Religious Studies

About

Doctor of Philosophy in Theology
Master of Arts, Pastoral Ministry
Master of Arts, Theological Studies
Certificate, Campus Ministry
Post-Master's Certificate, Campus Ministry
Certificate, Disability and Ministry
Doctoral Certificate, Marian Studies
Graduate Certificate, Marian Studies
Certificate, Pastoral Care

Marian Studies

The International Marian Research Institute (IMRI) is no longer offering pontifical degrees and has transitioned to its new home in the College of Arts and Sciences. Faculty from former IMRI programs and the Department of Religious Studies have collaborated to create new offerings in Marian Studies.

Jana Bennett, Chairperson
Elizabeth Groppe, Masters Programs in Theological Studies and Pastoral Ministry Committee Chair
Vince Miller, Doctoral Program in Theology Committee Chair
Amy Doorley, Graduate Studies Coordinator

The Department of Religious Studies offers two graduate programs leading to the Master of Arts: theological studies and pastoral ministry. A third program leads to the Doctor of Philosophy in theology. The distinctive research focus of the doctoral program is the practices/praxis of Catholicism as it is inculturated in multiple ways in the United States context. Master's and doctoral students join with their professors to form an ecumenical community that integrates the study of the classical disciplines of Christian theology with attentiveness to the multicultural and interdisciplinary dimensions critical to the contemporary study of religion. Intensive study of Roman Catholic traditions remains central to each graduate program. Both the master's and doctoral programs include basic requirements and allow students flexibility in the remainder of their course selection to ensure that their graduate studies serve their desired outcomes, whether in pursuing further academic work or securing placement in professional ministry.

Our two MA programs are offered both online and face-to-face, as well as part-time and full-time, for maximum flexibility.

Assistantships and Scholarships

Qualified applicants are eligible for financial assistance in the form of assistantships for master's students and assistantships or fellowships for doctoral students. Awards are determined on a competitive basis. Master's students receive tuition remission for 18 credit hours per year and an annual stipend. Doctoral students receive tuition remission for 18 to 30 credit hours per year and an annual stipend.

There are also scholarship funds for MA students on a competitive basis. These scholarships do not require on-campus residency and are available to part-time students.

Advising

The M.A. program director functions as the advisor for all incoming master's students. No later than the completion of the tenth semester hour of graduate credit, a student must formally choose an academic advisor from among the full-time religious studies faculty members who teach in the master's program or formally agree to have the M.A. program director of graduate studies continue as her or his advisor.

The Ph.D. program director (or the director's designate) functions as the initial academic advisor for all Ph.D. students. The Ph.D. program director assists students in first semester course selection and provides initial guidance in scheduling general examinations and selecting the five members of the general examination committee. The Ph.D. program director and coordinator of graduate studies report on advising activities for each student to the Ph.D. committee once per semester.

Doctoral students also work with a five-member general examination committee. The committee must include a faculty member from each of the core disciplines: history of Christianity, biblical studies, and theology/ethics. The committee determines whether the student passes or fails the three general examinations.

As soon as doctoral students determine their dissertation topics, they should choose, in consultation with the Ph.D. program director, a dissertation director from among the religious studies faculty members who teach doctoral seminars. The doctoral student, with the dissertation director's guidance, chooses a candidacy examination/dissertation committee. In addition to the dissertation director, this committee ordinarily consists of three religious studies faculty members who teach doctoral seminars and one member outside the department. This committee determines whether the student passes or fails the candidacy examination and reads and evaluates the dissertation.

The composition of both examination committees is subject to the approval of the Ph.D. program director and the Ph.D. committee.

Facilities

Master's and doctoral students have access to distinctive University of Dayton resources such as the Center for Leadership and Community, the Center for Catholic Education, the Institute for Pastoral Initiatives, and the Marian Library.

Religious studies master's students may take courses in the International Marian Institute through Summer 2019. Interested students should consult with their academic advisor for further information.

Disciplines

College of Arts and Sciences

Requirements

Entry Requirements

Application requirements, entry terms and deadlines vary by program. To find specific information on application requirements please review the details of your chosen program.

We will accept admission documents through email. Please email your documents as .pdf attachments in a single email message to [email protected].

Most programs will require:

Application - Submit either the graduate application or doctoral application, based on the degree program you plan to pursue.

Letters of recommendation - A recommendation form will be sent directly to the individual(s) listed on the application. Alternatively, letters may be sent to [email protected] directly from the recommender.
A personal statement / writing sample - uploaded to the application.
Transcripts from previously attended institutions. The record must include dates of attendance, all subjects studied, and grades earned or marks achieved on examinations. These credentials must be in the original language (as issued) and accompanied by a certified English translation if the documents are not in English.
Proof of English Proficiency - Scores should be sent directly to the University of Dayton from the testing center using code 1834.
F-1 and J-1 students - You must provide a letter of financial support and a bank statement showing sufficient funds to cover the first year of study.
- If you have dependents, a copy of their passport(s) and additional proof of funding of $3,210 USD per dependent and $5,090 USD for a spouse.
Applicants to the Master of Finance - STEM, Ph.D. in Theological Studies, Master of Professional Accounting, selected master's program within the School of Education and Health Science, Ph.D in Aerospace Engineering, and the Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering may require a graduate entrance exam, such as the GRE or GMAT. Scores should be sent directly to the University of Dayton from the testing center using code 1834.

Documents must be sent directly from the institution to the address below:

Office of International Admission
University of Dayton
300 College Park
Dayton, OH 45469-2713

Please note: If your institution is able to provide an e-transcript, please direct them to send the official link to [email protected]. Please be aware, this does not include scanned, photocopied or emailed documents.

English Requirements

PTEMin 60
IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

Fee Information

How to Apply

To apply, submit the application for your desired degree program:

Graduate application (for master's degree programs and graduate certificates).
Doctoral application (for Ph.D. and D.E. programs)

Once your application is complete, the admission evaluation and review process takes approximately 6-8 weeks for most programs. However, the process may take longer in certain programs.

When completing your address on your application, your permanent address must be your home country address, even if you are currently residing in the United States. Your mailing address should be the current location where you are residing. Do not list the United States address of a friend or relative.

You can check your application status at any time by visiting your application portal. You may also contact our office with questions at [email protected].