Theology (PhD)
The study of religion has been called a “field-encompassing field” (Clifford Geertz) in that the understanding of religion involves many disciplines. The PhD in Theology at Loyola emphasizes interdisciplinary engagement, drawing on historical, linguistic, philosophical, sociological, and literary methods, in addition to the core materials and texts of the fields of Systematic Theology, Christian Ethics, or Biblical Studies. Loyola University’s doctoral program in theology is designed for those who envision a career primarily in teaching and scholarly research at an advanced level. We offer two specializations.
In our Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology (ISET) specialization, students give particular attention to the ways in which theology (historical and systematic) and Christian ethics intersect with and influence one another in particular thinkers and with respect to concrete theological and ethical questions.
The New Testament and Early Christianity specialization concentrates on the New Testament and closely related texts in their historical, cultural, and religious context. The interpretation of texts involves the use of a variety of methods, both literary and historical. While studying the New Testament in its multifaceted reality, students explore the fascinating history and culture of contemporary Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds, the richness of the Jewish Scriptures, and the challenging diversity of Second Temple Judaism.
CURRICULUM
The PhD in Theology can be pursued in one of two areas of study: Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology or New Testament and Early Christianity.
Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology Requirements
The PhD in Theology with a concentration in Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology requires 30 credit hours of coursework, two research tools (typically two modern languages), a comprehensive examination, and dissertation. Students must complete a master's degree (30 credit hours) before entering the PhD program; the courses listed below are required for the PhD.
The program in Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology (ISET) represents an effort to rethink the riches of the Christian theological tradition to meet the intellectual, societal, and ethical challenges that confront humanity in the 21st century. In their studies and research, students give particular attention to the ways in which Christian theology and ethics interrelate and mutually inform one another.
ISET-ETHICS Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ISET Seminar 1 | 6 | |
| Five Courses in Christian Ethics | 15 | |
| Foundations Crititical Issues Theological Ethics | ||
| Natural Law & Theological Ethics | ||
| Feminist Issues in Theology and Ethics | ||
| Issues in Medical Ethics | ||
| Seminar in Christian Ethics | ||
| Directed Readings Christian Ethics | ||
| Fundamental Issues in Christian Ethics | ||
| Roman Catholic Ethics | ||
| Religious Ethics and Social Theory | ||
| Christian Social Ethics | ||
| Issues Applied Theology Ethics | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| One Course in Historical or Systematic Theology | 3 | |
| Christology | ||
| Mystery of God in Christian Theology | ||
| Seminar in Systematic Theology | ||
| Directed Reading in Systematic Theology | ||
| Philosophical Theology | ||
| Phenomenology of Religion | ||
| Contemporary Theology | ||
| Seminar in History of Theology | ||
| Directed Readings in History of Theology | ||
| Religion & Politics in Christian History | ||
| Seminar - Variable Titles | ||
| Christian Doctrine-Catholic Theology | ||
| Contemporary Authors | ||
| One Course in Biblical Studies | 3 | |
| Tutorial in Biblical Studies | ||
| Topics in Rabbinic & Medieval Literature | ||
| History of Israel | ||
| Formation of The Pentateuch | ||
| Basic Hebrew Grammar | ||
| Hebrew Exegesis | ||
| Theological Prophets-Ancient Israel | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Directed Reading in Bible Studies | ||
| Directed Reading in Bible Studies | ||
| The Synoptic Gospels | ||
| Luke-Acts & New Testament Church | ||
| St Paul's Contribution to Christianity | ||
| Person of Jesus in New Testament | ||
| Gospels in Early Christianity | ||
| Early Christian Letters | ||
| Latr Nt-Subapost Writ | ||
| Cultural-Religious Environment Early Christianity | ||
| Various Community Early Christianity | ||
| One Graduate-Level THEO Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Students in the Graduate School who write a dissertation must complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship . This course is recommended prior to completing the dissertation proposal.
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The ISET seminar is taken during the Spring semester of the first two years of PhD coursework. Please consult with the GPD regarding the courses which will fulfill the ISET requirement.
ISET-THEOLOGY Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ISET Seminar 1 | 6 | |
| Five Courses in Historical or Systematic Theology | 15 | |
| Christology | ||
| Mystery of God in Christian Theology | ||
| Seminar in Systematic Theology | ||
| Directed Reading in Systematic Theology | ||
| Philosophical Theology | ||
| Phenomenology of Religion | ||
| Contemporary Theology | ||
| Seminar in History of Theology | ||
| Directed Readings in History of Theology | ||
| Religion & Politics in Christian History | ||
| Seminar - Variable Titles | ||
| Christian Doctrine-Catholic Theology | ||
| Contemporary Authors | ||
| One Course in Christian Ethics | 3 | |
| Foundations Crititical Issues Theological Ethics | ||
| Natural Law & Theological Ethics | ||
| Feminist Issues in Theology and Ethics | ||
| Issues in Medical Ethics | ||
| Seminar in Christian Ethics | ||
| Directed Readings Christian Ethics | ||
| Fundamental Issues in Christian Ethics | ||
| Roman Catholic Ethics | ||
| Religious Ethics and Social Theory | ||
| Christian Social Ethics | ||
| Issues Applied Theology Ethics | ||
| One Course in Biblical Studies | 3 | |
| Tutorial in Biblical Studies | ||
| Topics in Rabbinic & Medieval Literature | ||
| History of Israel | ||
| Formation of The Pentateuch | ||
| Basic Hebrew Grammar | ||
| Hebrew Exegesis | ||
| Seminar | ||
| Directed Reading in Bible Studies | ||
| The Synoptic Gospels | ||
| Luke-Acts & New Testament Church | ||
| St Paul's Contribution to Christianity | ||
| Person of Jesus in New Testament | ||
| Gospels in Early Christianity | ||
| Early Christian Letters | ||
| Latr Nt-Subapost Writ | ||
| Cultural-Religious Environment Early Christianity | ||
| Various Community Early Christianity | ||
| One Graduate Level THEO Elective | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 30 | |
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The ISET seminar is taken during the Spring semester of the first two years of PhD coursework. Please consult with the GPD regarding the courses which will fulfill the ISET requirement.
Language Requirements
Students who want to pursue the specialization in Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology must be able to demonstrate a reading knowledge of French, German, or Spanish before matriculation into the doctoral program. They must demonstrate a reading competency in one of the other two modern languages (or, in the case of Theology, a language pertinent to the intended dissertation topic) before the beginning of their third year of doctoral study.
New Testament and Early Christianity Requirements
The New Testament and Early Christianity specialization concentrates on the New Testament and closely related texts in their historical, cultural, and religious context. The interpretation of texts involves the use of a variety of methods, both literary and historical. While studying the New Testament in its multifaceted reality, students explore the fascinating history and culture of contemporary Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds, the richness of the Jewish Scriptures, and the challenging diversity of Second Temple Judaism.
The PhD in Theology with a concentration in New Testament and Early Christianity requires 36 credit hours of coursework, demonstrated competency in four languages (Greek, Hebrew or Latin, and two modern languages), a comprehensive examination, and dissertation. Students must complete a master's degree (30 credit hours) before entering the PhD program; the courses listed below are required for the PhD.
Required Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| 500-level Biblical Studies | 15 | |
| Directed Reading in Bible Studies | ||
| The Synoptic Gospels | ||
| Luke-Acts & New Testament Church | ||
| St Paul's Contribution to Christianity | ||
| Person of Jesus in New Testament | ||
| Gospels in Early Christianity | ||
| Early Christian Letters | ||
| Latr Nt-Subapost Writ | ||
| Cultural-Religious Environment Early Christianity | ||
| Various Community Early Christianity | ||
| One Course in Systematic Theology | 3 | |
| Christology | ||
| Mystery of God in Christian Theology | ||
| Seminar in Systematic Theology | ||
| Directed Reading in Systematic Theology | ||
| Philosophical Theology | ||
| Phenomenology of Religion | ||
| Contemporary Theology | ||
| Seminar in History of Theology | ||
| Directed Readings in History of Theology | ||
| Religion & Politics in Christian History | ||
| Seminar - Variable Titles | ||
| Christian Doctrine-Catholic Theology | ||
| Contemporary Authors | ||
| One Course in Ethics | 3 | |
| Foundations Crititical Issues Theological Ethics | ||
| Natural Law & Theological Ethics | ||
| Feminist Issues in Theology and Ethics | ||
| Issues in Medical Ethics | ||
| Seminar in Christian Ethics | ||
| Fundamental Issues in Christian Ethics | ||
| Religious Ethics and Social Theory | ||
| Christian Social Ethics | ||
| Issues Applied Theology Ethics | ||
| Directed Readings | ||
| Select Five Electives 1 | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
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Two (2) of the five (5) electives may be used for language remediation if needed.
Language Requirements
Students who want to pursue the specialization in New Testament and Early Christianity must be able to demonstrate a reading knowledge of Greek and either French, German, or Spanish before matriculation into the doctoral program. They must demonstrate a reading competency in Hebrew or Latin and one additional language before the beginning of their third year of doctoral study. German must be one of the modern languages. Modern languages courses taken to fulfill this requirement do not count towards the degree.
Comprehensive Exams
All PhD students complete comprehensive doctoral exams.
The doctoral exam for Integrative Studies in Ethics and Theology takes place over three days. The first two days of comprehensive exams cover the student’s area of focus, either Ethics or Theology, but the third day is integrative. Each student chooses one of two options: to compare two figures in depth - one working primarily in Christian ethics and one working primarily in Theology or Bible; or to focus around a particular theme and propose authors working on this theme to read and prepare
The New Testament and Early Christianity written exams take place over three days. Day one consists of translation, textual criticism, and exegesis of a Greek text from the NT or other early Christian literature. Day two consists of questions related to a large cross section of reading outside the New Testament from 200 BCE to 200 CE. Day three consists of material chosen by the student as their "minor area" and is usually preparation for the student's dissertation research. These three days of writing are followed by an oral defense, usually during the week following the written exams.
Dissertation
Students will develop a dissertation field within their specialization. Following the successful completion of doctoral examinations and the portfolio requirement, students will make a presentation of their dissertation proposal to a dissertation committee, which will include the dissertation director and at least two other faculty members acquainted with the research areas of the dissertation.
Following approval of the dissertation proposal and the successful completion of all other degree requirements, students are admitted to PhD candidacy. Once students have advanced to candidacy, they will enroll in THEO 600 Dissertation Supervision each semester to maintain standing with the Graduate School while completing their research and writing the dissertation.
The PhD dissertation must be completed, approved by the designated committee members, and successfully defended orally at a public defense.
Responsible Conduct of Research
All PhD students and students in thesis-based Master's degree programs must successfully complete UNIV 370 Responsible Conduct in Research and Scholarship or other approved coursework in responsible conduct of research as part of the degree requirements. It is strongly recommended that students complete this two-day training before beginning the dissertation/thesis stage of the program.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
Doctoral Program, Objectives, Criteria, and Assessment
The objectives for the doctoral program, and the criteria by which we propose to assess them, include the following:
- Train students to develop sophisticated knowledge of theological traditions and disciplines.
- Train students to produce high-quality, original research.
- Mentor students to develop pedagogical excellence.
- Prepare students for positions in academic, ministry, non-profit, and other venues.
- Forward the Jesuit mission and identity of Loyola University Chicago.
OBJECTIVE 1: Train students to develop sophisticated knowledge of theological traditions and disciplines.
CRITERIa:
- Excellence in coursework
- Successful passage of comprehensive exams
- Successful defense of dissertation
ASSESSMENT:
- The Department has a standard process of oversight through the GPD, the advisors and exam committees.
- Comprehensive exams, written and oral, based on the rubrics found in the Appendices, must be passed by all doctoral students (see Appendix 17: Theology Department Comprehensive Exam Rubric for Ph.D. in ISET and Appendix 18: Theology Department Comprehensive Exam Rubric for Ph.D. in NT/EC).
- In the research and writing phase of the dissertation assessment takes place under the close and formalized supervision of the director and readers.
OBJECTIVE 2: Train students to produce high-quality, original research.
CRITERIA:
- Doctoral curriculum
- Mentoring of students’ scholarly research
- Scope and methods of research and dissertations
- Publication record
ASSESSMENT:
- Taught and mentored by internationally and nationally recognized faculty, doctoral students begin training in research during the coursework portion of their program. They receive guidance in researching and writing scholarly papers, and they are offered numerous extracurricular lectures, colloquia, advanced seminars, individualized reading and research opportunities, etc. Doctoral students on assistantships serve as research assistants to the members of the graduate faculty.
- Under supervision and mentoring of faculty, doctoral students develop their own research, often emerging from their coursework, which they present at national and international conferences.
- The department’s students engage in wide-ranging topics of theology and ethics, history, and biblical studies. The Loyola Theology Department distinguishes itself from peer institutions by its commitment to interdisciplinary methods, integrating biblical, theological and ethical reflection with literary theory, social and political theory, or medical sciences, among others. The interdisciplinary, interreligious, intercultural, and international focus is reflected in the Loyola students’ interests.
- Many of our students have a strong record of publishing peer-reviewed articles, and/or chapters in edited books, even before graduation. Some students have served as co-editors of books with faculty members. A significant number of dissertations produced by our graduates are later published as monographs; since 2011, at least 27 of our PhD graduates have had their dissertations published; the rate has increased significantly over the previous ten years. Several students have been awarded external prizes and internal and external fellowships, including a Fulbright. (See Appendix 19: Information on Recent Graduates of the Loyola University Chicago Department of Theology Doctoral Program.)
OBJECTIVE 3: Mentor students to develop pedagogical excellence.
CRITERIA:
- Pedagogical training and experience
- Teaching excellence
ASSESSMENT:
- Pedagogical training is integrated into the doctoral course of study. All doctoral students participate in two theological pedagogy courses. Most of our doctoral students serve as teaching assistants for at least two semesters, offering support to full-time faculty members teaching core, in offering lectures, running discussion sessions, and in grading. Most after completion of doctoral exams teach one or more sections of courses offered to our undergraduates. All doctoral students on assistantship take the Teaching Effectiveness Seminar through the Graduate School during the year in which they begin teaching as a teacher of record, and all those who are serving as a teacher of record for the first time are assigned a full-time faculty member as a teaching mentor, to help guide syllabus and curriculum preparation (see Appendix 20: Theology and Religious Studies Pedagogy).
- Teaching excellence is promoted and assessed via departmental practices: all teachers of record are evaluated by their students, and their faculty mentors perform classroom visits and provide evaluations.
OBJECTIVE 4: Prepare students for positions in academic, ministry, non-profit, and other venues
CRITERIA:
- Strength of mentoring relationships between faculty and students
- Strength of professional development programs for students
- Reasonable time to completion of doctoral degree
- Placement record of graduates in various career paths
ASSESSMENT:
- Through intense and strong mentorship, the high ratio of graduate faculty to students, and three endowed chairs whose teaching obligations are dedicated primarily to the doctoral program, students gain sophisticated mastery of theology, ethics, and / or New Testament & Early Christianity studies; and they are prepared to become experts in their field of specialization. The quality of mentoring is assessed through written reports by students and faculty and through regular section meetings.
- The main professional development occurs across the entire range of coursework, exam preparation and dissertation research and writing. In addition, we offer workshops on publishing and on presenting papers at conferences and we strongly support our students’ membership in national and international academic societies (AAR, CBA, CSBR, CTA, CTSA, SBL, SCE, SE etc.).
- The Department of Theology has significantly reduced its average time to degree completion in the years 2013-2017, compared to the previous five-year period (2008-2012). However, in previous years the department admitted not only students with full fellowships, but also unfunded and part-time students. Some of these took much longer to complete their degree. (See Appendix 19: Information on Recent Graduates of the Loyola University Chicago Department of Theology Doctoral Program.)
- In a changing job market, the doctoral program recognizes our graduates need to be prepared for academic careers while enabling them to pursue alternatives to a tenure-track position in a university. Therefore, careers such as non-profit management, publishing, academic administration, or leadership positions in healthcare, and ministry are receiving more attention than in the past. (See Appendix 21: Department of Theology Placement Statistics, Ph.D. Program, 2013 – 2018.)
OBJECTIVE 5: Forward the Jesuit mission and identity of Loyola University Chicago
CRITERIA:
- Contribution of doctoral programs
- Contribution of department’s widespread support of Jesuit identity and mission
ASSESSMENT:
- The Jesuit Order is committed to a broad range of values: social justice, solidarity, and ecological sustainability. Doctoral level courses stress these commitments, and the department encourages and engages students in multiple services that resonate with the Jesuit mission, both on and off campus. Some of our graduates have gone on to teach in Jesuit universities and colleges, and at least two currently serve as chairs of AJCU departments of theology. In the last few years a number have taken teaching positions at Jesuit high schools.
- Our department’s faculty contribute to numerous programs across the university that support the Jesuit mission, such as the Peace Program, Environmental Studies, Human Rights of Children, and Bioethics. Our faculty are responsible for the core teaching of Catholic theology as well as religious studies. The engagement with diverse cultures, Christian confessions, and religions of the world has long been a hallmark of the Jesuit mission. Our doctoral students share this vision and are trained in translating it into their research and teaching.