Phenomenologist

dkhp -- sounds like you have a very strong application. Temper expectations for Duke and Chicago, of course. (I only say that as a pure generality, not about you specifically -- longshot for anyone and everyone.)

You have to PAY for a PhD at Fuller? Oof

Anyone applying to these institutions this year? What programs?

Hi Joe, congrats on Marquette!!! Nice to hear from you . Great GRE stats, sheesh =). I'm really hoping to go to Marquette for my PhD in theology, so we'll have to stay in touch. I'll be applying there in like 12 months after my first year of my Yale MA is done (philosophical theology).

If you don't accept the offer, you almost certainly won't get it back. If you do accept the offer, you can still apply to theology programs in one or two years, and transfer programs. If it's your only offer on the table, accepting it might strengthen your theology apps for next year more than not accepting it, and simply trying to do other things to pump up your CV. At least this'll show you got accepted and fully funded somewhere, so you're something of a "contender." I don't think uber-funding is a "binding contract," but you might want to look into it more. From what I've read and understand, people do indeed swap PhD programs for one reason or another (a dissertation advisor leaves a faculty, etc.). Presumably most of these candidates had funding offers for 4-5 years, despite transferring after only 1 or 2. And absolute worst-case-scenario, if you don't take the offer, then next year when you apply to theology programs you might get shut out again and be dead in the water (in academia, at least). But if you do take this offer, then at least you'll be moving forward in a program with a potential for future work in academia. Frankly, the most interesting theology work is all interdisciplinary anyway: historical theology, political theology, philosophical theology, etc. We need more sharp theological minds who are trained interdisciplinarily, to draw connections that theologians otherwise would miss due to a lack of training outside their field. I struggled with a similar debate: Should I apply to philosophy PhD's, or theology PhD's? I love theology much more. But philosophy could open other job opportunities, and give great perspective on theology. And one bonus is this: If you get your PhD in theology, you won't read much U.S. history in your leisure time. But if you get your PhD in US History, you'll still read a whole lot of theology in your free time (because it's a chief interest of yours). So you'll be cultivating your interests in both, whereas with a theology PhD you won't. But again -- you can apply to theology programs again in the next year or two (perhaps after your history program grants an MA en route to the PhD, if it does that). But if you reject the offer and get shut out again next year, you're more stuck. I would take the offer.

He is from Zambia, specifically. Interesting, I thought Fulbright was only U.S.-to-foreign countries, I didn't realize the reverse was true as well -- thanks! I appreciate the feedback.

Howdy all, I am investigating U.S. programs and scholarships for African students, for a friend of mine in Africa. Can anyone offer some advice, here? Thanks!!

Question for you guys: I know this will vary by institution, but I want to get your thoughts generally speaking. If I finish a 2-year MA program (such as Yale Div MAR), but later I will want to get an MDiv degree from somewhere (preferrably a different institution, such as Princeton Sem), how much of that 2-year MA work would contribute to that MDiv degree? So, would you only have to take 1 year of the MDiv, in various pastoral classes and languages, perhaps? Or more like 2 years, because many schools only transfer in roughly one year of prior work? etc. Any insight would be greatly appreciated .

Howdy all, I am investigating U.S. music programs that offer scholarships to African students, for a friend of mine in Africa. Can anyone offer some advice, here? Thanks!!

Very interesting -- can you expound on this point more, at all?

Yale seems more confessional than Chicago. In fact, I believe it was gradcafe user Lib(eration)Theologian on these boards who said one thing about Yale is that it's "like a Christian seminary." (If not LibTheologian, someone said that.) So, you may have a more confessional environment. Chicago doesn't seem confessional to me -- or at least pluralist, perhaps. Perhaps something akin to University of Virginia, with confessional Jews and others on the faculty of the religion department, not merely Christians or secularists. But you'll only get "practical application of the text" stuff in an MDiv program and its courses, I would suspect. Even an MA at Yale wouldn't be as much like that. However, they certainly would do "other theological issues," and such. Chicago would likely do that as well. You probably can't get around theology at a divinity school, unless you don't take any theology classes (only biblical studies and such). Usually in many programs, they still retain the Enlightenment/modernity division of biblical studies on one hand, and theology on the other. More postmodern and confessional institutions are the ones that blur these lines more.

+1

I know Chicago Divinity has contacted folks, IIRC... At the MA/MDiv level, not sure about PhD...

Congrats, guys! LibTheologian, see if Yale will give your Marquand Scholarship to Tahuds for the Fall . (Will they reissue it to a funding waitlist, or drop it altogether, I wonder?)

I thought it was over a while ago, when I was chatting with Tahuds . Niiiiiice. That's a pretty funny idea -- I also went to a small community college before transferring to my liberal arts school. That'd be great for us to wear our community college apparel at our lofty graduate programs .