Brown - Religious Studies PhD?

[belichick]

I was talking to a fellow student who said that, though Brown offers a PhD in religious studies, they do not offer the same sort of graduate-level seminars that you'd see at other programs (e.g. Yale, Chicago). She said that their graduate-level coursework is essentially an undergraduate course with additional readings/papers for the graduate student. 

 

Does anyone have either more flattering or corroborating evidence of what life is like as a PhD at Brown?

 

[la sarar]

I heard from Prof. Kraemer that they have three levels of courses. So I guess the highest level ones are designed only for graduate students (I doubt that they have master students, so prob. doctoral students). One of their students told me that he liked that because it prevents beginning students to sit in the same classes with advanced students, so that the discussions can go more smoothly. 

 

But I'm not sure if they are seminars. To be frank I'm an international student and where I come from we don't have what is labeled as "seminars". I mean, for language courses or text-reading courses, there is naturally more discussion going on and, otherwise the instructor sort of dominates the discussion. I've audited one seminar at my institution now in the US, it seems to be a normal course with longer readings and longer paper assignments, plus a presentation. Perhaps it's because our professor likes talking a little more than others? I mean, I did not feel a big different between this one and the type of courses your described at Brown. 

[sacklunch]

I think this is more or less standard, especially at schools with less graduate students (since they don't have masters). I remember, for instance, that some of the courses at BC were like what you're describing. One semester when I was shopping around I sat in a Matthew course and there was something like 10 undergrads, 3 masters, and 4 PhD students. I didn't end up taking the class because, like you, it just seemed odd. I don't see how the professor could really engage the students on an equal playing field. Then again, I think courses like that are designed to do a lot of your own research (they did have a Greek reading part of the course for grad students, though).

 

cheers