Students may be admitted upon graduation from an accredited college with a baccalaureate degree or from an accredited seminary or graduate school with a post-baccalaureate degree. Ordinarily, students with only a baccalaureate degree are admitted to the M.A. program. Successful completion of the latter provides a foundation for doctoral studies but does not guarantee admission to the Ph.D. program. Students with an M.Div., M.T.S., or M.A. degree may be admitted directly to the Ph.D. program. Applicants with a B.A. degree are advised to consider not only the M.A. program in the Graduate School but also the two-year M.T.S. program in the Divinity School of Vanderbilt University as preparation for Ph.D. work.
Degree programs are offered in ethics and society; Hebrew Bible; historical studies; critical studies in Asian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions; homiletics and liturgics; Jewish studies (M.A. only at present); New Testament; religion, psychology, and culture; and theological studies. Interdisciplinary studies, both within religion and in other areas of knowledge, are encouraged. The study of religion is pursued both as a critical, humanistic discipline, employing a variety of methodological perspectives, and as a theological discipline, interpreting religions and their historical, theological, and ethical heritage.
The M.A. program is designed to enable students to explore personal interests or vocational options, to acquire a background for teaching at the secondary level, or to attain a foundation for further studies at the doctoral level.
Ph.D. programs are currently available in the following areas of major concentration: ethics and society; Hebrew Bible; historical studies; critical studies in Asian, Islamic, and Jewish traditions; homiletics and liturgics; New Testament; religion, psychology, and culture; and theological studies. Students applying to each of these areas may also apply for a fellowship from The Program in Theology and Practice (vanderbilt.edu/theology-and-practice/).
Certificate Programs are offered to students enrolled full-time in the M.A. or Ph.D. programs and are available in two areas: (1) Jewish Studies (offered through the interdisciplinary program in Jewish Studies, as.vanderbilt.edu/jewishstudies/graduate/certificate-program/) and (2) Religion, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (offered through the Carpenter program in Religion, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, divinity.vanderbilt.edu/programs/carpenter/carpenter.php).