Best Ethics Divinity Programs

[misterrager]

Hi everyone,

I recently applied to many of the top tier Divinity and Seminary programs for Fall 2017 for either a M.A. M.A.R or M.T.S. I have already received acceptances to Candler and BU's M.T.S programs. I was curious if anyone can shed some light on which schools have the strongest programs in Theological and Philosophical Ethics and Philosophy of Religion. Which schools would prepare me best for a Phd in Ethics? Is the two year M.T.S truly enough time for adequate doctoral preparation?

 I believe I am a pretty competitive applicant and I hope and pray more acceptances/funding comes through.

Ultimately where I go is going to have a lot to do with funding and financial aid, but I really want to be in a place where I can thrive in the best program that will prepare me for doctoral work. (I am not going to lie and say prestige isn't also a factor).

 

Edited February 20, 2017 by misterrager

[Rabbit Run]

My two cents:

Not an exhaustive list--and one focused on Christian Ethics/Moral Theology--but I think Emory/Candler, Yale, Duke, Princeton Seminary, Notre Dame, University of Virginia, and Union Seminary have the strongest faculties.

Congrats on getting in to BU! I  think BU has a lot going for it. David Decosimo is excellent in my humble opinion, and you'd be able to work the BTI to work with Mark Jordan, Lisa Cahill and others. (Once heard an ethics prof say he thinks people should consider BU tier one for religion, and that he's confused its not )

As far as M* programs specifically, its harder to say what is best. Yale's MAR is a good small prepatory program. Notre Dame's MTS is SUPER competitive and will put you on a great trajectory if you can get in. I've heard anecdotally that Duke Divinity's MTS has a fair bit of requirements. UVA's Masters looks great but doesn't have internal funding (but there is ample external funding if you're Episcopalian/willing to work with them), Princeton Seminary's MA(TS) is relatively new and the MDiv will arguably gives you better preparation (simply because the MDiv doesn't have too many reqs and gives you an extra year). 

Edited February 21, 2017 by Rabbit Run

[Adonalsium]

It really depends on what you specifically want to study within ethics. Do you have a sense of which topics?

[rheya19]

Check out UChicago, too.

[Marcion]

http://divinity.yale.edu/academics/degree-and-certificate-requirements/concentrated-master-arts-religion-mar/ethics-0

If you want to talk someone at YDS, I can help.

[misterrager]

1 hour ago, Adonalsium said:

It really depends on what you specifically want to study within ethics. Do you have a sense of which topics?

Yes, I would love to study ethics and the implications within eco theology. Basically I would like to apply theological and philosophical ethical concepts of Christianity towards understanding our ecological responsibilities within a paradigm of mass environmental degradation. I also want to consider exploring comparative ethics/theology between Christianity and Buddhism (Or maybe even Indigenous Religious Practices which are highly ecological in nature) in order to gain a holistic perspective that can be enhanced by interfaith research. 

I know many professors in academia have expertise in philosophical and ethical concepts which is extremely attractive to me considering I am incredibly interested in both fields. I really want to use this masters programs to discern the very core of my interests which can be very confusing and broad at times. 

Thanks for the help

[misterrager]

37 minutes ago, Marcion said:

http://divinity.yale.edu/academics/degree-and-certificate-requirements/concentrated-master-arts-religion-mar/ethics-0

If you want to talk someone at YDS, I can help.

I applied to the MAR Comp because i didn't have adequate undergraduate preparation in the field. Ive heard that the MAR Comp is a little less competitive than the MARc. I also hear it is possible to switch from comprehensive to concentrated after a year or so of study? 

[misterrager]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Run said:

My two cents:

Not an exhaustive list--and one focused on Christian Ethics/Moral Theology--but I think Emory/Candler, Yale, Duke, Princeton Seminary, Notre Dame, University of Virginia, and Union Seminary have the strongest faculties.

Congrats on getting in to BU! I  think BU has a lot going for it. David Decosimo is excellent in my humble opinion, and you'd be able to work the BTI to work with Mark Jordan, Lisa Cahill and others. (Once heard an ethics prof say he thinks people should consider BU tier one for religion, and that he's confused its not )

As far as M* programs specifically, its harder to say what is best. Yale's MAR is a good small prepatory program. Notre Dame's MTS is SUPER competitive and will put you on a great trajectory if you can get in. I've heard anecdotally that Duke Divinity's MTS has a fair bit of requirements. UVA's Masters looks great but doesn't have internal funding (but there is ample external funding if you're Episcopalian/willing to work with them), Princeton Seminary's MA(TS) is relatively new and the MDiv will arguably gives you better preparation (simply because the MDiv doesn't have too many reqs and gives you an extra year). 

This is extremely helpful thank you! Would you say BU is on par with big names such as Harvard, Yale, and Chicago? Do their graduates often get placed in top tier Phd Programs?

[Marcion]

7 minutes ago, misterrager said:

I applied to the MAR Comp because i didn't have adequate undergraduate preparation in the field. Ive heard that the MAR Comp is a little less competitive than the MARc. I also hear it is possible to switch from comprehensive to concentrated after a year or so of study? 

 

Yes you can but the funding for the MAR Comp is usually 50% not 75% (which is the typical package). But yeah changing is very easy, just have to get a staff member to support you and explain why you want to change. We have the MARs changing all the time.

[misterrager]

1 minute ago, Marcion said:

Yes you can but the funding for the MAR Comp is usually 50% not 75% (which is the typical package). But yeah changing is very easy, just have to get a staff member to support you and explain why you want to change. We have the MARs changing all the time.

Are you familiar with the strength of the new Faith & Ecology program? I assume the foundation of many concentrate courses would be highly ethical in nature. 

[Marcion]

Just now, misterrager said:

Are you familiar with the strength of the new Faith & Ecology program? I assume the foundation of many concentrate courses would be highly ethical in nature. 

It is a brand new problem, so we have not tested it yet but it the product of a lot of work with the Forestry School (https://environment.yale.edu/). Students are expected to take classes at both, and yes, ethics are involved. But like most of the MARs, they are pretty flexible:

http://divinity.yale.edu/academics/degree-and-certificate-requirements/concentrated-master-arts-religion-mar/religion-and

At least fifteen credit hours must be taken in the area of religion and ecology, as well as six credit hours from the School of Forestry.  In addition, fifteen credit hours of study in Bible, theology and/or history are required, with a minimum of three credit hours of each.

It allows a good mix but we shall have to see what happens.

[misterrager]

3 minutes ago, Marcion said:

It is a brand new problem, so we have not tested it yet but it the product of a lot of work with the Forestry School (https://environment.yale.edu/). Students are expected to take classes at both, and yes, ethics are involved. But like most of the MARs, they are pretty flexible:

http://divinity.yale.edu/academics/degree-and-certificate-requirements/concentrated-master-arts-religion-mar/religion-and

At least fifteen credit hours must be taken in the area of religion and ecology, as well as six credit hours from the School of Forestry.  In addition, fifteen credit hours of study in Bible, theology and/or history are required, with a minimum of three credit hours of each.

It allows a good mix but we shall have to see what happens.

Something really draws me to YDS, at times I wonder if I am competitive enough even for the comprehensive MAR. Prayers up, I hope to hear back soon!

[Adonalsium]

1 hour ago, misterrager said:

Yes, I would love to study ethics and the implications within eco theology. Basically I would like to apply theological and philosophical ethical concepts of Christianity towards understanding our ecological responsibilities within a paradigm of mass environmental degradation. I also want to consider exploring comparative ethics/theology between Christianity and Buddhism (Or maybe even Indigenous Religious Practices which are highly ecological in nature) in order to gain a holistic perspective that can be enhanced by interfaith research. 

I know many professors in academia have expertise in philosophical and ethical concepts which is extremely attractive to me considering I am incredibly interested in both fields. I really want to use this masters programs to discern the very core of my interests which can be very confusing and broad at times. 

Thanks for the help

I would check out books or articles from various persons of interest at each program.

For example, find something to read by Norman Wirzba (and possibly Ellen Davis) at Duke Divinity. Willis Jenkins at the University of Virginia is doing interesting, very different but nevertheless theo-ethical environmental work. @Rabbit Run has named some other people to look at as well. 

Most of the programs you applied to should have a strong religion department or access to one at a nearby institution. That will be important if you want to do comparative religions. Seminaries might not have someone internal who does that kind of work but divinity schools should in the broader university.

[Rabbit Run]

1 hour ago, misterrager said:

Yes, I would love to study ethics and the implications within eco theology. Basically I would like to apply theological and philosophical ethical concepts of Christianity towards understanding our ecological responsibilities within a paradigm of mass environmental degradation. I also want to consider exploring comparative ethics/theology between Christianity and Buddhism (Or maybe even Indigenous Religious Practices which are highly ecological in nature) in order to gain a holistic perspective that can be enhanced by interfaith research. 

I know many professors in academia have expertise in philosophical and ethical concepts which is extremely attractive to me considering I am incredibly interested in both fields. I really want to use this masters programs to discern the very core of my interests which can be very confusing and broad at times. 

Totally second Norman Wirzba at Duke and Willis Jennings at UVA; probably the two most important Christian ethicists working on environmental issues. Excited to hear about Yale's program in this regard as well.

Princeton Seminary is trying out some of this stuff with its Farminary Project (http://farminary.ptsem.edu), and Stacy Johnson regularly teaches a class on Environmental ethics. Most of the reflection on the environment at PTS (outside of the farminary) seems to be in the Hebrew Bible and Practical Theology departments rather than theology/ethics.

Other ideas given your interests:

Wesley Wildman at BU should be able to help with the philosophy. Lisa Cahill works with ecology with some of her stuff on globalization; she's at Boston College so you could work with her through BTI if you were at BU or HDS.

If you want to jump the pond, Michael Northcott at Edinburgh is a big name in environmental ethics.

Elizabeth Johnson at Fordham does a lot with ecology.

Claremont School of Theology seems to have a lot to offer at least on the philosophical aspects given the influence of John Cobb and Process thought

[Rabbit Run]

12 hours ago, misterrager said:

This is extremely helpful thank you! Would you say BU is on par with big names such as Harvard, Yale, and Chicago? Do their graduates often get placed in top tier Phd Programs?

Tough to say. As far as reputation the hard answer is probably no in terms of ethics: people don't usually consider it in that top level with the Ivies, Duke, Chicago etc. However, I want to challenge that, and I anticipate BU will be a bigger player in years to come give some new hires. BU is considered top for Practical Theology alongside a couple other programs (and on a historical note, in the 50s and 60s BU was one of the handful of places you wanted to be in theology alongside Yale, Chicago, and Union).

Aside from "name recognition," I honestly don't know enough people at BU to know much about their PhD placement. Most of my knowledge come from a grad of my program whose teaching there. I met someone in ethics at Boston College who did a Masters at BU but thats about it. I'd reach out to a couple profs in ethics and ask about PhD placement

That said, if they offer you good funding then seriously consider it. They have good faculties, institutional resources, and the unique situation of being in the BTI, all of which could make its a good place for a Masters.