Doctor of Theology (Th.D.)

Denominational Studies

Description

The degree of Doctor of Theology has been designedspecifically for those ministry professionals who wish to pursue advanced studies relevant to their own particular denomination including theology, denominational history, liturgy, ecclesiology, polity, hymnody, and spirituality. The uniqueness of this specialized doctorate is that the entire residency requirement must be fulfilled in Oxford, England.

Time Frame and Tuition

The Th.D. takes a minimum of two years to complete and must be completed within no more than seven years.

Tuition: $7,250.00
Thesis Supervision: $1,200.00
Thesis Processing: $550.00
Graduation: $100.00

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate degree or equivalent validated by a transcript.
Master of Divinity degree or equivalent validated by a transcript.
Five years of accumulated experience in a cognate field of ministry or vowed religious order and five years of accumulated experience in a cognate field of ministry.
Completion of the Application Procedure.

Orientation

Residency and Research Papers

The student completes eight Units of Study at Oxford University’s Summer Programme in Theology. A research paper of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages) must be submitted for each Unit of Study. Research-based papers should focus upon the required readings for the course. The paper should be footnoted with bibliography and suitable for submission to a scholarly journal for publication consideration. Research papers should be analytically reflective regarding the relevance of each Unit’s content to the exercise of the student’s ministry. Papers are evaluated by the Foundation’s faculty and an acknowledgement letter is sent to the student. If further development of the paper is deemed necessary, the student will be notified. All academic work must be completed by February 1 of the intended year of graduation.

NOTE: For Paper Guidelines, please Click Here.

Language Requirement

In instances where the doctoral thesis topic requires competency in one or more languages as determined by the Thesis Supervisor, the student must produce either a transcript of two academic semesters of language courses or some other means of demonstrated competency to the satisfaction of the Thesis Supervisor and the Office of the President. Thesis Proposal The student will submit a thesis proposal to the Foundation. This will be the first working document generated from the relationship between the student and the Thesis Supervisor. The proposal will include a brief description of the proposed thesis, a working title and a brief bibliography.

Doctoral Abstract

The Th.D. candidate must submit a 750-1,250 word (3-5 page) overview of the thesis at least three months prior to sitting for the oral defense.

Thesis

After completing all coursework, candidates undertake the research and writing of a doctoral thesis of 45,000-60,000 words (180- 240 pages) in their field of specialization. It must be clearly a work of original academic scholarship making a contribution to the field of specialty. At the time the subject is submitted for approval by the Foundation faculty, the candidate should have already nominated a Thesis Supervisor who will take responsibility for the guidance and oversight of the project. Upon receiving Thesis Supervisor endorsement, the candidate must submit three loose-bound copies of the thesis to the Foundation, one copy for permanent keeping by the Foundation.

In conformity with the basic commitment of the Graduate Theological Foundation to serve the ministries of the various ecclesial traditions through programs of advanced professional education, the Th.D. thesis, as the culminating work of the highest academic degree, must always significantly relate some aspect of ministry and must be an original and distinct contribution to the knowledge of a specific discipline or area of inquiry.

The thesis is shaped as a written work of original systematic research, which includes the substantive exposition of the theoretical basis and rationale of the subject, together with a demonstration of familiarity with the appropriate scholarly and professional literature. It should be noted that the written form of theses is to be in the style of actual scholarly publications; that is, the thesis as finally submitted is to be suitable for publication without being rewritten.

Thesis Style Statement

There are several internationally recognized dissertation styles acceptable in the academic community. In light of the fact that the Foundation has a rather large international student body, the Foundation has not adopted a single style form acceptable for thesis writing. The Foundation will, rather, accept any of the internationally recognized styles, given that the student consistently employs the same style throughout the writing of the thesis. Those most commonly used but not required include Turabian, MLA, APA, as well as others known and recognized universally.

Thesis Supervision

When degrees first began to be awarded by universities in the twelfth century in Bologna, Paris, and Oxford, the doctor’s degree was recognized as a universal authentication of scholarship. The doctorate was not earned by attending classes but by sustained residency and demonstrated scholarship. The credential was awarded by the faculty of the university on the basis of a thesis which was submitted by the candidate and followed by an oral defense of the document before the gathered academic community. Times have changed but much of the doctoral process has endured. The Graduate Theological Foundation requires a demonstration of academic research considered by the faculty to be an original work of scholarship and a contribution to the field. After the doctoral candidate has completed residency and language requirements (if required), the development of the thesis is initiated under the direct supervision of the Thesis Supervisor.

The Thesis Supervisor, in this style of learning, is specifically mandated to work closely with the candidate in the development of the thesis topic and through its evolving refinements leading to the finished product. The Thesis Supervisor is nominated by the candidate and approved by the faculty on the basis of academic qualifications at the doctoral level of training and experience. Though candidates are encouraged to look within the Foundation’s own faculty for thesis supervision, the Foundation honors the request of candidates who wish to select a Thesis Supervisor from outside our institution.

Option A: Students may select a faculty member of the Foundation to serve as Thesis Supervisor. This option enables the student to receive helpful and pragmatic evaluative feedback from a member of the faculty in the developmental process of producing the doctoral thesis. The role of the faculty Thesis Supervisor is responsive and suggestive. The faculty person is encouraged to limit feedback to pragmatically helpful hints and suggestions and not to attempt any censorship of the thesis. The exercise of discretion with respect to time demands is very important for both the student and faculty member. The faculty Thesis Supervisor must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Thesis Supervisor Report Form.

Selection of Faculty Thesis Supervisor and Nomination Procedure:

The student peruses the Faculty Details page and makes a selection.
The student completes the Faculty Thesis Supervisor Nomination Form 106 (Forms).
Student Services provides the nominated faculty member with Form 106.
The selected faculty member notifies Student Services of acceptance of student nomination.
Student Services informs student and faculty member of relationship approval and contact information is provided.

Option B: Students are at liberty to select a Thesis Supervisor who is not on the faculty of the Foundation. In that event, the Thesis Supervisor must hold a comparable degree to that being pursued by the student. The student must nominate the Thesis Supervisor by submitting a letter of nomination to the Foundation along with a C.V. of the nominee. The student is notified upon approval of the Thesis Supervisor by the Academic Affairs Committee. The Thesis Supervisor must give final approval of the student’s work by submitting the Thesis Supervisor’s Report Form.

Doctoral Oral Defense

While all research doctorates require a thesis, only the Ph.D. requires an oral defense. After the doctoral thesis has finally reached a state of completion under supervision such that the Thesis Supervisor is in full agreement that the research has demonstrated original scholarship and is a genuine contribution to the field, the candidate submits three physical copies of the thesis along with the thesis supervisor’s written affirmation of approval to the Foundation faculty. Upon receipt of the thesis by the Foundation, the candidate is required to book a date selected from the roster of available defense dates provided by the Foundation. The student must schedule the oral defense no sooner than three months and no later than six months from the date the doctoral thesis is submitted. The candidate comes to the Foundation to appear in a ninety minute oral defense before our faculty. Following the successful defense, the degree is awarded by the faculty to the candidate. Defenses may, by arrangement, also be scheduled in Oxford through the Office of Student Services in consultation with the Dean of Studies at Foundation House, Oxford. Defenses are also hosted in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to accommodate our Spanish-speaking students.

Graduation Requirements

Viewing of the Foundation's instructional Orientation video.
Completion of eight Units of Study at the Oxford University Summer Programme in Theology. Two summers of study are required; each summer four Units of Study are covered over two weeks. All eight Units of Study must be completed within a four year period.
Submission of a scholarly research paper of 1,750-2,500 words (7-10 pages) for each Unit of Study taken at Oxford which addresses issues relevant to the student’s denomination.
Fulfillment of language requirements if such have been determined by the Thesis Supervisor.
Approval of both the Candidate’s choice for Thesis Supervisor and the thesis proposal.
Submission of three loose-bound copies of a doctoral thesis of 45,000-60,000 words words (180-240 pages), with the approval of the Thesis Supervisor, and fulfillment of the Dissertation On Disc (DOD) requirement. (For DOD information, please Click Here.)
Submission of a doctoral thesis abstract and biographical statement.
Successful defense of the thesis before Foundation faculty in Indiana or at Oxford during the Summer Programme in Theology. (Students in the Th.D. program are not required to attend graduation.)