Students on the Ph.D. level may specialize in Ancient Northwest Semitic languages (ANWSL) or Near Eastern Christian languages and literatures (NECLL). Students generally continue from an M.A. degree in the department. The Ph.D. program incorporates the M.A. curriculum and requires an additional thirty semester hours of coursework (i.e., 60 total hours). It is possible, however, to enter the program at the doctoral level. Students who enter at the Ph.D. level must meet the full 60-hour credit requirement by coursework or transfer credit. The transfer of up to 24 credit hours earned at other accredited institutions is permitted in accordance with the university's regulations. ANWSL students usually specialize in Aramaic and Hebrew, while NECLL students specialize in Arabic, Coptic, Ethiopic or Syriac. The ANWSL program offers Akkadian, Ugaritic, as well as extensive coursework in Aramaic (Old, Official, Qumran, Targumic) and Hebrew (Epigraphic, Qumran, Mishnaic). In the NECLL program, students may also take Armenian, Georgian, and South Arabian.
Students are expected to maintain a good overall standing in the program; students who do not do so will be subject to faculty review and dismisssal, if warranted. In particular, a student who receives one C may be subject to faculty review and may be placed on probationary standing in the program. A second C may lead to dismissal. A student may repeat a course in which the grade of C was earned, and the grade of the retake may replace the C; this can only be done once and must be done in consultation with the faculty.
Ph.D. students are encouraged in addition to take two courses, ordinarily six credits, outside the department with the consultation of the adviser and the chair. The courses should complement the student's interests and be adjusted to his or her background and training. The requirement may be fulfilled by courses at the graduate or advanced undergraduate level. The courses can be taken in a variety of departments and programs, including biblical studies, theology, early Christian studies, English, modern languages, comparative literature, history, economics and politics. The student may propose any courses at CUA that fit into his or her program. The courses may be taken in one or more departments. Courses offered elsewhere in the Consortium of Universities of the Washington Metropolitan Area or at The Johns Hopkins University; the University of Maryland, College Park; or other neighboring schools may be considered.