PhD Program
The PhD program is a rigorous, interdisciplinary course of advanced study that prepares students for careers in research, teaching, and publicly-engaged leadership.
Doctoral students conduct original and advanced research in pursuit of expert knowledge about the human phenomenon of religion. Students study the world's religions using a variety of methods including constructive, historical, social scientific, and modes of literary and visual analysis. Students focus their work in one of the School's Areas of Study, developing a sophisticated grasp of methods and theories in a chosen area. They also gain a broad understanding of religion as a phenomenon, joining others in the creation of new knowledge.
Through advanced coursework, language study, pedagogical training and experience, comprehensive exams, and the writing of a dissertation, PhD students at the University of Chicago Divinity School become experts in the ways religious people, texts, materials, phenomena, and histories have impacted and continue to influence the world around us. Equipped with skills in rich description, comparison, interpretation, and explanation, graduates of the doctoral program leave not only with frameworks for understanding religion but also having been pushed to create new knowledge in the field and become leaders in the academy and beyond.
Have questions about our doctoral program? Check out our PhD Program FAQs and Application FAQs pages and look through the PhD Student Handbook to gain a clearer sense of degree requirements and stages. Stay up to date on the School and the admissions cycle through our Inquiry Form.
Applying to the PhD Program
Admission into the PhD program is offered on a yearly application cycle. The application usually opens in September and closes in early January. See Dates and Deadlines here. Admission decisions are usually communicated by mid-March. Questions about the application process? Explore our Application FAQs.
Students admitted to the PhD program receive a fellowship package that includes full tuition coverage, health insurance coverage for the student through the University Health Insurance Plan (U-SHIP), and an annual living stipend. The doctoral student fellowship is renewed annually for the maximum registration period.
Applicants to the PhD program at the Divinity School must have completed a master’s degree (or international equivalent) in religion or a closely related field, with significant coursework in the proposed field of doctoral study, by the time of enrollment.
Required Application Materials
- Divinity School Application for Graduate Admission
- Candidate Statement reflecting intellectual influences and professional goals
- Academic Transcripts
- 3 Letters of Recommendation
- Current Resume or CV
- Writing sample, between 15 and 25 pages
- Application fee: $75 (waiver available)
- English Language Proficiency
Director of Doctoral Studies: Christian Wedemeyer, Associate Professor of the History of Religions; Associate Faculty in South Asian Languages and Civilizations; Chair of the Committee on Southern Asian Studies; Assistant Marshal of the University; also in the College.