Clarifying what Canadian programs are TT

[Guest]

So looking at the programs offered in Canada, I am finding it just a little confusing as to what programs are TT. I believe McGill is one such program. But then I get confused when it comes to the University of Toronto since the routes to an application can go in several directions. I know of the Faculty of Divinity, the School of Theology, and Wycliffe College. I don't get the impression that you get a degree from the "School of Theology," but that the degrees they facilitate are earned directly from a college like Wycliffe.

 

So, how does this work? This probably will help explain applications to places like Oxbridge as well.

[Kuriakos]

I don't know about all the details, but the University of Toronto is, at least from what I've seen, very highly regarded. 

[sacklunch]

As far as I know, the theological schools at Toronto are not officially part of U of Toronto in the same way that Oxbridge has individual colleges. That said, I rarely encounter a M* student from a Toronto theological school at a 'TT' American doctoral program (I don't think I have ever met one, though that means nothing...there may be plenty! Compared with the large number of U of Toronto Religion and/or Near Middle Eastern Cultures/NELC-y students...they seem to be everywhere and doing insanely well!). On the other hand, U of Toronto is a TT school world-wide, not just in Canada. I have always thought McGill was second. In our field, also, U of British Columbia is supposed to be very good. 

[trinitymatthew]

The doctoral program in the Toronto School of Theology is in a state of flux and reorganization. Historically, the way it worked was that one applied simultaneously to the Toronto School of Theology, the college of one's choice (Trinity, Wycliffe. Regis, St Michael's, Emmanuel, or Knox), and to a department of specialization (theology, Bible, history, or pastoral). One also chose a degree: ThD or PhD, which had the exact same requirements. The ThD is awarded by one's college and the University of Toronto. The PhD is awarded by the University of St Michael's College alone (as distinct from the PhD offered by the Centre for the Study of Religion in U of T's School of Graduate Studies). The debate among students has long been: is it preferable to have a ThD that comes from U of T, or a PhD from St Michael's? Each has its advantages; however, most students, especially recently, have chosen the St. Michael's PhD, as the ThD is considered a less desirable degree today than in decades past (when it was actually thought better/higher because it required a more than a BA, as opposed to some PhDs--but those days are past). So, if you see that someone has a PhD from St. Michael's in Toronto, you won't always know which college s/he was actually registered at. Often, one chooses that which most closely allies with her/his own denominational or theological sensibilities (ie, Jesuit for Regis, liberal Protestant for Emmanuel, evangelical or low Anglican for Wycliffe, liberal or high Anglican for Trinity, Presbyterian for Knox, RC for St Mike's; though, this is not universally true by any means).

 

The change is that the ThD is being phased out and a new PhD program has been developed and approved by TST and by U of T. It will again be jointly administered and common across the various colleges, but one will now be able to graduate with a PhD in Theological Studies (broadly understood) from one's college and the University of Toronto. This change has been a long time in coming and the answer of many prayers. Ironically, the requirements of the new degree will be fewer than the old program (fewer courses, fewer languages, fewer comps, but stricter time limits). The new program will start admitting students in Fall 2015, though those admitted to the ThD program this next year will be eligible to transfer in to the new program, too. They expect to admit fewer students than in years past.

 

TST has had one of the largest theological doctoral programs in North America, certainly in terms of numbers of students, also in terms of numbers of faculty, access to library resources, etc. It is one of the top 20 "feeder" programs for theological school faculty positions. But it can't match the financial aid of the other top programs. Some students will receive a full ride, while others won't. I was an American PhD student at TST and had tuition covered by a fellowship for 4 years, plus a bursary (grant) that gave a modest stipend and a TAship every year. My fifth year I was appointed an adjunct faculty instead of a fellowship. All financial aid comes from one's college and is determined by it (rather than by TST as a whole). Canadian students have significantly lower tuition and are encouraged to apply for generous Canadian government scholarship awards.

 

Finally, a word about the relationship of the colleges and TST to U of T. Three of the colleges are historic universities that were originally denominational competitors to the intentionally secular University of Toronto. They are the University of St Michael's College (Basilian Roman Catholic), the University of Trinity College (high church Anglican), and Victoria University (of which Emmanuel College is part--originally Methodist, now United Church of Canada). In the late 19th and early 20th century they each federated with the secular University of Toronto and suspended their right to grant degrees in subjects other than divinity/theology, though they continued to admit undergraduate students in conjunction with the wider University. St Michael's has exercised that autonomous right to grant degrees with the MA and PhD (the other two haven't, but could if they wanted). On the other hand, Wycliffe, Regis, and Knox were all established as theological colleges alone. The various schools came together to form the Toronto School of Theology in the 60s and 70s and established a relationship with the University of Toronto through which most degrees (such as the MDiv and MTS, as well as the ThM, ThD and DMin) are awarded conjointly by one's college and the University of Toronto. TST itself does not award degrees but coordinates programs, most especially at the doctoral level. MDivs and MTS programs are more college-based.   

 

Hope this helps. It doesn't say much about rankings, but gives an idea of how it all works and is evolving. In some lists TST is included as "top tier" in others not (but then some lists only include US programs). I would say that the access to resources and diversity of faculty is certainly top tier. Access to money, not so much. TST doctoral grads are found teaching on the faculties of Boston College, GTU, Marquette, Notre Dame, TST, Loyola Chicago, McMaster, Queen's (Canada), Vancouver School of Theology, Atlantic School of Theology, Bethel University, University of the South, Episcopal Divinity School, Emmanuel College (Boston), lots of other liberal arts colleges and seminaries.

[Guest]

trinitymatthew, you might have just produced the definitive resource for any considering doctoral work in Toronto. Thank you for your deeply informative insight. 

Edited May 6, 2014 by Windfish