Athanasius

Hello all,
As an American with M*s from a TT US school and an evangelical seminary who's applying to both UK and US TT programs, this question is very interesting to me. Out of the schools to which I am applying,  I prefer at least one UK school over all the US TT programs. However, I've seen a trend on Grad Cafe that is a bit baffling. The "UK PhDs are looked down upon" claim is simply nonsense. This pops up on Grade Cafe often, and I seldomly observe it anywhere else. Let's look at a few issues with this claim:

1. Oxford and Cambridge are well-represented in American TT religion/theology departments. I recently checked most USTTs (Duke, PTS, Emory, ND, Yale, Chicago, CUA, and Harvard). There were 10 profs from Oxford and 6 from Cambridge, plus several from other UK schools (Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St. Andrews) occupying spots in TT US faculties. Many of these were relatively new hires. Excepting the number of profs that any particular school hires from its own program (e.g., PTS hires a lot of PTS PhDs), Oxbridge is better-represented in TT American programs than several TT American programs (certainly more than Emory and CUA). (The reason I except these numbers is because, otherwise, I would have to include the faculties of Oxford and Cambridge in the count to level the playing field.)
 
2. Oxbridge has some of the greatest scholars in the world. Can anyone actually dispute this? Often times, the faculties at Oxbridge are superior to many of their American competitors. Durham and St. Andrews are also formidable.
3. Ranking: Now, I'm not a big fan of rankings. But, because most rankings rely on reputation, citations/publications, facilities, etc., they are relevant here. Does it matter that Oxford and Durham outrank most all American TTs? I think so. 
4. Oxbridge has a high acceptance standard, on par with US TTs. For example, the Oxford DPhil has a 3.8 GPA minimum and—for US students—takes the GRE with expectations similar to that of North American programs. It's true that they can take a few more students than most US TT programs. But it's still very small. Moreover, one must have her/his thesis proposal ready—and defend it in an interview—to gain admission. For US apps, this is not an issue, making the app process easier by comparison. 
5. What Prof at Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, etc. is going to hide (or let her advisee hide) from critical questions? What's more, most profs at American evangelical schools (e.g. Fuller, Trinity, Asbury) address historical criticism, redaction, etc. with enthusiasm. Ironically, the TT US program I attended were so concerned with literary criticism that historical criticism was often pushed aside. At my evangelical school, Profs majored in historical criticism. One caveat: although evangelical schools engage with critical issues, they usually do so with an apologetic slant. Will anyone seriously claim that Joel Green, Craig Keener, David DeSilva, and others hide from critical scholarship? Lol. I think some of these criticisms to the contrary come from folks that are simply too unfamiliar with Evangelical schools or UK schools to make a good assessment.
6. The "UK schools are looked down upon" claim usually comes with a criticism of conservative scholars. I may be wrong here but, often times, these criticisms are adjoined to a prejudicial disdain for more conservative scholars. The notion seems to be something like 'conservatives hide out in US evangelical and UK schools because they can't hack it in good (more liberal-friendly) US departments. Of course, that's utter nonsense. The faculties of the best US schools have—sometimes a majority—of scholars who could ideologically fit with most evangelical schools. Does anyone want to argue that Richard Hays, Ross Wagner, Brittany Wilson, Kavin Rowe (Duke) or John Fitzgerald and David Lincicum (ND) or Beverly Gaventa and Clifton Black (PTS) couldn't work comfortably at Oxford or Cambridge in the UK or Fuller, Asbury, or Trinity in the US? Likewise, could John Barclay, Markus Bockmuehl, Rowan Williams, N.T. Wright, etc. not hack it at US TT programs? No: making this a 'conservatives hide in the UK' issue is simply nonsense.
7. UK departments assume that their candidates have done the requisite work to make themselves ready for research and writing. Thus, you're treated like a junior scholar who doesn't need three extra years of hand-holding to ensure that you do your chores. However, if you need time to expand your knowledge of any particular field, you have 3–4 years to 'choose your own adventure.' US programs usually give you a year to write your dissertation (year 4 is usually encumbered with teaching). Thus, at a UK program, you can read well beyond your subject, engage in plenty of seminars, learn more languages, etc. There is more time and more freedom. This makes Americans nervous, I suppose; they would rather be told what to do and prove what they've done via a transcript rather than publications.  
There is simply no reason to believe that TT UK programs are inferior to TT US programs. Its time to put that bit of snobbery to rest. These are two different systems that appeal to students for different—but valid—reasons. 
Lastly, I would like to echo what a few folks have said here: I don't think it's possible to do scholarship without engaging with critical scholarship. However, maybe I am misunderstanding your statement. Whatever the case, for job prospects, I suggest choosing an elite UK program (especially Oxbridge) over an American evangelical PhD.
 
Best wishes to you on your choice and future scholarship! 
 

Hello all,
As an American with M*s from a TT US school and an evangelical seminary who's applying to both UK and US TT programs, this question is very interesting to me. Out of the schools to which I am applying,  I prefer at least one UK school over all the US TT programs. However, I've seen a trend on Grad Cafe that is a bit baffling. The "UK PhDs are looked down upon" claim is simply nonsense. This pops up on Grade Cafe often, and I seldomly observe it anywhere else. Let's look at a few issues with this claim:

1. Oxford and Cambridge are well-represented in American TT religion/theology departments. I recently checked most USTTs (Duke, PTS, Emory, ND, Yale, Chicago, CUA, and Harvard). There were 10 profs from Oxford and 6 from Cambridge, plus several from other UK schools (Edinburgh, Aberdeen, St. Andrews) occupying spots in TT US faculties. Many of these were relatively new hires. Excepting the number of profs that any particular school hires from its own program (e.g., PTS hires a lot of PTS PhDs), Oxbridge is better-represented in TT American programs than several TT American programs (certainly more than Emory and CUA). (The reason I except these numbers is because, otherwise, I would have to include the faculties of Oxford and Cambridge in the count to level the playing field.)
 
2. Oxbridge has some of the greatest scholars in the world. Can anyone actually dispute this? Often times, the faculties at Oxbridge are superior to many of their American competitors. Durham and St. Andrews are also formidable.
3. Ranking: Now, I'm not a big fan of rankings. But, because most rankings rely on reputation, citations/publications, facilities, etc., they are relevant here. Does it matter that Oxford and Durham outrank most all American TTs? I think so. 
4. Oxbridge has a high acceptance standard, on par with US TTs. For example, the Oxford DPhil has a 3.8 GPA minimum and—for US students—takes the GRE with expectations similar to that of North American programs. It's true that they can take a few more students than most US TT programs. But it's still very small. Moreover, one must have her/his thesis proposal ready—and defend it in an interview—to gain admission. For US apps, this is not an issue, making the app process easier by comparison. 
5. What Prof at Oxford, Cambridge, St. Andrews, etc. is going to hide (or let her advisee hide) from critical questions? What's more, most profs at American evangelical schools (e.g. Fuller, Trinity, Asbury) address historical criticism, redaction, etc. with enthusiasm. Ironically, the TT US program I attended were so concerned with literary criticism that historical criticism was often pushed aside. At my evangelical school, Profs majored in historical criticism. One caveat: although evangelical schools engage with critical issues, they usually do so with an apologetic slant. Will anyone seriously claim that Joel Green, Craig Keener, David DeSilva, and others hide from critical scholarship? Lol. I think some of these criticisms to the contrary come from folks that are simply too unfamiliar with Evangelical schools or UK schools to make a good assessment.
6. The "UK schools are looked down upon" claim usually comes with a criticism of conservative scholars. I may be wrong here but, often times, these criticisms are adjoined to a prejudicial disdain for more conservative scholars. The notion seems to be something like 'conservatives hide out in US evangelical and UK schools because they can't hack it in good (more liberal-friendly) US departments. Of course, that's utter nonsense. The faculties of the best US schools have—sometimes a majority—of scholars who could ideologically fit with most evangelical schools. Does anyone want to argue that Richard Hays, Ross Wagner, Brittany Wilson, Kavin Rowe (Duke) or John Fitzgerald and David Lincicum (ND) or Beverly Gaventa and Clifton Black (PTS) couldn't work comfortably at Oxford or Cambridge in the UK or Fuller, Asbury, or Trinity in the US? Likewise, could John Barclay, Markus Bockmuehl, Rowan Williams, N.T. Wright, etc. not hack it at US TT programs? No: making this a 'conservatives hide in the UK' issue is simply nonsense.
7. UK departments assume that their candidates have done the requisite work to make themselves ready for research and writing. Thus, you're treated like a junior scholar who doesn't need three extra years of hand-holding to ensure that you do your chores. However, if you need time to expand your knowledge of any particular field, you have 3–4 years to 'choose your own adventure.' US programs usually give you a year to write your dissertation (year 4 is usually encumbered with teaching). Thus, at a UK program, you can read well beyond your subject, engage in plenty of seminars, learn more languages, etc. There is more time and more freedom. This makes Americans nervous, I suppose; they would rather be told what to do and prove what they've done via a transcript rather than publications.  
There is simply no reason to believe that TT UK programs are inferior to TT US programs. Its time to put that bit of snobbery to rest. These are two different systems that appeal to students for different—but valid—reasons. 
Lastly, I would like to echo what a few folks have said here: I don't think it's possible to do scholarship without engaging with critical scholarship. However, maybe I am misunderstanding your statement. Whatever the case, for job prospects, I suggest choosing an elite UK program (especially Oxbridge) over an American evangelical PhD.
 
Best wishes to you on your choice and future scholarship! 
 

Congratulations!! You have some great options. Well done!

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

Thank you for sharing this. I completely agree that rejections are just a part of the process, and this is extremely true even for some of my own experiences in the past. However, it is *so* hard to come to terms with that in the moment! Hoping we can all gain the courage to see the brighter side in the next days and weeks.

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

So sorry to hear about folks who didn't get in to their top choices, or, for some, any choices. Remember that a rejection doesn't reflect your potential or intellect. A couple of notes for encouragement:

I did my first masters at a TT school in the US; the Ph.D. program there is notoriously difficult to get into. A sort of true legend floated around there when I was attending. One student who graduated not long before I started was rejected outright from their PhD program in NT. He waited another year and applied again. He was accepted without funding and turned it down. He applied the third year and was accepted. 

Turns out, he was incredible in the program. He finished quickly, wrote an outstanding diss. and was immediately hired by one of the best schools in the world. He was one of the most successful students in recent years and yet he was rejected.
 
Many of the great scholars that have shared their application stories with me have told me about the many rejections they received. These same scholars have won awards, edited prestigious volumes, written groundbreaking monographs, etc. So, whatever you do, don't allow rejection to knock the air out of you for too long. If you care enough to anguish on grad cafe about this, you probably care enough to be good at this. Take heart fellow sojourners. 

Hi! I'm one of the posts, but my subfield is Systematics. I have no idea how their system works though!
EDIT: Any chance you also applied to Cambridge?

Hey everybody.  on a friday night, here is to all of us! solidarity!
 

I had an error in my footnote (misspelled an author's name) and I still got in -- so there's a good chance it'll be ok!

I know this thread is a bit old, but I've wrestled with this question for some years. I now have PhD apps coming up and have decided to apply to Oxbridge and about 5 R1 US schools. A few things:

1. There seems to be a good bit of snobbery to look our for on both sides of the Atlantic. Some brits--like one Prof from Cambridge recently told me--are suspicious of many American programs while many American Profs with American PhDs will look down on anything not American. 

2. While xypathos is certainly correct that some folks go to Aberdeen--which is a notch of so below Oxbridge--because it's easier to get into than American R1s, it's also often the case that UK schools are the top choice for plenty Americans because those Americans want to work with certain profs. And schools like Aberdeen often have world class scholars. Think, for example, of someone like Joel Green who studied under I. Howard Marshall at Aberdeen or Ben Witherington who studied under the great C.K. Barrett at Durham. 

3. When the word 'conservative' comes into play as a negative point, my eyebrow immediately shoots up. "Conservative" in no way indicates a lower bar of academic rigor or competitiveness. Certainly one wouldn't argue that Markus Bockmuehl at Oxford or Simon Gathercole at Cambridge are light weights. Moreover, Notre Dame is notably conservative. You'll find evangelical scholars at Duke (Ross Wagner, for example). But, it seems true that conservatives will have less of a headache at UK PhD programs since A. many of these programs are more conservative and 2. as a purely research degree you'll not have to fight through two or more years of classroom debates, taking classes from Profs that hold animosity toward your convictions, etc.  

4. Finding a job should be easier with a degree from Emory. US programs, as xypathos mentioned above, require that you develop a broad base of competency so that you hit the ground running with proven teaching experience and the assurance that you can teach outside of your dissertation topic. However, in the UK, you do have a good bit longer to write your dissertation. You can use that time to pick up adjunct work, tutoring jobs, etc. to make up the difference. And, if you are disciplined, you can attend seminars, read and even publish outside of your dissertation area to demonstrate broad competency. This is an especially likely option if you do a rigorous ThM which should give you a few rough drafts for articles. Thing is--although that most Americans seem unaware of it--UK programs give you ample opportunity to get much of the same exposure as the US programs, but they allow you to gain it on your own time and by your own initiation. In the Uk, it's 'choose your own adventure.' (Some brits may even look down on the extra course work as a kind of extended academic adolescence by which you require hand-holding.) There, it's more of a 'you're an adult and a scholar, you shouldn't need two more years of coursework to make you learn what you need to learn.' 

How a college or seminary views this latter point is difficult to anticipate. Aberdeen and Durham have pretty good representation in American schools. Oxbridge is found at every level, from the Ivies to small bible colleges. I think much of the question comes down to whether you feel that you would work better (or at least just as well) by yourself so as to produce a substantial CV that will convince schools that you can teach what they need of you. The second issue concerns whether any of the Profs at the UK or American schools provide connections/networking opportunities for the schools that you would like to work at in the future. Typically, American schools are more often conversant with other American scholars. 

I know it's a bit late, but I wanted to offer what I've gleaned in the last couple of years.  Hope all is well and you have peace wherever you go.  



 

This is Great! Thank you for that. Reading through these right now.

All the best to you as well! :)

Theology and ministry is a tricky sphere to navigate within academia. There are a host of considerations that are out of view for other disciplines, and it is perfectly possible for a completely moldy, unserious department of religion to persist and go largely unnoticed in it's mediocrity within an otherwise extraordinary university. That seems to be the story for Harvard--a divinity school that frankly isn't good for much in my assessment (as a PhD student in theology who once faced your same three options and turned down a fully funded master's program at Harvard because everyone advised against it). I went to Duke Div. in the end (a fully-funded MTS) and finished the program with pretty mixed feelings. In many ways Duke is a dumpster fire: a constant ideological controversy that creates an atmosphere of suspicion and drives talented professors and students to less tense and hostile places. Also, because they receive half of their funding from the Meth. Church, they are required to maintain a %50 demographic of Meth. students. This means that you can get into Duke--esp. the MDiv prog. with little more than a pulse if you are a Methodist. A consequence of this and their other demographic targets is an extreme range of ability and preparation among the students. Some are "functionally literate," some are terrific, and many are somewhere in between. But the spread tends to have a distinctly negative impact on class discussions. It is an awkwardly (and oftine volitile) mixed bag of conservative, rural North Carolina pastors, leftist activist students of many a stripe (in perpetual protest against something or other), and a bewildered or bemused bunch of people trying to study theology without entering the pit.
There are a handful of terrific professors around still from whom a dilligent and focused student can still gain a great deal of valuable training. Another pro is that the campus is one of the most beautiful places on Earth (IMO), but know that you are entering a zoo if/when you go. 
I don't think of Harvard as a viable option (even though they offered me a full ride plus an 8k stipend--for the master's program!). Yale may be a bit more orderly, although my sense is that it has simply acheived more of an ideological consensus than Duke has. My sense is that it is a kind of Marxist-progressive consensus. 
In neither school will you be able to do theology without reference to distinctly American cultural polemics and ideology. As much as I loathe to send anyone to Duke, I think it's likely your best option when funding is factored in. 

Hi there,
 
These are good questions to be thinking of at this stage. Here’s an article that I found useful when I was preparing to apply for PhD programs:
 
https://theprofessorisin.com/2011/07/25/how-to-write-an-email-to-a-potential-ph-d-advisor/
 
Hope it helps, and best of luck.

Hi, @Matiyahu7! I hope all's well.
I'm applying to a PhD in English program, so the two SOP examples that I found are mostly humanities-based. Either way, I'm sure they'll be of some use to you.
Check them out here:
PhD Applications and the Dreaded Statement of Purpose This particular one is helpful because Sean goes through each paragraph and comments on what needs to go in each. He also tailors his SOP to a c. 1,000 or c. 500 word requirement. Sample SOP (UC Berkeley's History Department) This sample SOP is from a student applying to a PhD program in UC Berkeley's history department. It's particularly helpful because there are footnotes that address what works throughout the SOP.  I hope this is helpful! For me, I know that looking at these samples really helped me compose my SOP in the best way possible.
Good luck! ?
 

Hello all,
I plan on applying to NT PhD programs this upcoming fall season. I'm a bit in the dark on the SOP. Of course, schools usually give a broad description of what they expect. But, does anyone have pointed advice for--or links to examples of--successful SOPs? If it helps, I plan on applying to Duke (Phd and ThD), PTS, Emory, Harvard, Oxford, and Cambridge. Many thanks!