Ph.D. (Interreligious Studies)

Stage One: First-Year Seminars and Literature Review (18 Credits)

Students will complete four, 3-credit seminars during the first year of the program, and two, 3-credit literature reviews with their advisor. These courses are offered in a hybrid manner, with Fall and Spring semester two-week face to face intensive sessions, followed by hybrid synchronous sessions throughout the semester. For the hybrid synchronous format, students may be present in the classroom or remote.

The Research Methodology and Scholarly Development I and II seminars are focused on research design and culminate in the creation of a program research plan. 

The Methodological Studies in Jewish/Christian/Muslim Relations I and II seminars provide the necessary scriptural, historical, and theoretical foundations to support student identification of issues directly related their specific research interests.

Literature Review I and II are taken under the direction of the student’s faculty mentor. This requirement is intended to demonstrate broad mastery of the literature relevant to the student’s specific research and the identification of an opportunity for an original contribution to research along with the theoretical or conceptual framework(s) the student expects to use in making this contribution.

Stage One culminates in a program research plan and two comprehensive exams based upon the chosen field of research and methods of approaches to the religious traditions, which can be completed in the Spring of Summer sessions. All students are expected to register for a full-time course load in the first year and residency during this stage is recommended, but not required. However, all students are required to be present on campus for two weeks in the Fall semester and two weeks in the Spring semester for the required seminar intensive sessions and for face-to-face advising sessions with faculty.

Stage One Curricular Overview

• Fall Semester (9 credits)
  • Research Methodology and Scholarly Development I (PHD-900, 3 credits)
  • Methodological Studies in Jewish/Christian/Muslim Relations I (PHD-906, 3 credits)
  • Literature Review I (PHD-908, 3 credits)
• Spring Semester (9 credits)
  • Research Methodology and Scholarly Development II (PHD-901, 3 credits)
  • Methodological Studies in Jewish/Christian/Muslim Relations II (PHD-907, 3 credits)
  • Literature Review II (PHD-909, 3 credits)

Stage Two: Initial Tutorials and Language/Methods Courses (18 Credits)

In stage two, students begin to refine their research plan and conduct the building blocks of their research projects, completing two tutorials and two methods/language courses.

Tutorials are directed writing projects that are customized to fit the student’s specific research focus and are supervised by HIU faculty or external faculty whose expertise matches the focus of the tutorial. Students will complete four tutorials total (6 credits each) through the program. These tutorials represent the building blocks of the student’s research. Tutorials provide the opportunity to engage the wider literature and use the research methods appropriate to their research plan. The outcome of a tutorial is usually a final paper between 40-60 pages in length. In some cases, with the agreement of their advisor, students may substitute the first two tutorials with credited graduate courses at HIU or BTI-affiliated institutions. The total number of credit hours taken for course work must equal 6 credit hours for each tutorial.

The Methods/Language Courses (9 total credits throughout the program) are customized to fit the students research plan and pre-program language competency. Scholars need linguistic tools to deal with primary sources and secondary scholarly literature to pursue the research. Students are required to acquire or demonstrate linguistic proficiency at the needed level of advanced level research in at least two languages. Students may take language courses at partner institutions (usually at the intermediary level) or pass a language comprehension exam. Those students with prior language skills and knowledge and will not need to complete one or more language requirements and may petition for Advanced Standing. The language requirements must be completed before the student’s research proposal defense.

In some cases, the student may choose to pursue focused and extensive engagement with a particular method or analytical approach related to their research. In these cases, the methods courses are expected to go beyond the methods literature and give students the opportunity to put their research skills into practice. Both the focused methods and language courses can be fulfilled via independent study or through graduate classes offered at HIU or the BTI in particular methodologies or languages.

Stage Two Curricular Overview (1 year full-time, or 2 years part-time)

• Fall (9 credits)
  • Tutorial I (6 credits)*
  • Language/Methods I (3 credits)
• Spring (9 credits)
  • Tutorial II (6 credits)*
  • Language/Methods II (3 credits)

*Or two 3-credit graduate level courses.

Stage Three: Comprehensive Exams and Dissertation Proposal Defense (6 credits)

Following the first round of Tutorial and Language/Methods coursework, students will be expected to complete their Comprehensive Exams and to defend a Dissertation Proposal. 

Stage Three Curricular Overview (1 year)

• Fall (3 credits)
  • Comprehensive Exams (3 credits)*
• Spring (3 credits)
  • Dissertation Proposal (3 credits)*

*Students are considered to be enrolled full-time with a credit load of 3 credits per term in Stage Three when enrolled for their Comprehensive Exams and, then, in the subsequent semester, the Dissertation Proposal Defense.

Stage Four: Advanced Tutorials and Teaching Portfolio (18 credits)

Students cannot proceed to Stage Four until their Comprehensive Exams are passed and the Dissertation Proposal is approved. Thereafter, in Stage Four, students will continue with their Tutorials and will begin to assemble their teaching portfolio. The teaching portfolio (3 credits) will consist of a written teaching philosophy, evidence of pedagogical training, sample course syllabi, and experience as a TA or instructor. 

Stage Four Curricular Overview (1 year full-time, or 2 years part-time)

• Fall (9 credits)
  • Tutorial III (6 credits)
  • Language/Methods III (3 credits)
• Spring (9 credits)
  • Tutorial IV (6 credits)
  • Teaching Portfolio (3 credits)

Stage Five (12 credits)

After passing the proposal defense, the student will move on to the dissertation stage of the program. Dissertations should be approximately 80,000-100,000 words, excluding bibliographies. Students will register 6 dissertation credits each in the first and second semester and will register for a 0-credit dissertation defense. Students who have not defended their dissertation by the end of the second semester will need to register for a dissertation continuation as they continue to work on the dissertation until it has been defended. Students are allowed up to a total of two years to complete and defend their dissertation. Students are allowed up to a total of seven years to complete the program.

Stage Five Curricular Overview (1-2 years)

Year Four

• Fall
  • Dissertation Writing I and II (6 credits)*
• Spring
  • Dissertation Writing III and IV (6 credits)*
  • Defense (0 credits)

*Students are considered to be enrolled full-time with a credit load of 6 credits per term during their Dissertation Writing registration period in Stage Five. 

Students will acquire:

• comprehensive knowledge in their chosen discipline of study
• skills and competence to teach in these subjects in religious communities and academia
• ability to produce original research and written works to advance the scholarship for the benefit of religious communities, academy, and society

These learning objectives will be assessed through a Ph.D. portfolio which includes supervised teaching at the graduate level and significant engagement with a community of scholars.

Application Deadline:

Completed Phase 2 applications are due by January 31st.

Application Process- Phase 1:

Research Proposal: an approximately 2,000 word proposal that includes the topic and scope of a proposed research project, including the proposed faculty member with whom the applicant wishes to undertake advanced level research. Once a  faculty member has given preliminary approval of the proposal, the Office of Admission will send applicants the link to the full Ph.D. application.

To start your application, please click on the blue “Apply Online” button at the top of our Web site or, for mobile viewers, the “Apply” button at the bottom. Detailed instructions are listed there.  

Application Process- Phase 2

All completed applications will be reviewed by the Ph.D. Committee. Applicants are required to have earned the Master of Arts in Religious Studies, Master of Theology, Master of Divinity, or an equivalent post-graduate degree from an accredited institution, prior to their enrollment into the program.

The following materials are required:

1. Prior Education: Official transcripts from all previous institutions must be submitted to the Admission's Office.  Applicants are required to present transcripts in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. 
   
   NOTE: Students with non-U.S. transcripts are required to submit evaluated transcripts completed by a credential evaluation service. We recommend Spantran as the most economical option for transcript evaluation. HIU will be notified directly when the transcript evaluations are completed.
    
2. Writing Sample: a sample scholarly paper, thesis, or other publication.
    
3. Approved Research Proposal: Applicants must resubmit their approved research proposal from the Phase 1 process.  
    
4. References: three academic letters of recommendation.
    
5. English Language Proficiency: Students who do not have English as a first language, or as a primary language in previous academic studies, are required, prior to application, to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) examination and achieve a minimum score of 550 (written version), 213 (computer version) or 80 (internet version), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and achieve a minimum score of 6.5, or the Duolingo English Test (DET) and achieve a minimum score of 110 (or demonstration of completion of a previous degree in the English language).