try two Docs at once?

All advice appreciated. Should anyone try two DL docs at once?

I got fat by Grandpa (who raised me) heaping food on my plate and saying, "Bet you can't eat all that!" Thus challenged, I learned determination .

Thanks, Gramps...now I have diabetes and high blood pressure, but I also have much motivation to do what I really like,,, either eat or study!

So, now that Social Security tells me that I cannot receive any $ from them unless I drop down to teaching 1/4 time (keep in mind I've paid in since '56---life is not fair!), I am toying with the idea of beginning a second and concurrent DL doc or masters just as soon as I get a rhythm established doing the work of the first. Remember, I have more time than most. Soooo..
Is this stupid?

 

There are a few individuals who can pull this off. I think my attention would be too divided. What kind of other doctorate are you thinking of doing?

The only way I can see this working is if the other doctorate focussed on the same/similar thing as the one you are pursuing now and then your research papers could be integrated into your research doctorate.

Personally, I would finish one before going on to the other. I am having my hands full with the one doctorate and will worry about the second one after the first or I may end up with neither.

Kind of reminds me of the old joke" "Yup, I am working on my second million........................the first was too hard".

North

 

Re: Re: try two Docs at once?

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Thanks North

I always value your advice.

Here's the deal: there is a TRACS school which offers the DMin in Christian Ed. I love adult Christian Ed. Now this school is tempting for several reasons.

First they will transfer, the site says, up to 1/2 of the work. I finished 1/2 of the EdD. Now I realize secular ed is not CE , but teaching strategies ,I believe ,overlap. Were the school to buy this logic, I might be able to do the DMin with a much reduced load! If they don't ,then I probably wouldn't take it on.

Second, it is practical. I need something practical now. I have Open theism and Process Theology and Trinal relations and monogenes and exegetics all circling through my brain. I am too ivory tower. To get relationally connected sometimes I just grab the tatoo inside my wrist which says " alla heauton ekenosen." (transliterated). Don't get me wrong , I love Theology most, and mostly do it just for me!

Third, this school is the old time religion type...here's where the BJU PhDers go to teach. I am a fundie at heart but haven't rubbed elbows much with them lately academically. Even Western may be a little to the left of the John R. Rice types.

Fourth, This course would connect to my current study by
applying it in the context of communicating theology!

Now, some might say," Bill why would you need two docs?" A valid question. But why do I need even one?

 

Re: Re: Re: try two Docs at once?

Hey, everyone has to have a hobby, right?

Wes

 

It can be done. It has been done. Life is short and the challenge is ripe.

 

Bill,
Just curious - would you have to receive permission from both institutions to do this?

 

Perhaps you were predestined for this very challenge, Bill. Gramps knew what he was doing!

 

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Barry

I did speak to someone at Temple Baptist Seminary who said it would be no problem with them. Have not discussed it with UZ yet. If I were to begin a second, I would want the first to be well on its way.

But the thing with my UZ thesis is that if the Supervisor does accept the first directional chapter -which he is now looking at- then I clearly know where I am going and it's just a matter of doing the work. The first chapter includes an introduction to each of the following nine! The thesis consists of synthesizing one debated doctrine into nine others in order to establish which view of the first is correct.(something my Arminian pal-you know the one-on this forum should do to test his heresy).

The Temple doctorate consists of classes on tapes, one one week modular seminar, and a project. It really is a vehicle of application of the UZ work, but does not immerge with it! It is not as though I would be using the work from one school to complete work from a second. What it would do is use the EdD stuff, maybe, which just is hanging out there as evidence of a time I didn't finish something.

Just thinking about it

 

TBS

Bill,

I too am very impressed with Temple's D.Min. (Christian Ed.)program, and it is my intent to pursue it once my M.Div. is completed (c. 2042, ha ha). I have noticed that their faculty is not merely well thought of within a limited circle. Dr. Price, for example, is an OT and Hebrew expert whose qualifications are widely recognized. Dr. Habermas (who only teaches there part-time) is one of the most accomplished apologists and resurrection experts around.

I was also pleased with the school staff, who have been polite and helpful every time I called, without exception.

I can't recall off the top of my head your theological leanings, but the faculty at Temple have very definite positions (pre-millennial, pre-tribulational rapture, etc.).

Good luck!

 

Re: TBS

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Hi DG1

"Leanings" is a good noun to describe my millennial concepts. Mine is not carved in stone! I did look at the Temple doctrinal statement which mentions premill but NOT pretrib. I find pretrib hard to reconcile with the Matthean, Petrine,and Pauline eschatology! Were Temple to exclude me for my wondering about pretrib , why, then, I wouldn't want to go there anyway!!! But I'm easy to get along with, yet I will back down from no one who likes to discuss the finer points.

EG, the Univ of San Diego is Roman Catholic. Point loma is Wesleyan arminian. Western is Calvinistic (4 point) and dispensational. OSU is secular. I got along with them all. I could wholly support the Temple statement as I understand it ,but eschatology to me is not as clear or even (some elements, as pretrib)as vital as say Bibliology, Christology or Soteriology. That Christ will return physically to rule to me is essential to even the title"Christos" (messiah) given the OT prophecy, but that that event must precede a Great Tribulation from which He rescues the Church is NOT so clear to me). I am a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and affirm that creed.

Thankyou for responding and for your good wishes. I wish you "luck" (rather God's grace) on your studies too!

Apologies to all not so enwrapped in Christian Theology as I..I get carried away sometimes

 

One individual who successfully completed two doctoral programs simultaneously:

Craig Van Gelder, professor at Luther Seminary in the Twin Cities completed a PhD in missiology at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a PhD in Administration at the University of Texas at the same time.

Cory Seibel

 

Why, who would this be Bill?

 

Re: TBS

Is this like Pre-Mill as in Pre-Degree Mill? That is, the days before degree mills existed?

 

Bill,

Temple Baptist Seminary is a good choice. It is one of those schools that even the great Steve Levicoff (who was not known to say complimentary things about unaccredited schools which TBS was at the time) said that it was a quality fundamentalist institution.

I think the doctorate in Christian education is one Dr. Barkev Trachian's pet interests so it should be well taken care of.

At any rate, very credible school even prior to accreditation! As well, they have a farily good size campus that they share with Tennessee Temple University.

Good luck!

North

 

North

Thanks, still just mulling it over.

 

Re: Re: TBS

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Just like a Wesleyan! All they know is clean living, being kind, and other stuff like that

 

Re: Re: Re: TBS

But the benefits, Bill, the benefits.................

Those of us who are Wesleyan/Arminian are required to live clean, be kind and other stuff. Since we do not adhere to the fifth point of Calvinism [Perseverence], believing that one could fall from grace, we must live clean.

You on the other hand do hold to this fifth point, do not believe one can fall from grace, so its really irrelevant how you live. After all, the only thing you have to lose are a few rewards....or perhaps a few degrees.

 

Re: Re: Re: Re: TBS

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Russell, of course, knows that comment of mine was a compliment , but..

Some prefer to scale the cliff, perilously, clutching at its side..ahhh, what a seemingly great accomplishment the synergist achieves

I , on the otherhand ascend the heights in the divine dirigible of grace and wave to Russell as I pass

Academically I work, but soteriallyI trust!

 

OK, I'll try it!

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A second and concurrent doc program? It's mostly for me; I admit it. No $ is an expected outcome, just personal gratification, that's all! When any wants my time or knowledge as in church or Christian school (on those rare occasions) it's gratuitously given as I do this avocationally with great personal satisfaction and enjoyment. Now come Sept , teaching public school is only 1/4 time , I make this reduction so that Social Security will agree to send me my retirement. Consequently, I'll have lots of opportunity to devote to my hobby of Christian Theology. So, yes, I'll try two docs at once.

The first, Unizul is a research,thesis only doctorate( we call 'em dissertations in the USA), with the ThM prerequisite, only on one narrow theological problem which I will synthesize into nine cognate doctrines in order to determine which of the two prevalent views on that aspect of trinal relationships (the problem) is likely correct. I did quite a bit of literature review prior to writing the first chapter which introduces the problem and that chapter summarizes the following nine. So, if chap one is accepted, then I know exactly where I'm going to complete the remaining! Probably I can finish this in 2000-2400 hours, I hope! Yet, it is a narrow study and has periods of idleness waiting for the previous chapter's approval. Given the amount of time I have on my hands, I desired a coursework , second program which was more generalized and which would not conflict in disciplines or content area but might even complement the UZ thesis work. I think I've found such!

American Christian Seminary, TRACS accredited, offers an unusual DL DMin program. The basic requisite is the MDiv equivalency. (programs more lengthy are based on MA's). The MDiv is 90 (in my case I think it was 96) grad hours. Then the DMin is an addl 36. A 126 grad sem hour doc seems respectable, and it includes a 9 hour "project." But what is unusual is that the student can choose to concentrate in one (only) of several areas: pastoral studies, counseling, Biblical/Theological. I chose the latter (and feel a little uncomfortable with the degree's nomenclature as it sounds more like a DA in Biblical Studies.) American is also less common in that faculty represent several denominations. I can get along with most evangelicals or even some that are not. As I have the ThM, I need do only 30 hours.

So, as KKA says, "Life is short, and the challenge is ripe" and so, here I go

 

Re: OK, I'll try it!

Good luck Bill! Keep us updated.

North