MTS at Harvard Divinity School after BE. Electrical Engineering

[Alya Aziz]

Hi All,

I have done my bachelors in Electrical Engineering from one of the top Engineering Institutions of Pakistan. My CGPA was 3.5. Now I want to apply for MTS Comparative Religion at Hardvard Divinity School. I have job experience in my field but not anything related to religion. I tried looking for organizations working on inter faith harmony to work as in intern with them but here in Pakistan, there are a very few and I couldn't find their correct contacts. I am mainly interested in comparative religion because I began to question my faith at a young age and I want to study other religions to have a comparative idea and promote inter faith harmony. Also, I read some related literature, a book by one of the greatest writers of Urdu language namely 'River of Fire' which talks about centuries old philosophical traditions of India in detail which got me really interested in Hinduism. I am also currently reading Karen Armstrong's A History of God which focuses on Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Can anyone please guide me what steps I shall follow to get into my desired program with an irrelevant degree?

Edited August 15, 2019 by Alya Aziz

[xypathos]

Your degree isn't irrelevant! MTS and MDiv degrees are considered introductory degrees, really. I think someone the other day equated them to postbacs and that's absolutely true.

People have come into MTS and MDiv degrees without an undergraduate degree in religion. In fact, if you have an interest in working in interfaith work - I'd even look at some MDiv programs. Given the very Christian-centric nature of MDiv programs, really I'd look at Chicago and Harvard.

You've got a couple months before the application season begins. So, if you feel that you're ready - I'd just go ahead and apply. Your big hurdle will potentially be the GRE depending on the program/degree that you're applying for!

Edited August 16, 2019 by xypathos

[Alya Aziz]

8 hours ago, xypathos said:

Your degree isn't irrelevant! MTS and MDiv degrees are considered introductory degrees, really. I think someone the other day equated them to postbacs and that's absolutely true.

People have come into MTS and MDiv degrees without an undergraduate degree in religion. In fact, if you have an interest in working in interfaith work - I'd even look at some MDiv programs. Given the very Christian-centric nature of MDiv programs, really I'd look at Chicago and Harvard.

You've got a couple months before the application season begins. So, if you feel that you're ready - I'd just go ahead and apply. Your big hurdle will potentially be the GRE depending on the program/degree that you're applying for!

Thanks for your response. It was mentioned on the Harvard website that if you do not have an undergrad degree in humanities, you should take some courses related to the program you want to apply for. There are some courses offered on Edx by Harvard university related to religion, do you think taking these courses will improve my chances? Also, as I don't have any related experience, how shall I structure my SOP. Shall I only talk about my interest in comparative religion? Plus, shall I take my Letters of Recommendations from teachers who taught me Humanities related subjects in Engineering or can I ask my manager at work too? And can you please guide me on important points that I should cover in my SOP and LORs. Also, does Harvard or other good universities offer any scholarship for these programs? As I am from Pakistan, I would need assistance not only for paying tuition fee but also for living and other expenses.  There is a Full Bright program  in my country to which I can apply but I think it will be harder for me to be considered for that in my situation..

[11Q13]

The Harvard MDiv may be better suited to you and it is easier to get into than the MTS. The MDiv (unlike the MTS) does not expect any previous work in religious studies. Harvard is not a Christian seminary, so you should not be concerned about that with the MDiv.

[xypathos]

7 hours ago, Alya Aziz said:

Thanks for your response. It was mentioned on the Harvard website that if you do not have an undergrad degree in humanities, you should take some courses related to the program you want to apply for. There are some courses offered on Edx by Harvard university related to religion, do you think taking these courses will improve my chances? Also, as I don't have any related experience, how shall I structure my SOP. Shall I only talk about my interest in comparative religion? Plus, shall I take my Letters of Recommendations from teachers who taught me Humanities related subjects in Engineering or can I ask my manager at work too? And can you please guide me on important points that I should cover in my SOP and LORs. Also, does Harvard or other good universities offer any scholarship for these programs? As I am from Pakistan, I would need assistance not only for paying tuition fee but also for living and other expenses.  There is a Full Bright program  in my country to which I can apply but I think it will be harder for me to be considered for that in my situation..

You can mention on your application or in a supplementary essay that you took some Edx or other courses. Given the resources available to you, it'll be understandable. I don't know how much, if any, that it'll help your chances but it won't hurt!

I would structure your SOP to your interests and not so much your experience. If you apply for the MDiv, which I encourage, you should talk about the interests you want others to know about you. These are the things that you're genuinely passionate about! The closer those interests are to comparative religion or religion in general, the better!

Your letters of recommendations should come from people that can write the strongest letter for you. They don't need to be humanities faculty, but they do need to be people that can speak to your desire to learn, your level of curiosity, research ability, and passions.

Harvard, Chicago, and Yale have very generous scholarships. When I was at Yale we set aside several scholarships that fully paid for students from developing countries: tuition, books, room and board, and a modest stipend. These scholarships were rather competitive and we cycled through geographical areas of focus. If we took a number of students from sub-Saharan Africa one year, then the next year we might only take one and shift our focus to south Asia. You had to be from a country in the global south and show that: 1) You've exhausted the educational opportunities available to you in your home country or regional area and/or 2) extreme poverty.

[Averroes MD]

I also came from a technical background. This was not an impediment to admission.

Your statement of purpose is what is probably the most important, then your letters of recommendation. I would not worry about the lack of humanities classes. Good luck!