Progress to Degree

The Ph.D. in Religious Ethics is designed to be completed in five years, corresponding to the five full years of funding given to each student admitted to the program.

A typical course toward the degree is as follows:

Years 1 and 2: Three to four courses each semester , taken within the Religious Studies Department and in other departments and schools throughout the university as appropriate; optional preparation of one or more questions and bibliographies for qualifying examinations; regular participation in the Religious Ethics Colloquium.

Note: It should be remembered that all language requirements not already met must be completed during the first two years of course work but no later than the beginning of the third year of the program. By rule of the Graduate School, students must be certified in German and French (or other approved language(s)) before being allowed to register for the fall semester of the third year (i.e., term 5).

Year 3: Preparation and completion of the qualifying examinations; participation in and presentation to the Religious Ethics Colloquium; teaching fellowship; preparation of the dissertation prospectus.

     - End of the second week of the Fall semester: Preliminary examination topics/bibliographies due to faculty examination board.
     - Eighth week of the Fall semester: Final examination topics/bibliographies due
     - Two weeks prior to written examinations: Faculty examiners formulate questions, which are compiled by the ADGS
     - Spring break or early May: Written qualifying examinations
     - April/May: Oral qualifying examination
     - Summer: Preparation of dissertation prospectus

Note: By rule of the Graduate School, the dissertation prospectus must be approved by the department before registering for term 8 (i.e., before the beginning of the spring semester of the fourth year). Thus the dissertation colloquium and approval of the dissertation prospectus is to be done no later than the fall semester of the fourth year (term 7).

Year 4: Dissertation colloquium and approval of dissertation topic, research and writing of the dissertation; regular participation in the Religious Ethics Colloquium; teaching fellowship.

Year 5: Research and writing of the dissertation; regular participation in the Religious Ethics Colloquium; dissertation fellowship.