*Urgent* Could you help me choose right university for my PhD?(already received the letters of acceptance from both school!..)

[Hesed2023]

Hi,

I am an international student and of Asian descent, currently residing in the United States, but I am not a U.S. citizen. I completed my undergraduate studies in theology in South Korea and then earned an MDiv from a seminary in the United States. I am currently serving as a pastor here in the U.S. Starting in September, I am scheduled to begin a PhD program in Systematic Theology at the University of Aberdeen. I was looking for a distance learning option that would allow me to continue working at my church, and that’s how I found out about Aberdeen, where I will be under the supervision of Dr. Paul T. Nimmo.

However, very recently, through a friend’s introduction, I learned about Columbia International University (CIU) in South Carolina, USA. I discovered that CIU offers a fully distance-learning PhD in Theological Studies. This university is the first ATS-accredited school to adopt a European-style module, which means the PhD program can be completed in as little as three years. Moreover, the most significant factor is the cost: Aberdeen’s annual tuition is $30,000, amounting to approximately $90,000 over three years, whereas CIU’s total cost over three years is about $26,000. This makes CIU more than three times cheaper.

I applied to CIU in a hurry and was fortunately accepted, so now I have an acceptance letter from CIU as well. However, I’m unsure of what to do. Aberdeen and its faculty are quite renowned in the field of theology, but I had never heard of CIU before, and it seems to lack recognition and prestige. I might be wrong, but I’m not sure.

My ultimate goal is to become a theology professor in the U.S. or Korea in the future. I would greatly appreciate any advice you can give me on which university would be better for my PhD. Any guidance you could provide would be greatly appreciated!

[Leojames26]

Wow, that’s definitely a big decision, and it sounds like you’ve got two very different but strong options on your hands. Here’s what I’m thinking:

First off, Aberdeen is definitely well-known and respected in the field of theology, especially with the chance to work under someone like Dr. Paul T. Nimmo. The prestige of the school could give you an edge when applying for academic positions later on, especially if you're aiming to teach in the U.S. or Korea. However, the cost is a huge factor—$90,000 is a lot, and that kind of debt can weigh on you for years.

On the other hand, CIU’s PhD program being much more affordable is a major plus, and the fact that it’s fully distance learning aligns perfectly with your current role as a pastor. However, as you mentioned, CIU doesn’t carry the same level of recognition as Aberdeen. This could potentially impact your job prospects, especially if you’re looking to teach at a more prestigious institution.

Given your goal of becoming a theology professor, the decision really comes down to what you value more: the prestige and recognition of the Aberdeen degree, or the affordability and flexibility of CIU. If you think the connections and reputation you’d gain at Aberdeen would significantly boost your career, it might be worth the investment. But if avoiding debt and maintaining your current work-life balance is more important, CIU could be the better choice.

It’s also worth considering where you want to end up teaching—if you think your future employers will weigh the name of your alma mater heavily, Aberdeen could pull more weight. But if the focus will be more on your research, experience, and teaching abilities, CIU might be just fine.

In the end, it’s a tough call, but weighing the pros and cons of both options in light of your long-term goals should help clarify things. Good luck with your decision—I’m sure you’ll make the choice that’s right for you!

[xypathos]

13 hours ago, Hesed2023 said:

Aberdeen’s annual tuition is $30,000, amounting to approximately $90,000 over three years

That's Aberdeen's full-time rate. Aberdeen generally won't approve students for a distance PhD if they want to do it full-time, since the assumption is that you're working. If so, your tuition rate is only 50%.

That said, if you want to be a professor, regardless of tradition - Aberdeen carries far more weight than CIU. CIU is not readily known and the fact that they don't publish their placement info doesn't bode well. The second a Search Committee googles your degree and see that it was online, you're going in the trash can. There's far too many applicants to bother with an online PhD.

[Hesed2023]

2 hours ago, xypathos said:

That's Aberdeen's full-time rate. Aberdeen generally won't approve students for a distance PhD if they want to do it full-time, since the assumption is that you're working. If so, your tuition rate is only 50%.

That said, if you want to be a professor, regardless of tradition - Aberdeen carries far more weight than CIU. CIU is not readily known and the fact that they don't publish their placement info doesn't bode well. The second a Search Committee googles your degree and see that it was online, you're going in the trash can. There's far too many applicants to bother with an online PhD.

I was accepted as a full-time(3-year) program at Aberdeen. I switched my job to a part-time. 
Then, since Aberdeen is also a distance learning program, does that mean my competitiveness for a faculty position would end up in the trash can because it's an online PhD? Should I quit my job and go study on campus full-time instead?

[xypathos]

18 hours ago, Hesed2023 said:

Then, since Aberdeen is also a distance learning program, does that mean my competitiveness for a faculty position would end up in the trash can because it's an online PhD? Should I quit my job and go study on campus full-time instead?

It's going to be a tough market no matter what you do. Schools like Harvard and Yale are struggling to place graduates in tenure-track positions within religious studies/theology. I graduated from Emory and never even got an interview invite for a tenure-track position. That said, I knew I wanted to work as a priest and was happy doing that. I do have a guaranteed part-time job at the local flagship school and happy with that. A M* classmate went to Princeton and completely struck out in interviews but got a job teaching in the UK and has citizenship there now. Life finds a way.

That said, you could find a job with a distance PhD from Aberdeen - provided you're geographically and theologically open. You also might not be able to find a TT job and need to settle/start with church+academia.

If you have the financial means to be on campus and in the community, I'd always recommend that.