Master in Religion from non-US school?

I am sure this has been answered before, but I couldn't turn it up in a search of the forum.

I am looking at DL M.Div. degrees, and I came across a few posts referring to some programs at Australian and UK schools. If I were to get a degree from one of those institutions, would I have any problems applying it to a Phd. program at an accredited brick & morter institution in the U.S. (ie...Notre Dame, Duke, Univ. of TX, etc)? How can you tell if the foreign university is "accredited" (or the UK/Australian equivalent)?

Thanks,
Tunas

 

I'll leave our Antipodean cousins, who are just getting out of bed, to tell you about down under once they've had their coffee.

For the UK, the moot points are: does the institution have degree awarding powers? If it doesn't, does it prepare you for exams administered by an institution that does? If the answer to either is "yes", you're fine.

The list of bodies that may award their own degrees is at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees/annex4.shtml

The list of bodies that may give courses leading to degrees from a recognised body (as the jargon over here has it) is at http://www.dfes.gov.uk/recognisedukdegrees/annex5.shtml

One thing to note is that we're a bit thin on the ground when it comes to MDiv programmes over here. You're much more likely to find an MA, and MTh or possibly an MMin.

You shouldn't have problems taking a UK master's degree to a US PhD, but one of the major stumbling blocks could be that we're a lot lighter on the biblical languages than is usually the case over there. However, have a look at Lampeter's MA programmes, and see what you think. http://www.lamp.ac.uk/trs/Postgraduate/modules_masters_degree_schemes.htm

Angela

 

There is no blanket answer -- no magic formula. The issues have more to do with how rigorous the masters is perceived to be AND (more importantly) whether you're personally capable to doing high powered research. (e.g. Not everyone with a Harvard MA will be accepted into a PhD program just because they went to Harvard). That's why it is important to put more emphasis on how the masters program is going to stretch you and prepare you than on how convenient it is or whether you can slide by without this language or that. Unless you aim high you're wasting your time -- regardless of where the degree is from.

In the US the GRE is another sometimes important instrument that measures your ability to do research. If you have really high GRE scores, you interview well, and you've published a few really solid research articles in a recognized journal, the fact that your MA is from Backwater Bible College probably won't hurt you.

 

Some schools will distinguish between the "academic" MA and the "trades union card" MDiv, and will insist on the former as prerequisite for a doctoral program--especially a research doctorate. Since coursework+diss doctorates usually incorporate a titular master's, the issue would less likely arise in such a case.

 

The AQF Register contains a listing (or at least a pointer of where to find one) of all bodies granted the power to award degrees within Australia.

 

I would only want to add that you might want to take a peak at the programs offered at some of the South African universities. UNISA and SATS both have programs that might meet your criteria.
Jack

 

The schools you listed as potentials for PhD may not, but US evangelical schools as The Masters, Baptist in PA , TEDS, or Dallas would not allow one with an MA to enter the doctoral programs. Some might with an MDiv., but others would require the four year ThM. . Neither would the issue with such schools just be the accredited status of the MDiv, it would also include the issue of whether or not that MDiv prepared the applicant to do doctoral work at those instututions which expect some proficiency in the Biblical languages and considerable entry level understanding of the English Bible, Historical and Systematic Theology, and Church History. IMO it generally is easier to go from a USA masters into a foreign doc than it is to go from a foreign masters into a US doc in the area of Biblical/Theological studies.

 

Thanks

Thanks for all the good information!

 

Re: Re: Master in Religion from non-US school?

Where is Backwater Bible College located?

 

Re: Re: Re: Master in Religion from non-US school?

Tropical Nunavut