays (see the application for details):
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Ph.D. in Biblical and Theological Studies must include mentor choice and dissertation topic
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Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology must include lab/mentor choice
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D.Min., see the application for details
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$50.00 application fee.
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Personal interviews for all doctoral application finalists with the exception of D.Min.
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Additional items may be required by the degree program of choice and will be outlined on the individual program website.
Application Deadlines
| Program | Program, Classification, or Course | Fall | Spring | Summer |
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| International Students | All M.A. programs | Jan 1 | ||
| Doctoral Programs | Ph.D. in Biblical & Theological Studies | Jan 1 | ||
| Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology |
Dec. 15 |
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| D.Min. | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Master's Programs | Biblical Exegesis | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling |
| Biblical and Theological Studies | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Clinical Mental Health Counseling | Feb 1 | |||
| Evangelism and Leadership | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Higher Education and Student Development | Rolling | |||
| History of Christianity | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Humanitarian and Disaster Leadership | Rolling | |||
| Leadership | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Marriage and Family Therapy | Feb 1 | |||
| Ministry Leadership | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Missional Church Movements | Rolling | |||
| Old Testament Archaeology | Rolling | Rolling | March 15 | |
| Outdoor and Adventure Leadership | Rolling | |||
| Teaching | June 15 | |||
| TESOL and Intercultural Studies | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Theology | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Accelerated M.A. | For current Wheaton undergraduates and for select programs only. See https://www.wheaton.edu/graduate-school/admissions/accelerated-ma/ for details. | |||
| Certificate Programs | Biblical and Theological Studies | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling |
| Cross-Cultural Studies | Rolling | |||
| Missional Church | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Organizational Leadership | Rolling | |||
| TEFL | Jun 1 | |||
| TESOL | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling | |
| Trauma Certificate | Rolling | Rolling | ||
| Non-Degree Seeking Student | Non-Degree Seeking Student | Rolling | Rolling | Rolling |
| Audit | Any course with faculty approval | First day of class each term | First day of class each term | First day of class each term |
Many M.A. programs have early admission deadline opportunities. Please see their requirements pages for details.
Advance Deposit
Domestic Students: A nonrefundable advance deposit of $100 must be submitted with the M.A. applicant's reply accepting admission to the Graduate School. The advance deposit for doctoral programs is $200 for Psy.D. in Clinical Psychology, Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, and D.Min. applicants, and $500 for Ph.D. in Biblical and Theological Studies applicants. Deposits will be credited toward tuition when the student enrolls and confirms student enrollment.
International Students: Must meet Certification of Finance Requirements. Please contact your International Graduate Admissions Counselor for further details of these requirements.
International Students
International students of high scholastic standing are invited to apply for admission to the Graduate School. Applications (except for Canadians) will be accepted for the fall semester only (other desired entry terms will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis). The deadline for the formal application for all programs is January 1, except for the Doctoral in Clinical Psychology program, which is December 15th.
The following requirements apply to all international students and to permanent residents of the U.S. whose native language is not English.
Applicants may choose to take one of the following language proficiency tests: the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) paper-based test, the TOEFL internet-based test, or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) or DuoLingo. The tests and our minimum requirements are outlined below. Scores must be no more than two years old.
| Language Proficiency Test | All Other Master of Arts Applicants | M.A. Tesol, Teaching, and Doctoral Applicants |
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| TOEFL — Paper Based Test | 550 | 600 |
| TOEFL — Internet Based Test | Minimum score of 18 points for each of 4 sections | Minimum score of 20 points for each of 4 sections |
| Total cumulative minimum of 80 | Total cumulative minimum of 100 | |
| IELTS | Minimum score of 6.5 | Minimum score of 7.0 |
| DuoLingo English Test | Minimum score 105 | Minimum scores 120 |
Exceptions to the required test scores may be made in the following instances:
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The student is a citizen of Great Britain, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the Commonwealth Caribbean, and is a native speaker of English (GRE or MAT scores may be required).
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The student has studied in one of the countries mentioned above, or in the U.S., within the past two years and has a good academic record at the school attended (GRE or MAT scores may be required).
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The student has a recent TOEFL score (less than two years old). In this case, the student will not be required to retake the TOEFL. Special arrangements may be made to take a written exam.
For information on the TOEFL, write to: Test of English as a Foreign Language, CN 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, USA. (Website: www.ets.org).
In order for the applicant to receive the Certificate of Eligibility (Immigration form I-20) required of all international students entering the United States, the following conditions must be met:
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The applicant must be formally admitted to a graduate degree program.
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Wheaton College requires those who attended international schools to submit an international transcript evaluation completed by an international credential evaluation service who is a current member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES; https://www.naces.org/). We recommend World Education Services (www.wes.org), SpanTran or Educational Credential Evaluators (www.ece.org). Official transcripts are required for all post-secondary level schools attended outside the U.S. from which a degree was earned, with the exception of post-master's certificate programs (see the policy above). In the case where 25% (30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours) or more of a student’s earned degree was comprised of transfer credits from another institution, the student must also submit an official transcript for the institutions from which the credit originated for evaluation through WES, ECE, or SpanTran. The report must include general equivalency, course-by-course evaluation, and grade point average (GPA).
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On-campus Fall entry applicants must submit a Certification of Finance form and pay the required deposit, by June 1 prior to enrollment in order for a Certificate of Eligibility (Form I-20) to be issued. All additional applicant types will be provided Confirmation of Finance guidance on a case-by-cases basis.
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On the Certification of Finance form applicants must be able to demonstrate sufficient financial support to cover the total projected costs of education for the first academic year (9 months) of enrollment, for both billed and personal costs, and for family, if applicable. The student must also provide signed certification from the bank or sponsor(s) verifying the accessibility of funds. Strict government regulations require that Wheaton College verify the financial resources of international applicants.
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An international student will not be allowed to enroll for the next semester and continue graduate study if the student's tuition (also, housing and/or meals if applicable) is not paid by the first day of classes. Failure to make payment will result in immediate withdrawal from Graduate School. International students may also participate in the Wheaton installment plan.
Accelerated M.A. Program
Wheaton College offers an Accelerated M.A. in the following programs: Old Testament Archaeology, Biblical Exegesis, History of Christianity, Outdoor & Adventure Leadership, Theology, Higher Education and Student Development, Teaching (Elementary and Secondary License), Evangelism and Leadership, Leadership, Ministry Leadership, Humanitarian & Disaster Leadership, and TESOL & Intercultural Studies. Wheaton College undergraduate students can earn a B.A. and M.A. by taking graduate credit courses during their undergraduate semesters. Current Wheaton students may apply for an Accelerated M.A. after earning 45 undergraduate credit hours. Upon acceptance, students will be able to register for graduate-level courses after completing 60 undergraduate credit hours. Up to eight hours of graduate credit may be taken each undergraduate semester while no more than a total of 16 graduate credits can be earned before completing an undergraduate degree. The student will be given a graduate advisor but will retain the undergraduate advisor and be classified as an undergraduate until the bachelor's degree is earned. Earning a graduate degree by this method may have a financial advantage. Students should consult with the Academic Advising Office and Student Financial Services to understand CPOS regulations for financial aid.
Re-enroll
Residential students who have not registered for one semester and flex students who have not registered for two semesters and a summer, consecutively, must submit a “Re-enroll Application” to the Graduate Admissions Office. Students seeking re-enrollment will need to submit transcripts for coursework earned elsewhere in the interim; additionally, they will need to update medical and contact information and may be required to submit an Action Plan. Students who were academically dismissed will be required to supply an action plan that addresses the factors that contributed to their dismissal and indicates their specific plans for future success. The Graduate Admissions office and graduate program faculty will conduct a student audit, in conjunction with the Office of the Registrar, Graduate Student Life, and Student Financial Services, and decide whether to approve, defer, or deny re-enrollment pending the circumstances surrounding the student’s request. Additional documents may be required as requested by the College.
A student readmitted after the program limit (M.A.—five years; Ph.D.—six years; Psy.D. and D.Min.—seven years;) must fulfill graduation requirements for the catalog of the year of readmission. With departmental approval, up to 25% of the credits required for the current degree program may be fulfilled with credits earned more than eight years prior to readmission.
Doctoral students with an approved Leave of Absence need only to submit a “Re-Enrollment Application” to the Graduate Admissions Office in order to initiate the process to resume their active status. The primary purpose of this form is to update information needed by support departments.
Deferred Enrollment
Accepted Applicants who are interested in deferring enrollment should contact their Graduate Admissions Counselor to learn about the process specific to their academic program.
Classification of Students
Regular students include all applicants who are admitted to the Graduate School in a degree or certificate program.
Non-Degree Seeking Students are applicants who are not seeking a degree or who have missed the degree-student application deadline. Non-degree seeking students may apply only 12 credit hours toward a degree if they apply later as degree-seeking students. The Graduate School is not obligated in any way to accept a special student for degree status.
Flex Students are students enrolled in a degree or certificate program composed entirely of intensive and online courses. Intensive courses consist of compressed “in-seat” class time (typically one or two weeks) with significant pre- and post-class academic work.
Auditors are students attending graduate classes for personal enrichment and not for academic credit. Auditors must file the appropriate application form with the Registrar's Office, register as an auditor, and pay the audit fee. Audited courses may be included on a student's academic transcript if attendance and instructor's expectations are met (see transcript audit application).