Christian and other religious schools for grad school?

[Alyspeechie]

Hi everyone, I am considering applying to a TCU and ACU next cycle. However, they and some other schools I am interested in are private Christian schools. I am not Christian and don't know what to expect. However, these schools are within my GPA and GRE score range. Does it matter in this field where you go to grad school? How is the quality of education at private Christian schools? Are you expected to learn about the faith in your coursework? Any input would be helpful!!

[CajunSLPWannabe]

TCU was originally a religious school but it is not really anymore. ACU is VERY religious though. ACU I have heard is similar to BYU. There is a dress code to class and super conservative. 

[sjoh197]

My mother went to a private christian college. If you are not religious... it may be a bit difficult for you to fit in with your peers, depending on the school. There is often a dress code... not just to class but just for being on campus. My mother was required to wear heels, stockings, and a long dress or skirt every day. Apartments on campus were monitored. No one of the opposite gender was allowed to stay the night. 

Also... the classes were obviously very incorporating of the religion. 

If this is something you are considering, I would definitely think about whether you are prepared mentally to deal with a "culture" that you don't actually associate with. I personally couldn't do it, but then again, I am very anti-religion, which you are obviously not.  

[Crimson Wife]

Grad students are typically exempt from having to take theology courses unless you're getting a degree in something ministry-related. You should probably check to see if you'd be required to sign a code of conduct, and if so, what it contains.

[sjoh197]

24 minutes ago, Crimson Wife said:

Grad students are typically exempt from having to take theology courses unless you're getting a degree in something ministry-related. You should probably check to see if you'd be required to sign a code of conduct, and if so, what it contains.

I second researching the code of conduct requirement... if ACU or any of the other schools you are looking at are indeed similar to BYU, you could have to sign codes stating you will not drink, smoke, etc (not just on campus, but anywhere), or engage in any form of premarital sex. and some will even ban you from going to R-rated movies. The list goes on.

If this is not your lifestyle, it's definitely something to think about. 

[Lsabs]

When I was accepted to TCU, they sent me a list of the courses I would take each semester and none of them were religion courses. 

[EESpeechie]

I applied to TCU and never got the vibe that they were overly religious. I went to a catholic high school and had a few friends go there and none of them were that into religion and seem to be doing just fine. 

When I spoke to Saint Mary's College, I was told that the whole chapel thing was really for undergrads and that graduate students aren't really that involved in campus ministry. I got the same vibe from Saint Louis University. 

[dude_diligence_]

15 hours ago, Alyspeechie said:

Hi everyone, I am considering applying to a TCU and ACU next cycle. However, they and some other schools I am interested in are private Christian schools. I am not Christian and don't know what to expect. However, these schools are within my GPA and GRE score range. Does it matter in this field where you go to grad school? How is the quality of education at private Christian schools? Are you expected to learn about the faith in your coursework? Any input would be helpful!!

I would say that the religiosity of a Christian university manifests itself differently depending on the group that founded the institution. Most places are usually divided into two camps: those that actively foster a spiritual atmosphere (e.g., campus chapels, theology courses) and those that treat their religious dimensions like vestigial organs (nice to have but not necessarily central to their mission). From a denominational perspective, Catholic universities tend to operate differently than say Protestant bible colleges. Since the caliber of a university depends on a variety of factors, not all Christian universities offer the same quality education per se so they all can’t really be lumped together. 

From my undergrad experience at Notre Dame, I came to see the value of a holistic approach to education, a sort of spiritual uniformity of academia with curricula and research aimed at and ordered to a common Truth (my Philosophy major is probably showing haha). Of course, not everyone at ND is religious (which is most likely the case at other faith-based universities) so you can still come to appreciate the diversity of perspectives regardless of the spiritual atmosphere (which doesn’t necessarily have to be a hindrance either way). Every applicant is different so that’s why selecting a grad program with the right fit is pretty important.

@EESpeechie, yeah, I never got the impression that SMC was overly religious. While things like dorm/Basilica Masses or trips to the Grotto are common at ND and SMC, everyone is pretty much able to participate if they choose. It’s definitely pressure free.

[thespeechblog.com]

I attended a public university for undergrad and I will be attending a public university for grad school as well. I really believe in public education (sorry to say public so many times).

Even if the university´s coursework is not overly religious, I would be concerned with supporting the overall mission and values of the university. I have heard many first-hand accounts for example, from staff members at religious schools that are "encouraged" (read: coerced) to sign documents professing their agreement with stances (against abortion, marriage equality, or other controversial topics). Regardless of how I feel about any of those issues, I don´t think anyone should be asked to sign away their beliefs in exchange for a paycheck. If I were considering attending a religious school, those kind of considerations (while not directly affecting my graduate education) would heavily affect my conscience. 

I say all this recognizing that their are religious schools that don´t do that; in fact, I´m sitting at my desk inside of a catholic middle school right now. I don´t agree with all of the beliefs of the school or Catholic church, but I am allowed to respectfully disagree without having my job threatened.