FAQs
Doctoral
1. What is the difference between a Ph.D. and a Th.D.?
The Ph.D. is the highest degree awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) at Harvard University and the Th.D. is the highest degree awarded by the Faculty of Harvard Divinity School. Both programs are administered by the Committee on the Study of Religion, a standing committee of the FAS.
Both the Th.D. and the Ph.D. programs are intended to prepare persons primarily for teaching and research in religion. In many respects, students in a particular field, e.g. theology, would follow almost the same course of study for specialization in that field whether in the Ph.D. or the Th.D. program. Students in both programs work with faculty members from both the Divinity School and the FAS, and take courses in both faculties.
While similar in many ways, there are minor differences between the two doctoral programs, namely in requirements for admission, in funding, in courses of study available, and in a few general program requirements. These are detailed in answers to questions below and in the program descriptions that are part of this website.
2. What is required for application to a doctoral program?
- A statement of purpose of 1000 words, detailing what you wish to pursue in a doctoral program.
- Transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate programs attended.
- Recommendations from three faculty members who can speak to your academic capabilities.
- GRE's. The basic exams (verbal, analytical, and math), but not any specialty exams, are required. Be sure to find out the schedule of GRE testing in time to have scores sent to Harvard by the end of December, or at the latest, early January. Exam scores can be no older than 5 years.
- TOEFL scores are required for all non-native English speakers who have not received a degree from a university or college in which English is the language of instruction.
- A writing sample is NOT required, but we welcome relatively brief papers. Please note that there is only one application period. There are no admissions for spring term.
3. Is a master's degree required for application to the doctoral programs?
For the Ph.D., while a master's degree is not a requirement, it is a distinct advantage in the application process, and in fact, most students admitted to the Ph.D. program have already earned master's degrees. The background gained from one or two years of study beyond the undergraduate level allows a student to enter a doctoral program prepared to do the advanced work required for a Ph.D. It is important to add, however, that students with an undergraduate record of high quality and extensive academic preparation relevant to their proposed plan of study may be admitted with only a B.A.
An M.Div. or an equivalent degree is required for admission to the Th.D. program. If you have a question about whether your degree would be considered equivalent, please contact Th.D. Administrator, Kathryn Kunkel (617-495-7884, kathryn_kunkel@harvard.edu).
4. Can I apply to both the Ph.D. and the Th.D.?
Yes, if you have an M.Div. (or equivalent) which is required for the Th.D. There is no disadvantage in applying to both programs (assuming you have viable proposals for each). While the same faculty members review both Ph.D. and Th.D. applications, admissions is done separately, so that whether one is admitted to one program has no bearing on the chances of being admitted to the other.
5. What is most important in the application process?
It is very important that you write a clear and informative personal statement. You should be able to talk in some detail about your academic interests, what led you to them, and what you envision the focus of your program at Harvard to be. As much as possible, you should familiarize yourself with the faculty and resources at Harvard in your proposed area of study. Reviewers of your application will look for a good "fit" between what you want to do and what Harvard has to offer.
Academic preparation is also extremely important, and reviewers will look for courses on your transcripts which indicate that you have the background necessary to do the program for which you are applying. In particular, for those fields requiring knowledge of one or more foreign languages, you should have evidence of a year or more of study of at least one of the languages. For example, study of Sanskrit prior to admission would be crucial for anyone applying in Hinduism.
Recommendations from faculty familiar with your academic work are crucial as well. When deciding whether to get a reference from a more senior or renowned professor who may not know you well, or from a more junior faculty member who does know your work and your capabilities, it is best to choose the latter. Reviewers of your application are looking for assessments of your academic achievement and future potential, so it is most important to hear from those who best know your work. Personal references, such as from employers or family friends, are discouraged.
While there is no minimum required grade point average or GRE scores, these are nonetheless other important components of your application. Applications missing GRE scores will be reviewed, but will be at a disadvantage.
6. What about financial aid?
All admissions decisions are made without knowing the financial need of the applicants, so that financial status plays no role in the assessment of one's suitability for admission.
Typical offers to admitted Ph.D. students include five years of tuition, two years of stipend, two years of guaranteed teaching fellowships, a stipend for summer study after the first and second years, and a final year dissertation completion grant. For Th.D. students, a typical offer includes six years of tuition and three years of stipend. A fourth year of stipend is offered after a student's prospectus is passed. In addition, teaching fellowships are available for students in the third year of the program and beyond.
7. In addition to Harvard's financial aid, are there other fellowships available?
Yes. Once you are a student, you are eligible to apply for a range of fellowships at various stages in your program, for example, summer language study grants, traveling fellowships for research abroad, other research grants, and dissertation completion fellowships. There are some differences in the fellowships available to Ph.D. and to Th.D. students.
8. What are the opportunities for teaching?
Students are encouraged to acquire teaching experience as part of their doctoral programs. There are many teaching assistant positions available for courses in the Divinity School and in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences. In addition, the undergraduate program at Harvard provides a unique opportunity for graduate students to work as junior and senior tutors with small groups or individuals majoring in religion. Every effort is made to give students the best information for securing these teaching positions. Doctoral students may teach from their third year on.
9. What is the average length of doctoral programs in the Study of Religion?
Program guidelines stipulate that students should complete their degrees in seven years. Some students may complete their doctoral programs sooner. Various factors, such as language study or research abroad, will affect the length of a student's program.
10. What about the job market for graduates from the doctoral programs?
Currently the job market in religious studies is quite strong. Graduates of both the Ph.D. and Th.D. programs have been very successful in securing positions teaching in colleges, universities, and seminaries.