So, I went through all the trouble of getting my company to approve paying for a doctorate. Now, I just do not think I want to follow through with their plans and do it in Information Technology. My interest is in more of an interdisciplinary type program where I can do study and a dissertation on business and religion. They won't pay for that. Can anyone help guide me to a low cost program where I might be able to do something like this? Maybe UNISA or another good overseas school would fit the bill? I've been around the A.E.D. for years and just don't remember any schools, other than Steve's Union Institute, where one might do such an interdisciplinary Ph.D. program. Thanks, Bing
There are many options to choose from in terms of overseas schools. The only formally self-designed program I can think of off the top of my head is the Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies offered by Edith Cowan University in Australia, but there are others. (Brother Caballero: This is your territory, my friend.) Many, many schools will let you do a dissertation on interdisciplinary themes in business and religion as part of a program in business or religion, though, particularly if they deal with a single theme prominent in both disciplines (for example, I know of three research doctorate programs in ethics that can be done off-campus: Australian Catholic University's Ph.D. in ethics, Charles Sturt University's Ph.D. in professional and applied ethics, and UNISA's Th.D. in theological ethics). I'm looking at doing my own Ph.D. in theology through Potchefstroom University in South Africa; Russell has already begun work on this program; Barry is doing a doctorate through a South African theology school; a guy named Christopher Smith was doing a Ph.D. in bioethics externally through Keele University in the UK; a woman in AED (whose name escapes me -- but she struck me as a wonderful and knowledgeable human being, and I wish she'd start posting here) was doing a Ph.D. in Internet studies through Curtin University of Technology in Australia; some guy was doing a Ph.D. in philosophy through one UK school, under circumstances I can't recall; and I've run into other folks now and then who have done or are doing non-U.S. research based programs nonresidentially or in a low-residency format. So it can be done. Good luck to you! Peace, ------------------ Tom Head www.tomhead.net
Tom, Good info. Thanks a bunch. I'll check them out. I think the name you are looking for is Lawrene. She was a classmate of mine at CSUDH and is in the Curtin Ph.D. program now.
Dear Br. Tom, Thank you for asking for my humble help. Indeed, the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Edith Cowan University is one of the very few offered formally in Australia, either residentially or at a distance. Since UNISA doesn't have this degree, we are left out with choices in the UK. Up there, the University of Bradford has such a degree at the doctoral level. Needless to say, we know that British degrees are somewhat more expensive than Australian degrees. Another option that it may be worth taking a look at is the Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of British Columbia in Canada. Somewhere I read that it was possible to arrange an external (or almost external) degree from there. I hope this helps. Cordially yours, Br. Alberto "Caballero" Lacaye [email protected]
Lawrene France! That's it. Thank you. Now that I actually remember her name, I know I have her email address around here somewhere... I gather you're also a fellow CSUDH/HUX alum; I just finished the program myself (12/22/00 graduation). Did my FP ("Your Brother's Blood: An Interdisciplinary Commentary on Genesis 4:1-16") as a general thesis under Hagan/Mahon/Giannotti, and had a blast with it. What sort of topic would you like to do for your Ph.D...? Also, do you have any preferences as to theological tradition (or are you looking more at the academic study of religion)? Good luck! Peace, ------------------ Tom Head www.tomhead.net
Lawrene and I were in the MBA program at CSUDH. I am interested in the business of money within churches. I am very much interested in how churches manage assets, the religious/scriptural reasons surrounding the actions taken to raise money by churches, and the evolution of hard and soft doctrines within churches that seemingly have roots in money needs. I am particularly interested in Mormonism. Bing
Tom, Do you know if University of Pretoria offers doctorate degrees by distance learning offhand? I took a look at their website and did not come up with any business or religion programs that said anything about distance learning. The price is certainly right and the one of the programs I looked at would allow me to do an interdisciplinary type doctorate in business. Thanks, Bing
