Doctor of Philosophy in Practical Theology (PhD)

Admission

The PhD degree program is offered to students wishing to enhance their knowledge and teaching competence in practical theology, understood as the theologically positioned, interdisciplinary study of the practices of religious communities and of the traditions and social contexts that shape and challenge those practices.

In studying the practices of religious communities, the doctoral program in practical theology is designed to prepare students to understand and assess the contemporary situation, to reflect historically and systematically on the church’s embodied witness of faith in that situation, and to develop faithful and effective strategies for Christian practice in that situation. This preparation, while it has a common structure and an ecclesiological center, emphasizes the particularity of context and requires a diversity in focus that requires strong interdisciplinary skills and a highly integrative acumen. The full text of the PhD handbook may be found atwww.bu.edu/cpt.

Admission to the PhD, when granted, is to a single concentration within the degree program. A subsequent request to change a concentration will be treated as a new application. Current approved concentrations within the Practical Theology PhD program include:

  1. homiletics
  2. liturgical studies
  3. mission
  4. evangelism
  5. mission and evangelism
  6. pastoral theology
  7. spirituality
  8. church and society
  9. congregational studies

Applicants must hold an MDiv or an equivalent degree. Applicants holding the MRE, MTS, or an equivalent two-year degree may be admitted contingent upon the completion of specified prerequisites. Graduate academic work with a GPA of at least 3.3 is required.

Applications to the PhD for fall 2011 must be completed by December 15, 2010. No exceptions can be made for late applications to the program.

Prospective students interested in the PhD in Practical Theology should apply to the program using the general online application at http://www.bu.edu/sth/. Feel free to contact the Admissions Office if you have questions about this process.

Please note that all applicants to the PhD program must include a valid GRE score as part of their application. No exceptions will be made for international students or for students who have successfully completed a doctorate in another field. International students for whom English is not a native language must submit both a valid GRE score and a valid TOEFL score to complete their applications.

In the admissions process, the PhD program director will assign each student a faculty core advisor who will assist the student in preparing for the core exam and orienting the student to the discipline of practical theology throughout his or her coursework. The PhD program director will also assign each student a faculty concentration advisor within the concentration the student has chosen. These advisors will assist the student in selecting courses and satisfying degree requirements within the time frames established by the Advanced Studies Committee of the School of Theology.

Students may request a change of advisor within their concentration with the consent of the new advisor and PhD program director attested on a signed form submitted to the ASC office.

PhD Curriculum Requirements

The program requires a minimum of 12 courses, including three core seminars (Proseminar in Practical Theology, Ecclesiology, Church and Society in the Contemporary World), six in the concentration, and three from cognate disciplines or electives with advisor’s approval and guidance. A maximum of four courses may be taken at institutions other than Boston University. One must be registered as a full-time student (12 or more credits) to be charged (lower) STH tuition rates; part-time students pay the tuition rate of the School in which the course originates.

The time limit for the degree program is seven years (14 semesters). For more information regarding additional time limits for PhD students, please consult the “Time Limitations” sections under Policies and Procedures of this site as well as the PhD handbook.

If a recipient of a Doctoral Fellowship: Doctoral Fellowships are awarded for the academic year, September to May. They are renewable each year upon the annual evaluation of the recipient’s grade point average/transcript, character, and commitment to ministry. All awards are for a maximum of two academic years of full-time PhD study. Doctoral Fellowships are awarded before initial enrollment in the School of Theology; however, money is not available to the student until the first day of classes.

If a recipient of a Tuition Scholarship: Tuition Scholarships are awarded for the academic year, September to May. They are renewable each year upon the annual evaluation of the recipient’s grade point average/transcript, character, and commitment to ministry. All awards are for a maximum of two academic years of full-time PhD study. (See the Financial Aid section of this site for more information on Doctoral Fellowships and Tuition Scholarships.)

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.