The interdisciplinary Ph.D. concentration in Religion and Literature is designed to give students the opportunity to pursue interests in the academic study of religion while obtaining a degree that will equip them to fill a traditional position in an English department. Because of Baylor's mission to integrate faith and learning and its Baptist heritage, the University is uniquely qualified to offer a degree that spans both fields of inquiry. Besides successful graduate programs in English and Religion, the University also houses the Institute for Faith and Learning. Integral to the program are University Professors Ralph Wood, who specializes in Theology and Modern Literature; Distinguished Professor David Jeffrey, who specializes in Medieval and Modern Studies, as well as the Bible and Literature; and University Professor Marc Ellis, who specializes in American and Jewish Studies. The program also draws on other departments (e.g., Philosophy, History) as well as the Truett Seminary as resources. After taking foundational courses in Religion and Literature and literary theory, students will have a range of English and Religion courses to choose from in order to pursue their own research interests within the intersection of Religion and Literature.

A Supervisory committee will be assigned to the student when the student has determined his/her area of emphasis and the director of his/her dissertation. This committee is composed of three members: the student's director (a full Graduate Faculty member) from the major area of study, the Chairperson of the Department of English or the Director of Graduate Studies, and a professor who is a full Graduate Faculty member from the Department of Religion. The director of the dissertation will serve as chair of the Supervisory Committee. The student should consult the chairperson of the Supervisory Committee in all doctoral work up to and including the arrangement of the preliminary examination. If the student is not sure of the precise area of specialization, then the interim chair of the supervisory committee will be the Director of Graduate Studies. The student now should see that the members of the Supervisory Committee are listed and placed on file in the Department of English Office. The Supervisory Committee or the chair will aid the student in such matters as the selection of courses and languages.

Completion of 42 hours of graduate credit beyond the M.A. degree constitutes the minimum requirement. Ten classes are required beyond the M.A. degree. Because emphasis lies upon the adequate preparation of the student, additional work may be required at the discretion of the Supervisory Committee or the Director of Graduate Studies. Twelve hours of the 42 total must be allocated for the dissertation. No correspondence work may be counted for graduate credit.

Transfer of no more than 6 semester hours from an accredited institution may be allowed (see Graduate Catalog for conditions).

The following courses must be taken either during the undergraduate or graduate periods of study:

Of the remaining course requirements, at least three must be filled by graduate-level courses in the Department of English with the rest to be chosen from the Department of Religion offerings or cross-listed seminars.

The student and the director will select approximately fifteen major works of significant length over which the student will be examined in the major area. For the other two areas, the candidate will select twelve-to-fifteen works for each (24-30 total), again with the approval of his/her examiner. The examiner will have the final say in approving the list of works for his/her particular area.

Within six months after successful completion of the preliminary examination, The Supervisory Committee is replaced by the candidate's Dissertation Committee. This committee includes the director of the dissertation (a full Graduate Faculty member), a second member of the department from, the area of specialization (either a full or Associate Graduate Faculty member), and an appropriate full Graduate Faculty member from the Department of Religion. The student should now see that the members of the Dissertation Committee are listed and placed on file in the Department of English office. With the counsel of his/her dissertation committee, the candidate will prepare a formal prospectus of 10-15 pages along with an accompanying bibliography. This prospectus, and the literary, methodological, generic, or other critical questions surrounding the candidate's topic, will provide the subject for a formal prospectus review. Attending the review will be the student, his/her Dissertation Committee, and up to three others (either full or Associate Graduate Faculty members) from within and without the department, invited by the candidate with the approval of the director of the dissertation committee. These meetings will normally last about an hour (see Appendix A). The student will pass or fail the prospectus review by a majority vote of the graduate faculty present.

In order to qualify for candidacy, the student must pass both the written examination and his/her prospectus review.

Upon completion of residence requirements, language requirements, the preliminary examination, and the prospectus review, the student should make application for admission to candidacy for the doctoral degree. A form for making this application is secured from the Graduate School, and approval of this application is necessary before the student is recognized as a candidate for a doctoral degree. Application must be made no later than five months prior to the date on which the degree is to be conferred. Admission to candidacy presupposes a minimum of 3.0 (B) average for formal coursework initiated in the Graduate School.

Prior to the conferral of the degree, the candidate generally will have had teaching experience in both composition and literature. This teaching may be done either at Baylor or at another college or university.

The Graduate Faculty expects all graduate students pursuing the Doctor of Philosophy degree to take part in the entire spectrum of professional activities: teaching, service to the department and/or to the University, attending conferences, presenting papers at conferences, and submitting essays for publication.

The student will present an acceptable dissertation in the field of the major study area. The dissertation must give evidence that the student has pursued a program of research, the results of which reveal both superior stylistic and research competence, and offer a significant contribution to knowledge. Work on the dissertation should begin in the preliminary state as early in the academic career as possible, but formally it should begin when the student has completed the preliminary examination. At this time the Dissertation Committee will work closely with the student in approving the topic and directing the research to its conclusion. A prospectus must be approved by the Dissertation Committee, with copies sent to the Director of Graduate Studies and Chair of the department. For the formal requirements regarding the dissertation, including the deadlines for the submission of the manuscript, the technical requirements of the manuscript (see the most recent edition of the MLA Handbook; Macintosh Palatino 12 point font or IBM Palisade 12 point font is required), the abstract, binding and microfilming costs, and research course requirements, see the Graduate School Guidelines available in the English Office. Students are reminded that the MLA Handbook was not designed to guide the construction of a dissertation; therefore the Graduate School specifications regarding preliminary pages, chapter format, and other dissertation-specific characteristics must be used in conjunction with the MLA guidelines.

A final oral examination in defense of the dissertation is required. The candidate, with the approval of the Dissertation Committee is responsible for arranging the final examination, coordinating its time with the Graduate School, and bringing all required materials to the examination. The "Oral Examination Form" and "Record of Oral Examination" form may be secured in the English Office. At this defense there must be a minimum of five examiners: the Dissertation Committee and two full or Associate Graduate Faculty members from inside the department. A sixth full or Associate Graduate Faculty member from inside the department is permitted but not required.

The student files for graduation at the beginning of the semester in which the student anticipates degree completion. Filing is completed at the Graduate School, Office of the Associate Dean. The student must have a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0 to be eligible to file.

The maximum time limit allowed is eight years from the date that the student is admitted and begins the doctoral program. The student may petition for an extension of time provided there are extraordinary circumstances. The maximum time permissible may not exceed nine years.

Of particular concern to the English faculty is the writing of its graduate students. Toward that end every graduate class will not only require writing, but will expect a high level of performance from its students.

The departmental guidelines for Ph.D. candidates provide the following general statement about the dissertation prospectus:

Graduate faculty offer the following guidelines to help Ph.D. candidates prepare a prospectus.

The successful prospectus will include many, if not all, of the following:

You may divide your prospectus into sections or construct a holistic prospectus--that is, one that appears as a continuous essay without any sections. (See the Graduate Assistant for examples of previously approved prospectuses.)

You may wish to consider the advice offered by Robert L. Peters in Getting What You Came For (New York: Farrar, 1992) and by David Madsen in Successful Dissertations and Theses (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1983). These two reference works expertly expand upon the guidelines presented here.

A standard prospectus review consists of a fifteen-minute presentation concisely articulating the thesis. Then, the Dissertation Committee and up to three full or Associate Graduate Faculty members from within and without the department will, in the remaining 45 minutes, question the Ph.D. candidate on her/his dissertation prospectus.

Students are able to pick from a variety of courses in the Religion department to pursue their research interests. The following are suggested models of course sequences:

Model One: Biblical Studies (a three-course sequence that would be appropriate for students seeking a background in Christian theology):

4301 Introduction to Old Testament Literature: Analysis of the literature of the Old Testament, examining various methodologies, both historical and contemporary, in Old Testament study. Attention will be given to relevant bibliography, leading scholars, and major issues in current Old Testament study.

4311 Introduction to New Testament Literature: Analysis of the literature of the New Testament, examining various methodologies, both historical and contemporary, in New Testament study. Attention will be given to relevant bibliography, leading scholars, and major issues in current New Testament study.

5305 Seminar in the Writings: A designated portion of the Old Testament scriptures chosen from the Latter Prophets. Attention will be given to critical and theological problems, relevant bibliography, contributions of significant scholars, and contemporary issues in interpretation.

5311 Contemporary Issues in New Testament Study: A selected major issue in contemporary New Testament scholarship.

5315 Seminar in Acts, Hebrews, and the General Epistles: A designated portion of the New Testament scriptures chosen from Acts, Hebrews, or the General Epistles. Attention will be given to critical and theological problems, relevant bibliography, contributions of significant scholars, and contemporary issues in interpretation.

Model Two: Historical Studies (a three-course sequence for students seeking a broader exposure to world religions):

4345 Religions That Shaped the Western World: Religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, Rome, and the great Near Eastern faiths of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

4346 Religions of India, China, and Japan: Major Asian religions which have largely molded the great civilizations of India, China, and Japan: Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism, Confucianism, and Shintoism.

5346 Judaism and Islam: Two Near Eastern faiths—their beliefs, historical relationship to Christianity, and interpretation of the Christian faith.

5347 Religions of India: Brahmanic, mystical, and popular traditions in India from the Vedas to modern times.

5348 Judaism in the Post-Holocaust Era: A thematic treatment of contemporary Judaism as it has been affected by the Jewish experiences of the Holocaust during the Third Reich of Nazi Germany. The course will include attention to post-Holocaust Jewish writers and to contemporary Jewish-Christian dialogue.

Model Three: Theological Studies/Church History (a three-course sequence for students seeking a broader exposure to theological and historical issues):

4333 History of Protestantism: History of Protestant Christianity from the precursors of Martin Luther to the present with emphasis upon the sixteenth-century Reformation, the various confessional traditions and major theological issues, the major developments affecting modern Protestantism, and the present state and future of Protestantism. The study will focus on Europe and North America.

4336 Introduction to Religion in America: American religious heritage with emphasis on its organization, expansion, thought, worship, and impact on American society.

4338 Women in Religion in America: The role of women in religion in America from colonial times to the present.

4352 History of Christian Theology I: A critical analysis of the major developments of the first eight centuries of Christian theology, beginning with the post-Apostolic period and ending with the last of the seven ecumenical councils in 787 CE. Special attention will be given to the theological controversies which led to the formation of the Christian community's central doctrines: God as Triune, Jesus Christ as divine and human, and salvation as divine action and human response. Readings include works by Irenaeus, Origen, Athanasius, the Cappadocians, Augustine, John of Damascus and others.

4353 History of Christian Theology II: A critical analysis of the major developments of Christian theology, primarily in the West, from the ninth through the mid-seventeenth centuries. Particular attention will be paid to the great theological systems of the Middle Ages and to the theological aims of the sixteenth-century reforming movements. Readings include works by Anselm, Aquinas, Julian of Norwich, Luther, Calvin, Teresa of Avila and others.

4354 History of Christian Theology III: A critical analysis of the major developments of Christian theology in the modern period from the late-seventeenth century to the present. Special attention will be given to the rise of modern, historical, and philosophical perspectives which challenge traditional Christian claims and to the appropriation and criticism of these perspectives in modern theology. Readings include works by Locke, Kant, Schleiermacher, Hegel, Barth, Rahner, Gutierrez, and others.

5356 Contemporary Systematic Theologies: Systematic theology as a genre of theology within the Christian tradition. Emphasis will be placed on systematic theologies written after Barth and Tillich. Analysis of these works will focus on questions of method as well as content. Special attention will be paid to issues related to such developments as liberation and feminist theology and postmodern thought.

5360 Contemporary Theological Problems: Important theological problems which confront the theologian and the Christian community today. Problems such as faith and science, theological language, evil, theology and history, and Christian selfhood and modern psychology will be studied. Both historical and contemporary attempts to deal with the problems will be considered.