Doctor of Theology (ThD)

Admission

The ThD degree program is offered to students wishing to enhance their knowledge and ministerial or teaching competence in certain advanced areas of theology and ministry. It has a strong academic specialization, which integrates a major discipline with a minor discipline, making it distinct from the DMin (a professional doctorate) and from many PhDs that focus on one discipline. Like the PhD, the ThD is a rigorous academic research degree. However, unlike the PhD—which positions research in the arts, sciences, and humanities more generally—the ThD positions that research more particularly in the theological disciplines while integrating a major and a minor discipline and the concerns of the church.

The ThD degree program has an interdisciplinary design based on one major discipline (eight courses) and one minor discipline (four courses). The major and minor disciplines are integrated in a particular theme or program; an adequate rationale for this integration, particularly in terms of the applicant’s vocation, must be included in the personal statement of the application.

ThD admissions are made not to the degree program in a general sense, but to the major and minor disciplines noted on the application. The student’s major and minor selections must be sufficiently distinct so that the proposed integration can be significant.

A request to change the major discipline within the ThD after admission to the program is tantamount to a new application and requires both:

• a detailed petition from the student justifying the request
• a signed statement from the potential new major advisor consenting to take the student as
  an advisee

These items should be collated and sent to the director of Admissions, who will then bring the request before the Advanced Studies Committee (ASC) on the applicant’s behalf. Such requests will be evaluated by the ASC after reviewing the student’s record in graduate work undertaken to date.

Applicants must have the MDiv or an equivalent degree. Applicants holding the MRE, MTS, or an equivalent two-year degree may be considered for admission on the basis of that degree; however, admission will only be granted if the applicant holding a two-year master’s degree also has an undergraduate degree in religious/theological studies, a second-level one-year master’s degree such as the STM or ThM, or significant professional experience in a related field. When admitted, applicants holding a two-year master’s degree may be required to complete additional specified prerequisites as part of the ThD curriculum. Graduate academic work with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.3 is required.

Those who wish to be considered must complete the application by December 15 for admission the following fall. Please note that there is no matriculation into the ThD program for the Spring Semester.

Refer to the Admission section of the STH website for specific application instructions.

Major and Minor Disciplines

ThD Major Disciplines, by Area

The following disciplines are eligible for majors.

Area A: Biblical & Historical Studies

• Church History
• Mission Studies
• New Testament
• Hebrew Scripture

Area B: Philosophy, Theology & Ethics

• Social and Theological Ethics
• Theology

Area C: Religion, Culture & Personality

• Pastoral Psychology

Area D: Ministry in Church & Society

• Liturgical Studies

Minor Disciplines

All of the above major disciplines are offered as minor disciplines as well. The following fields are offered only as minor disciplines:

• Evangelism
• Homiletics
• Pastoral Theology
• Psychology of Religion
• Religious Education
• Sacred Music
• Sociology of Religion
• Spirituality

Assignment of Major and Minor Professors: Each candidate shall have two advisors: one professor in the major discipline and one professor in the minor discipline.

Curriculum Requirements

The program requires a minimum of 12 courses, including eight in a major discipline and four in a minor discipline, for a total of 48 credits. At least three courses in the major and one in the minor must be at the 900 level. Of the eight-course major, at least five courses must be taken at the School of Theology or in related departments of the University; of the four-course minor, at least three courses must be taken at the School of Theology or in related University departments. Students must be registered as full time (12 or more credits) to be charged STH tuition rates; part-time students pay the tuition rate of the School in which the course originates.

Required Colloquia: A series of required colloquia will be offered throughout the year on the four following topics:

• Research Methods
• Pedagogy
• Professional Identity
• Prospectus and Dissertation Writing

The same four courses will be offered each year and students must complete the cycle of four colloquia by the end of their coursework. All four are required, but students may decide when to take them, in consultation with their academic advisor(s).

Students must take Research Methods in the first year and preferably in the first semester. The Prospectus and Dissertation Writing colloquium should not be taken until the fourth semester of coursework as it will not be as relevant until then. Students have the option of taking a particular colloquium multiple times if they want (indeed, they are encouraged to do so), but they will not need to register beyond the first time. Each colloquium requires registration for a half-credit using the course numbers associated with each colloquium (see below), and they are graded pass/fail.

Registration for the colloquia also assists with email communication and access to Blackboard or other technology that may be used. The associate dean of the Academic Affairs office coordinates the colloquia, with oversight by the ASC.

Academic Requirements

For all classes a minimum grade of B is required. No grade lower than B is acceptable for use in satisfying the requirements for the Doctor of Theology degree. An automatic academic review occurs if a student receives a grade lower than B. The twelve required courses may not be taken on a pass/fail basis but must receive a letter grade.

Coursework for the major must include at least three 900-level courses; the minor must contain at least one 900-level course. (These requirements may not be satisfied by directed study courses except by approved petition to the Advanced Studies Committee.) Disciplines may have specific course requirements related to their examination policy or schedule.

A maximum of three of the eight courses required for the major and a maximum of one of the four courses required for the candidate’s minor may be taken at institutions other than Boston University.

Courses taken to meet language requirements do not count toward the required coursework for the ThD. In addition, undergraduate and 700-level courses will not count toward the required coursework for the ThD.

The time limit for the degree program is seven years (14 semesters).

Financial Aid

Students in the Doctor of Theology program are eligible to be considered for a fellowship; selection is made on the basis of previous academic excellence, character, commitment to service, and potential contribution to the academic community and life of the church. Fellowships provide full tuition scholarship for the first three years of study and an additional stipend of varying amounts. The Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loan program is also open to students in the Doctor of Theology program.

Doctor of Theology students are required to register for at least 8 credit hours per semester to be eligible to receive financial aid. Students receiving tuition assistance will receive aid that covers the 12 courses required for the degree (each course equal to 4 credit hours). All fellowship recipients must maintain a minimum grade point average of 3.3 and comply with all requirements detailed in their fellowship award letter.

Additional information is available in the Financial Aid section.

Doctoral Teaching and Research Internships Program (DTRIP)

The School of Theology provides a teaching and research internship program for all incoming ThD (and PhD) students that orients these degree programs toward a teacher training, research training, and mentoring model.

The DTRIP program requires all doctoral students to accept one research internship, one junior teaching internship, and one senior teaching internship during their degree program. While these internships are not paid positions but rather requirements of the degree program, students are supported by yearly fellowships during the first three years of their doctoral work. Research internships may be fulfilled during the first year of studies, but teaching internships may generally only be fulfilled in the second and subsequent years of a student’s doctoral program.

Faculty Mentoring and Evaluation of Students

Faculty members who mentor doctoral interns are responsible for providing an evaluation of the intern during and at the conclusion of each assignment. Periodic seminars and workshops will be offered to help faculty to function effectively as mentors for the doctoral interns under their supervision.

Teacher Training

The internship program will require all doctoral students to participate in research and teacher training colloquia offered each semester by the STH faculty. Please see the ThD handbook for more information.