Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

Students affiliated with the Graduate School of Theology are able to pursue a Ph.D. through the Graduate Theological Union (GTU), the largest consortium of interreligious and interfaith scholarship in the U.S. This advanced academic degree is intended to prepare students for professional careers in teaching, writing, and scholarship, as well as leadership opportunities with religious organizations, social service agencies, foundations, museums, libraries, publishing, and in educational institutions.

The doctoral program includes areas of study that utilize the depth of faculty expertise made possible by the union of the nine member schools, affiliated centers, and institutes.

Students applying to enter the Ph.D. program at the GTU are able to choose their fields of study from among more than thirty concentrations grouped into four interdisciplinary departments:

• Sacred Texts & Their Interpretation: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament, Hindu Sacred Texts, Islamic Sacred Texts, New Testament, Rabbinic Literature
• Historical & Cultural Studies of Religion: Anthropology of Religion, Art and Religion, Buddhist Studies, Christian Spirituality, Comparative Religion, History of Christianity, Hindu Studies, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, New Religious Movements, Religion and Literature, Sociology of Religion
• Theology & Ethics: Aesthetics, Christian Theology, Comparative Ethics, Comparative Theology, Ethics, Hindu Theology, Islamic Philosophy and Theology, Philosophical Theology, Theology & Science
• Religion & Practice: Homiletics, Liturgical Studies, Missiology, Practical Theology, Religious Education

To apply to the program, students must have a Master of Divinity or a Master of Arts degree in theology, religion, or a closely related field, and a bachelor’s degree from a fully accredited institution. 

Helpful Links at The GTU

GTU doctoral studies FAQs
How to apply to the GTU doctoral program