Graduation Application Process
Students apply to graduate in the semester he/she is graduating. Students will be notified by email when they are eligible to apply for graduation. Summer graduates are only eligible to participate in the May commencement ceremony preceding their summer graduation date. (ex. Summer 2024 graduates are eligible to participate May 2024 Commencement). DTS only holds Commencement ceremonies at the end of the spring term.
Due Dates for Graduation Application in Student Portal:
- Fall 2024: October 1, 2024
- Spring/Summer 2025: February 1, 2025
Students must submit two reference forms. Students must send the links to their references:
- A Church Letter – Indicating the student has been in attendance/participation in a local church during the student’s time at DTS. (Spanish Form; Chinese Form)
- A Personal Reference – This is a pastor or someone with spiritual oversight in the student’s life. (Spanish Form; Chinese Form)
If students use a generic email for their church (info@ or contact@), be sure to follow-up with the staff member who oversees this inbox. Questions about the status of reference letters should contact Student Life: studentlife@dts.edu
Due Dates for References and Supporting Materials:
- Fall 2024: November 1, 2024
- Spring/Summer 2025: March 1, 2025
Students can locate the Graduation Application in the Student Portal by:
- Logging into the Student Portal
- Clicking on “My Profile” (left-side menu)
- Selecting “Document Center”
Students can check the status of their Graduation Application in the Student Portal. If the application is not completed by the due date, then the student’s graduation date will be moved to a later semester.
Please note: All graduation application information (participation, references, dissertation title, etc.) must be received by March 1 to ensure inclusion in the printed spring Commencement Ceremony program.
Graduation Checklist
Graduating students will submit coursework approximately two-weeks before the end of the term (or earlier as required by the professor). Students should notify professors they are graduating, which may mean quizzes or exams in Canvas will need to be available for graduates.
Fall 2024 Graduates Coursework Due: Friday, December 6 by 4:30pm (CST)
Spring 2025 Graduates Coursework Due: Friday, April 25 by 4:30pm (or earlier as required by professor)
Summer 2025 Graduates Coursework Due (Participating in Commencement): Friday, April 25 by 4:30pm (or earlier as required by professor)
Summer 2025 Graduates Coursework Due (NOT Participating in Commencement): Follow due dates listed in syllabi.
The Test of Biblical and Theological Knowledge (TBTK) is a required test for all master’s degree graduates. (DMin, DEdMin, EdD, PhD, and CGS graduates do not need to take the exam.) The final transcript showing the conferral of the student’s degree will not be released by DTS until this obligation is met.
The TBTK is a timed, online exam with a 75-minute limit. Graduates should complete the TBTK at the end of their final semester of study. An email will be sent to the graduates with the necessary web links before graduation. Please check and make sure that your email address will accept messages sent from DTS.
Please contact Institutional Research by phone (214-887-5200) or by email (irdept@dts.edu) with any questions.
DTS and Ministry Safe have partnered to offer Child Protection Training. This proactive education seeks to equip current students and DTS alumni with a clear understanding of child sexual abuse, sexual abusers, effective preventative protocols, a compassionate model of care addressing the needs of abuse survivors, and an appropriate response to abuse allegations arising in church and ministry environments.
To register, go to https://safetysystem.ministrysafe.com/register/dts
Under Type of Training, select “Sexual Abuse Awareness Training (2018)”
Once you complete the Ministry Safe training (which will take you about an hour to complete), there is a brief quiz on the Ministry Safe training website. After you complete this quiz with a passing score, you will receive a certificate on the Ministry Safe training website.
Your final step is to upload this certificate and email it to studentlife@dts.edu.
Note: If you have previously completed Ministry Safe at your church or your place of service, you can simply upload a copy of your certificate from your previous training and send it to the above email address.
Career Services
The Office of Career Services offers a lifetime of support for DTS graduates and provides consultation to graduating students, alumni, and ministries throughout the hiring process. Their services include assistance with resume development, interviewing, and compensation guidelines. The Career Services office also assists ministries as they search for candidates and maintains a database of ministry opportunities through their Ministry Opportunities Listing. For more information, please visit the DTS Career Services page here.
