Top programs in early Christianity?

[Macrina]

I'm starting to think about applying in 2014 or 2015, any suggestions for where I should look?

Also, I've been wondering about Duke: what's happening now that Elizabeth Clark is retired? Has she been replaced? And how is the overall strength of their faculty without her?

[AbrasaxEos]

As others haven mentioned, you really have to decide what and where you want to study.  Some places have great resources and profs for studying certain topics and areas, and are tremendously weak on others.  Further, it will help to narrow down the kind of approaches you find most compelling and comfortable working in.  Looking around a bit on here would give you a decent idea of what people perceive of as the top programs in this field.  I won't pretend that places like the Ivies, Notre Dame, Duke, etc. are well-known, highly-respected programs.  This is borne out by their placement (for the most part) and the degree of selectivity they can maintain.  Further, they also tend to have the most robust resources in terms of libraries, faculty breadth, and funding.  All of these are important.  Everyone claims that "I just want a basic job doing what I enjoy," but the truth is that not everyone that claims this will actually get to do it.  Some people will adjunct for 5 years, for 15 years, or for the rest of their lives, hate what they do, and wish they had never changed their major from Chemistry to Religious Studies.  The program you go to and what you make of it have a lot to do with the ability or inability to do so.

 

On the flipside, different programs might have different merits.  I am under no delusions that my own program is in the "top" anything but maybe 25 programs in the US (a bit of skewed scale as there are probably about 35 total PhD-granting Religious Studies programs worth the time it takes to get a degree at).  However, it is a program that was a perfect fit.  I had a chance to go to a program that people probably would have considered in the top 10 or something, but after visiting I knew that I wouldn't have liked it that much.  I didn't like the general methodology, I felt like my "fit" there was a bit awkward (which was odd because this often knocks one out of the running), and the requirements were enormously rigid.  Most of the people in that program had placements though, all in bible belt schools, and all more or less as "bible" professors.  It just wasn't for me.  So, all of this is to say that you have to weigh the merits of the schools you are interested in.  If you like philology, traditional historical-critical scholarship, etc. there are a number of "top" programs that will do these things very well.  If you prefer theory, method, comparative work, etc. there will be some different programs that would suit you better.  If you want to work on some theology and intellectual history alongside historical material, yet others will be your best choice.  In the end, I think my best advice is, whatever you choose, don't pay a penny for your PhD.

Edited November 9, 2013 by AbrasaxEos

[Lux Lex Pax]

That's great advice, AbrasaxEos. I would also like to add that, although most people who go into academia are passionate about the subject matter, many find the academic life difficult for a variety of reasons. I know plenty of people in the "most competitive" programs who hate it there and would rather go work at a church or go into some other field. All that to say that even those who get into their dream program aren't always happy or successful, so we need to be realistic about what outcomes we would be happy about or deem successful - this goes for everyone in the "most competitive" programs to those at schools that place mainly at community colleges, small state schools, religious liberal arts colleges, etc.

[Macrina]

Thanks, people. I appreciate the detailed responses.

I would also still be interested in a couple of suggestions for places with strong programs in early Christianity or similar.

And, does anyone know what's up with late antiquity at a Duke now? It's always been 'on the radar' but I'm unclear about the program now that their biggest name has retired.

[sacklunch]

Macrina, I may be able to help. Shoot me a PM with questions about Duke's late antiquity folks. 

[Macrina]

Macrina, I may be able to help. Shoot me a PM with questions about Duke's late antiquity folks.

Done! Thank you!