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PhD applications for 2013-2014 chit chat...


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Posted

That is higher, but considering the cost of living is probably twice as high as most places, that stipend is actually not that great. 

Posted

That is higher, but considering the cost of living is probably twice as high as most places, that stipend is actually not that great. 

 

Indeed. I think Yale's is comparable to Harvard's, yet New Haven would be substantially less to live in.

Posted
I met with the director of the program early last week, and it seemed to me that the committee had not yet made their decision.  He said that they usually have more applications for systematic theology than any other program.  Unlike the other schools, however, they do not divide admission decisions by department since the overall program is so small.  So, NT applications are in the same pool as theology.  He said that they will probably be able to fund five or six students this year.  Good luck!
Thanks for the info, this is quite helpful. I assume you are also applying, but in systematics? I guess it doesn't matter if there are six spots. Still, I would imagine that they have to diversify their acceptances to balance the teaching loads. It make me feel like I have less competetion, even if it's not true. In related news I got a call from a Dallas area code this afternoon and my heart stopped. I only saw the call after I missed it. No voicemail. Assuming it was probably a telemarketer I called back just few minutes later to be sure. I was greeted by a female voice, "Religious Studies Department." Hoping for the best I stammered, "Yes, I just received a call from this number. My name is . . ." "Ah yes. I was calling to see if you could send your writing sample because we didn't have it for the committee meeting today. But, then I found it and placed it in your file." I didn't know what to say. "Oh, . . . so there is no need for me to resend it?" "No everythign is fine. Thank you." "Thank you. (?)" END CALL I learned that SMU is meeting to make decisions and I would assume we can see some results this week based on results from years past. Does this information look good for me, neutral, or bad??? I'm obsessing over it so I thought you all could join me.
Posted

That is higher, but considering the cost of living is probably twice as high as most places, that stipend is actually not that great. 

 

Indeed. I think Yale's is comparable to Harvard's, yet New Haven would be substantially less to live in.

 

Makes sense. Thank you, both! 

Posted
Does anyone know what the average stipend for doctoral students in religious studies is? Or at least, the range? Many schools don't list their stipend amount on their websites. I'm assuming that this is a relatively high number compared to other programs...?
Harvard's stipend is as high as I've ever heard. Yale, also, is very high. I think most top-tier programs in the US offer something close to $15,000 - 20,000 a year, give or take. However, as some folks have already mentioned the cost of living is a significant factor. At Baylor for example, the $17,000 a year stipend is enough to live on in Waco, TX and I know a number of grad students who can even afford to purchase homes. Some programs, on the other hand, have varying degrees of funding like Marquette where offer for tuition only funding are given to PhD students they want but cannot afford to offer full funding, but I think that is less common. I believe ND stipend is a little less than $20,000 a year and Duke's is probably comparable. UVa is something like $18,000 a year.
Posted

I know one person posted about it, but are there any more ethics people that have heard about acceptances/rejections from Loyola Chicago?

Posted

Emory recently upped their base stipend to $20,000/year, although for certain subdisciplines and awesome applicants it is possible to get a top up fellowship of a couple thousand dollars on top of that.

Posted

BU Ancient Christianity does around 21k (+ health insurance, etc.), which as 11Q13 mentioned, for Boston, is a bit tough!  However, it does allow for 4 years of fellowship and only one year of TA, as well as the possibility of making an extra 15k in years 4 and 5 teaching courses at the STH or MET college.  When I was working things out way back when (2 years ago), I figured it out that with the exceptions of ND, Emory and Yale, a lot of stipends more or less even out, even if the 'gross' amount is more for some places.  One thing to consider though...if you have a spouse, some places can be a lot harder for them to find a job than others (I am here thinking of New Haven, our previous city - a small city packed with overqualified people and precious few decent jobs). Boston is an expensive city, but my wife found a pretty nice job in a month of searching here, as in one where I don't spend any of my stipend except for books and supplies!

Posted (edited)

Places like Princeton and Harvard offer basic stipends between $27-28,000, which can then be increased through top-up prizes or diversity fellowships. For instance, the President's Fellowship at Princeton provides an extra $3,000, paid in a lump sum at the beginning of the first semester, on top of the basic stipend. One of the other Princeton advantages is that you don't have to work for your money; it's all guaranteed, five years including five summers of support.

Edited by Lux Lex Pax
Posted

So, has anyone else who applied to Duke religion still not heard anything (i.e. no interview, no rejection, no waitlist)?

Same here Ubi charitas, no interview, no waitlist, no calls, no rejection- just limbo. Applied to Religion and Modernity track. I'm thinking about emailing the secretary today, but, it's awkward, you know?

Posted

Same here Ubi charitas, no interview, no waitlist, no calls, no rejection- just limbo. Applied to Religion and Modernity track. I'm thinking about emailing the secretary today, but, it's awkward, you know?

Well, I finally got my rejection yesterday evening. It's still wierd that I didn't get it when everyone else did.

 

I suppose it wouldn't hurt to contact the secretary, but I'm guessing you'll just some sort of vague answer, like, "We're still in the process of notifying applicants..." or something like that.

Posted

Impatiently awaiting my rejection from Loyola....  <_< 

it could just be the ethics people that were contacted.  i don't know about the NT people...

Posted

it could just be the ethics people that were contacted.  i don't know about the NT people...

I know, I know. It's just...we're getting close now. I can feel the heat (whether the warmth of acceptance or the burning of rejection). 

Congrats if that was your acceptance, though!

Posted

Does anyone know what the average stipend for doctoral students in religious studies is? Or at least, the range? Many schools don't list their stipend amount on their websites.

 

I know at Harvard GSAS, they list their typical stipend for the humanities to be $26,796.

http://www.fas.harvard.edu/home/content/graduate-school-arts-and-sciences-gsas 

 

I'm assuming that this is a relatively high number compared to other programs...?

 

This site gives an idea for cost of living in different cities. BTW UNC is $15500.

 

http://money.cnn.com/calculator/pf/cost-of-living/

Posted

I know, I know. It's just...we're getting close now. I can feel the heat (whether the warmth of acceptance or the burning of rejection). 

Congrats if that was your acceptance, though!

 

it could just be the ethics people that were contacted.  i don't know about the NT people...

 

I know about one acceptance and one rejection into the ethics program. I still haven't heard anything. They could just be sending them out at random...I'm not so sure. I've only heard from these two individuals and otherwise, I don't know of anyone else that has been accepted or rejected. Don't lose hope!

Posted

I know about one acceptance and one rejection into the ethics program. I still haven't heard anything. They could just be sending them out at random...I'm not so sure. I've only heard from these two individuals and otherwise, I don't know of anyone else that has been accepted or rejected. Don't lose hope!

i don't know how to quote body politics too but basically i just talked to the admin asst.  they only accept two people in ethics. 

Posted

i don't know how to quote body politics too but basically i just talked to the admin asst.  they only accept two people in ethics. 

Eh, I'm NT anyway. This was just the first notification I've seen from LUC's Theology dept, of which NT/EC is a subfield. My results may be coming soon...or, you know, not. I'm just antsy.

Posted

Another Drew acceptance today. Anyone know which subfield? 

Does anyone know anything about Drew at all, for that matter? How many people they accept, if they give stipends? The website is a little cagey about that.

Posted

Eh, I'm NT anyway. This was just the first notification I've seen from LUC's Theology dept, of which NT/EC is a subfield. My results may be coming soon...or, you know, not. I'm just antsy.

 

I'm just hoping I can restock my liquor cabinet before my next rejection comes through. I'm down to less than one bottle of Bourbon.

Posted (edited)

This just came to me as fitting for our situation. Feel free to draw your own conclusions to characters and themes in this dramatic scene from our childhoods. 

 

Edited by Majlin
Posted

This just came to me as fitting for our situation. Feel free to draw your own conclusions to characters and themes in this dramatic scene from our childhoods. 

 

Haha! That is unfortunately quite apt.

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