Baylor > Church-State Studies > Prospective Students > Doctoral Programs

Doctoral Programs

The Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Church-State Studies and in Religion, Politics and Society are designed for qualified students to do graduate work at the highest level of interdisciplinary studies. Admission to the doctoral programs requires an M.A. degree or its determined equivalent. Students are usually admitted from master's programs in history, philosophy, political science, religion, sociology, law, public policy, or other approved fields. Not more than six semester hours may be transferred from an approved institution toward the degree, but no transferred work may reduce the two year residence requirement. All graduate work to be transferred from other universities must be approved by the Dean of the Graduate School and the Graduate Council, upon the recommendation of the Director of the J.M. Dawson Institute of Church-State Studies, and only after the student has been admitted to candidacy. To apply to the programs, students must exhibit an exemplary academic record and must have a valid GRE score to submit to the Graduate admissions office. Students may apply online through the Baylor University Graduate School.

General Requirements

Students apply under one of our doctoral programs, and upon admission a degree plan is developed under the advisement of the Director of the Institute. At least thirty-six hours of course work, exclusive of language and dissertation requirements, are required of each student. Students must also take courses in four of the five affiliated departments. Demonstrated reading proficiency in at least one foreign language is required as a research tool related to the student's major field of study. Following the completion of all course and language requirements, but prior to beginning work on a dissertation, each student must pass a set of preliminary oral and written examinations covering a range of subjects related to the student's primary areas of study and interest.

Upon completion of all pre-dissertation requirements, the student shall submit a dissertation prospectus to her/his dissertation committee. Once it is approved, the student shall write, obtain approval, and orally defend the dissertation, for which twelve semester hours credit shall be granted.

Because of the diverse areas of study that can be pursued under the umbrella of Church-State Studies, doctoral candidates shall ask external reviewers to participate on their dissertation committee.

The policy on external reviewers can be found here.

Requirements for the PhD in Church-State Studies

Church-State Studies Core (9 semester hours)

CHS 5361 Seminar on Religion and Politics in America

CHS 5342 Seminar on Religion, Law, and Politics

CHS 5339 Seminar on Church and State in the United States

Church-State Studies Electives (9 semester hours)

CHS 4360 Religion and the Body Politic

CHS 4370 Politics and Religion

CHS 4376 Eastern Perspectives on Church and State

CHS 4379 Islam and Democracy

CHS 4385 Religious Ethics in a Liberal Democracy

CHS 5338 Seminar on the History of Church and State in the West

CHS 5341 Seminar on Church and State in the Modern World

CHS 5369 American Civil Religion

CHS 5372 Church and State during the Reformation Era

CHS 5385 Religion and Education in America

CHS 6333 Seminar on Religion, Politics, and Society

Methodology (3 sememester hours)

SOC 5312 Social Science Data Analysis

PSC 5323 Research Design and Research Methods

HIS 5370 Historical Research and Writing

PHI 4310 Philosophy of Science

REL 5300 Research, Writing, and Teaching in Religion

Electives from Affiliated Departments (15 sem. hrs.)

Dissertation (12 sememester hours)

48 total semester hours

Requirements for the Ph.D. in Religion, Politics, and Society

Religion, State, and Society Core (9 sememester hours)