Doctoral

Resources for Prospective Ph.D. Students

Fields of Study | Admissions | Requirements

Introduction

The Ph.D. program in religion at Harvard dates from 1934, when the Faculty of Arts and Sciences established a degree of Ph.D. in "The History and Philosophy of Religion". Its purpose, as stated by the Faculty, was "to make possible a course of studies which shall enable the candidate both to lay a broad and sufficient foundation for teaching and study within the field of religion, and to do individual research at some point in that field". In accordance with that expressed intention, the Faculty voted in 1963 to name the program The Study of Religion.

At Harvard, advanced programs of study involving religion may be arranged under many auspices. The Ph.D. under this Committee, in "The Study of Religion", is one among various possibilities. Some candidates will find that they can best pursue their interests by becoming a candidate for the Ph.D. in such departments as Anthropology, Classics, History, East Asian or Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Philosophy, or Sanskrit and Indian Studies. The Th.D. program of Harvard Divinity School, also administered by the Committee on the Study of Religion, offers specialized theological study of the Christian, Jewish, and western humanistic traditions. Some candidates may find the program for the M.T.S., M.Div., or Th.M. degree in the Divinity School more suitable for focusing their interests and strengthening their preparation for doctoral studies. The Committee reserves the right to advise the applicant to seek training in one of these alter native programs if in its judgment such a course would be in the applicant's interest.

Fields of Study

The following fields represent the areas in which students currently may concentrate in this program. While students may take courses in any of these fields during their course of study -- and there is considerable overlap in the content considered by these areas -- the student's primary field will constitute their principal intellectual and professional orientation within the Study of Religion.

Applying students should indicate in their application which field will be their primary specialization. If you indicate one of the fields marked below by an asterisk*, please specify the religious traditions(s) and/or approximate geographical range(s) or temporal period(s) from which the primary sources for your focus of inquiry will be drawn. You may also propose comparative work within any of these fields.

Fields of Study
African Religions
Buddhist Studies
East Asian Religions
Ethics*
Greco-Roman Religions
Hebrew Bible
Hindu Studies
History of Christianity
Islamic Studies
Jewish Studies
New Testament and Early Christianity
Philosophy of Religion*
Religion and Modernity*
Religion and Society*
Religion, Gender and Culture*
Religion in the Americas
South Asian Religions
Theology*

Admissions

Admission to the Ph.D. program in the Study of Religion at Harvard is very competitive: typically 5-6% of all applicants are admitted. Although no uniform requirements are specified, as a minimum requirement, the applicant must have a bachelor's degree, or its equivalent, with an undergraduate record of outstanding quality - a previous master's degree is not required, but it is the rare, exceptional student who is admitted without one. Similarly, while a previous major in the field of religion is not required, the applicant's background in this and related subjects is a critical consideration.

All doctoral applicants are expected to have foundational language work needed for primary research (textual or ethnographic) in the area of specialization (Hebrew, Latin, Sanskrit, Arabic, Chinese, etc.) at the time of application. In addition, as described in detail further on, admitted students must demonstrate reading competence in two modern languages of secondary scholarship relevant to their course of study. These languages are determined in consultation with an adviser after admission to the program.

Applicants should indicate, on the Proposed Program Sheet, the broader area within the study of religion in which they expect to work and the special interests they would like to pursue, according to the description of the Ph.D. program which follows. As described in Fields of Study, the Ph.D. program in the Study of Religion at Harvard is structured in such a way that a context of study and a special field are pursued under one of two program options.

To apply online, go to: The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University, Religion

Requirements

Students admitted to this program will register in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Courses pertinent to their different areas of study are listed in the Courses of Instruction of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and in the Divinity School catalogue.

Full-time study is required during the first two years of the Ph.D. program. This means four half-courses during each term, with a minimum average grade of B. For tuition requirements, see the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Handbook or the GSAS Guide to Admission and Financial Aid.

Students are expected to complete the Ph.D. in seven years. Only in unusual cases can the program be completed in less than four-and-a-half academic years.

Language

A high standard of reading proficiency in two modern languages of secondary scholarship relevant to a student¹s course of study (in addition to English) is required. This proficiency is to be demonstrated through coursework or by exam after enrollment in the program. A student and his or her adviser will determine the choice of the two modern languages, which should not be confused with primary source languages necessary for the specialization. Typically French and German are selected as modern languages of secondary scholarship, however in certain fields other modern languages are more relevant. For example, a student focusing on Chinese Buddhism would normally study classical Chinese and Japanese as primary source languages, and then might choose modern Japanese and modern Korean as languages of secondary scholarship.

Coursework Outside the Specialization

The Committee requires of each student satisfactory completion of two common seminars in the first two years (normally in the first and fourth term of study), Religion 2001 and Religion 2002. In addition a minimum of two designated courses outside the specialty are required.

Second Year Review

An oral second year review (one-and-a-half hours) will assess the student's progress in the specialty, ability to pursue self-critically an academic study of religion, and probability of completing the doctoral program successfully. The review normally occurs in the third or fourth term of study.

General Examinations

After the satisfactory completion of two years of full-time study, the modern language requirements, the required coursework outside the specialization, and the second year review, a student prepares for the General Examinations. Ph.D. students must take their Generals by the end of their third year. All Ph.D. students take a theory and methods general exam. Three additional exams are arranged according to a student's context of study and specialization.

The Dissertation

Within twelve months of passing the General Examinations, all candidates must submit a written dissertation prospectus of not more than 2000 words (plus bibliography), formulating a project. Upon formal approval of the prospectus, the student commences the writing of the dissertation. The length is limited to 300 pages. Once the dissertation is completed and approved by the adviser, the degree candidate is examined orally by a committee of at least three faculty readers.

The Degree of Master of Arts

No one is admitted as a candidate for the A.M., only for the Ph.D. Nevertheless, the requirements for the master's degree must be satisfied by all students as they move toward the doctorate, and are expected to be completed by the end of the fourth term. The A.M. degree may be granted when these requirements are fulfilled. For the A.M. degree a minimum of two full years of coursework (sixteen half-courses with a minimum average grade of B) is required, the modern language requirements must be met, the required coursework outside the specialization must be completed, and a satisfactory second year review completed.