Hello. I am a new member/first time poster. I am writing to get general advice about pursuing a second doctorate from anyone who may be willing to comment.
I am a full time Asst Prof and Dir of Contextualized Learning for an ATS/HLC accredited seminary in the Midwest. I earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from this seminary a few years ago and was hired within 7 months to the position that I currently hold. Prior to this position, I worked for the seminary part time coordinating their St. Louis campus, which is the city where I live, and running a certificate program for them. The position that I currently hold is what I have dreamed about for years.
I have also taught for a community college for 13 years as an adjunct (also an alum from there and I only teach online) and also at another religious college. At both of these institutions, I teach art and interdisciplinary studies courses (I have an MFA degree, as well).
I have also written/published 4 books since 2015. 3 popular level (1 dealing with race and Christian faith, 1 dealing with police-African American community relations, 1 dealing with general leadership ideas in a religious context) and 1 academic (my DMin dissertation about the historic differences between how black and white religious leaders are trained/educated and how to bridge the identified gaps in learning opportunities). I have another popular level book that should be out by the summer (also dealing with race and faith) and I have contracts for 2 more academic books that are due in December 2017 (another one about the intersection of race and faith) and December 2018 (a study on how the training/education level of black religious and political leaders affects/influences the level of community engagement the people they lead are willing to participate in). I also write regularly for two online religious sites and one local newspaper.
The main reason that I am thinking about pursuing a second doctorate/PhD is that it, along with all the writing I do, would hopefully open up other opportunities to teach in a secular university closer to home. I live with my family in a St. Louis, which is 4 hrs. away from the seminary where I’m employed. So, I have to commute back and forth every week. I spend 4 days out of town and 3 days at home with my family. As you can imagine, this got old for my wife pretty quickly. She is very supportive, but would like to have me around more. Having my family move to the area where I teach is not an option at this time. My wife has worked for Washington University in St. Louis for 17 years, and she is the director of a dept. She’s at least 5 years away from retiring (due to age and accumulated years of service). Additionally, WashU pays for our kids to go to college. We have a son who is a sophomore at a college in St. Louis. Our daughter is 12, so we have time before she starts higher ed.
I know that I am hampered in the kinds of teaching positions I can get outside of a seminary due to the fact that my highest degree is a DMin (a professional/practitioners degree). So, I’m thinking about pursuing a PhD in theology and philosophy so I can teach more than ministry courses. I’m baptist, but St. Louis doesn’t have a baptist seminary. I have also considered pursuing an EdD, but don’t really have a desire to get an education degree.
I am looking at “dissertation only” programs overseas. My plan is to make one of the academic books that I am working on into a dissertation. The contracted length for both academic books are 230 pgs. each. I am currently working on the next academic book and should have it done by December. (I am able to do this because while I am away for 4 days a week by myself, I spend my free time writing and researching so when I’m at home with my family, I am able to give them my undivided attention.)
I have been accepted into the South African Theological Seminary’s PhD program. The problem is the cost ($13,000).
So, I guess my question is, can anyone help advise me on finding any other overseas dissertation only program that’s less than $13,000? I have looked at multiple UK and South African programs, but it’s hard to tell how much programs cost because most fees pages that I have looked at aren’t updated or they ask for you to contact them about pricing, but never get back with an answer. I have looked at the usual suspects like UNISA, London School of Theology, etc. It would be nice to find something less than $8,000.
I have also considered PhD by publication. I have found 3 programs that this is possible through for foreign students. I could simply wait till the next two academic books are written and then submit those, along with any other writings that flow together and a unifying document and call it a day. The costs for these programs are less than $6,000.
Sorry for the long post. Thanks for any constructive comments.
Terrell