Fall 2022 Religion PhD

[sayf]

Okay then, here we go. May be a tad early but thought I would get this started for people applying this fall to start in 2022. 

This will be my second cycle. Hoping to apply to a mixture of religion/history departments. Looking forward to getting some conversations started on here. 

[MKPolicy]

Hi Sayf!

I'm planning to apply for this cycle -- it will be my first go round. 

Which programs/tracks are you planning to apply for a place?

[cdhtrigger]

On 5/8/2021 at 4:00 AM, sayf said:

Okay then, here we go. May be a tad early but thought I would get this started for people applying this fall to start in 2022. 

This will be my second cycle. Hoping to apply to a mixture of religion/history departments. Looking forward to getting some conversations started on here. 

Were you denied to the programs you applied to? I was denied entry to both programs I applied to last year. This year I will be applying to two PhD programs in Religious Studies specializing in Islam.

[Taorluath34]

Hi everyone,

 

Looking forward to obsessing over this board in a few months. I'll be applying to Religion PhDs this winter. Currently a MA student in religious history back East. I'll be applying to programs that specialize in American Religious History. 

[kor_to_nola]

Not applying this season, but I'm looking forward to how the PhD cycle goes post-covid. I'll eventually apply for NT PhDs

[bleecker street grad]

Hi all!  I'm applying for fall 2022 religious studies phd programs as well - my area is American Religion / Religion and Society.  This is my second phd app cycle although it will be my first in religious studies (I previously applied to anthropology programs and decided not to attend the program where I was admitted in favor of doing a master's first) & I'm finishing up the coursework for my master's program this semester.  Looking forward to the upcoming semester and getting these apps in!  

[cdhtrigger]

I'm applying to UC Santa Barbara, UC Riverside and University of Iowa. Where are y'all applying?

[theologizing77]

I'll be applying for systematic theology programs at Princeton Seminary, Union Seminary, Drew, Fordham, and UVA.

[Pooya Heybatollahi]

Hi nice guys.

I have an BA and an MA in philosophy. I'm interested in the Late Medieval philosophy. To study for a PhD, I'm confused about whether I apply for a philosophy program or a systematic theology program. What's your opinion?

[kor_to_nola]

Does anybody know what’s happening with Vanderbilt’s NT and Early Christianity program? AJ Levine retired, and now Segovia seems to be their only professor. Any news on what’s happening with their program in the future? 

[xypathos]

On 11/13/2021 at 11:51 PM, kor_to_nola said:

Does anybody know what’s happening with Vanderbilt’s NT and Early Christianity program? AJ Levine retired, and now Segovia seems to be their only professor. Any news on what’s happening with their program in the future? 

It’s going to take them some time to regather and rebuild the program.

While Levine is an amazing scholar, it’s no secret in the NT community that she was an absolutely atrocious and abusive mentor. VDS suspended admissions into the program pending a review of her and her suitability to supervise students. Exceptionally brilliant NT PhD students have left the school to study elsewhere and faculty have turned down offers so as to not directly work with her.

I genuinely mean this, consider yourself lucky.

[xypathos]

On 11/13/2021 at 12:17 PM, Pooya Heybatollahi said:

Hi nice guys.

I have an BA and an MA in philosophy. I'm interested in the Late Medieval philosophy. To study for a PhD, I'm confused about whether I apply for a philosophy program or a systematic theology program. What's your opinion?

What do you want to do? Going from philosophy to systematic theology isn’t uncommon.

But if you’re wanting to teach philosophy, you need to get a PhD in Philosophy. Systematic Theology is an increasingly niche field that it is getting harder and harder to find jobs for.

If your field was philosophy of religion, you could theoretically, teach systematic theology at a smaller seminary or divinity school.

Outside of Fordham, BC, etc., no philosophy department is going to touch you with a PhD in Theology.

[sacklunch]

9 minutes ago, xypathos said:

What do you want to do? Going from philosophy to systematic theology isn’t uncommon.

But if you’re wanting to teach philosophy, you need to get a PhD in Philosophy. Systematic Theology is an increasingly niche field that it is getting harder and harder to find jobs for.

If your field was philosophy of religion, you could theoretically, teach systematic theology at a smaller seminary or divinity school.

Outside of Fordham, BC, etc., no philosophy department is going to touch you with a PhD in Theology.

Agreed. Though considering how rare permanent jobs are these days, I'm not sure it matters. 

[kor_to_nola]

29 minutes ago, xypathos said:

It’s going to take them some time to regather and rebuild the program.

While Levine is an amazing scholar, it’s no secret in the NT community that she was an absolutely atrocious and abusive mentor. VDS suspended admissions into the program pending a review of her and her suitability to supervise students. Exceptionally brilliant NT PhD students have left the school to study elsewhere and faculty have turned down offers so as to not directly work with her.

I genuinely mean this, consider yourself lucky.

Wow thanks for the info. What a bad time for an amazing institution

[Pooya Heybatollahi]

9 hours ago, xypathos said:

What do you want to do? Going from philosophy to systematic theology isn’t uncommon.

But if you’re wanting to teach philosophy, you need to get a PhD in Philosophy. Systematic Theology is an increasingly niche field that it is getting harder and harder to find jobs for.

If your field was philosophy of religion, you could theoretically, teach systematic theology at a smaller seminary or divinity school.

Outside of Fordham, BC, etc., no philosophy department is going to touch you with a PhD in Theology.

Dear Xypathos,

Thanks so much for your info.

[MKPolicy]

How are applications coming along for everyone? 

Personal statements are the last piece for me. I'm aiming to get them wrapped up this week and then let the waiting game begin :)

[emeraldsapphire]

This week has been intense prepping for the Dec 1 deadlines. Not helped by the fact of knowing admissions are going to be ultra competitive this year. I've heard a rumor that a lot of departments are aiming to only take around 4-5 new admits total? ?

[sacklunch]

On 11/25/2021 at 12:13 PM, emeraldsapphire said:

This week has been intense prepping for the Dec 1 deadlines. Not helped by the fact of knowing admissions are going to be ultra competitive this year. I've heard a rumor that a lot of departments are aiming to only take around 4-5 new admits total? ?

I've heard this as well from faculty. Though I actually think there will be a lot fewer applicants. So perhaps things will equal out. 

[emeraldsapphire]

sacklunch, Do you think there will be fewer applicants because people anticipate admissions being competitive? Or for other reasons? 

[bigsh]

I'm hoping to wrap up PhD/ThD applications this week so that I can return to thesis writing ASAP. I had one waitlist and one rejection in the fall 2020 cycle so I decided to go an STM and try again in a couple years, and now here we are. I think it will be four schools this year by the time I finish: Notre Dame, Toronto, Catholic University, and Duke. My primary areas of interest are liturgy and homiletics. I'm hoping that the STM is the door opener, as opposed to having been applying with an MDiv alone the first time.

[sacklunch]

On 11/26/2021 at 9:38 PM, emeraldsapphire said:

sacklunch, Do you think there will be fewer applicants because people anticipate admissions being competitive? Or for other reasons? 

To be completely honest, I think there will be fewer applicants because folks seem to have realized that a doctorate in religion/theology does not, nowadays, secure any good job (I have a PhD from a top program in the field FWIW). Job prospects have always been bad, of course, in fields like ours, but the opportunities currently are horrid. I would say you have no better than a 10% of getting a tenure track. And that's if you're willing to move anywhere. Faculty are still training 95% (or more?) of doctoral students for those 10% (or less) jobs. There is empty talk of preparing students for alt-ac careers. I can't blame the faculty entirely; they simply do not know how to help you (us) for the current job market. I've said it on here before, but I would encourage any of you, if you have any doubt and ESPECIALLY if you're taking on debt, to explore other career options. I know lots of people with PhDs from top programs who are making (far) less than what their stipend paid. Good luck friends.

[Taorluath34]

Alrighty. I submitted all my applications on Thanksgiving because I wanted to "submit in a spirit of gratitude." Ha. Ha.

Looking forward to obsessing on this thread in a couple of months. Wishing the best to everyone. 

Programs: Harvard, Boston U, UVA, Stanford, Princeton, U of U

[AghaDehlawi]

 

On 6/12/2021 at 10:48 PM, cdhtrigger said:

Were you denied to the programs you applied to? I was denied entry to both programs I applied to last year. This year I will be applying to two PhD programs in Religious Studies specializing in Islam.

You need to cast your net far and wide, 2 is just not enough. I graduated from an ivy league university, with a 3.9 GPA and LORs from 3 of the best Islamic studies professors out there. It still took me 3 cycles of applying to get in somewhere.

[MKPolicy]

I've just wrapped up  four of my six pending applications. So far I've submitted to Notre Dame, Yale, Princeton, and Duke. Harvard and Oxford remain.

My sub field is Moral Theology/Religious Ethics.

I did find out from Notre Dame during a graduate school info session that the theology department does conduct interviews and those notices go out in late January typically. Duke holds interviews as well.

In any event, we are getting closer

[bigsh]

3 of 4 applications in. Waiting to talk to one more school. Hopefully everything is wrapped up by next week (the outstanding application has a Jan 2 submission date). Still waiting on recommendations all over the place though. I need to get back to thesis writing since any offer would be contingent on finishing this degree first. I'll be happy to get back to work soon.