Bill Grover: The Wizard of UZ

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by Guest, Oct 27, 2004.

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  1. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Bill Grover: The Wizard of UZ :D,

    Give us an update on the ThD thesis, Bill. How is the process developing?
     
  2. Bill Grover

    Bill Grover New Member

    Hi Russell

    It is about three to five months too premature to announce that I'm a bonafide doc, but I hope it's getting very close where I can say that.

    I was led to begin the UZ doc work and encouraged in it by interacting with several here at degreeinfo. I owe gratitude to those individuals and also to those who make degreeinfo possible.

    The dissertation is done, and I mailed four copies to UZ two weeks ago. It is 250 pages of technical theological argumentation on a topic that itself is narrow but is much related to practically every Christian belief and experience.

    For those who do not know, Unizul , ( The University of Zululand), is one of several South African public universities considered to be GAAP which offers relatively inexpensive doctoral programs by research in a variety of academic disciplines.

    I applied to the Unizul Faculty of Theology and Religion Studies, The Department of Systematic Theology, in April of 2002 to do doctoral research in Christology. I had for some time been studying and thinking about doing such research and had formed general ideas about both topic and method.

    There were some minor difficulties about establishing my masters degrees (both RA) as being accredited, but that was accomplished eventually and I was accepted. I was fortunately assigned a promoter who was published in Christology (Alrah Pitchers, The Christology of Hans Kung, NY:Lang, 1997). Another advantage of having Prof Pitchers as my Promoter was that Alrah did his ThM in a US seminary and so would be familiar with my dissertational issues which focus on a tenet in American thought.

    The dissertation will be read by a committe. Besides Prof Pitchers, theologians from two other universities must evaluate the dissertation (they say 'thesis'). The dissertation must be determined to meet the criteria for doc work or it will not pass. As SA universities begin their summer recess in November, I may not know if my work is deemed good enough until January or February.

    But I think it will pass, with probably minor corrections, for several reasons: (1) I regularly read the scholarly literature in the field and think that my work falls within the perimeters of that, (2) my ThM thesis at Western Seminary for which I rec'd four semesters of 'A' (and the US ThM is thought by some to be a part of doc work) IMO is much less profound in subject, method, and argument than is this dissertation, (3) I had an informal reader, a local prof , PhD DTS, published in Christology, read my chapters and discuss them with me. He is convinced that the dissertation is at doc level.

    If Unizul is an example, it is possible to enter a doctoral research program in SA universities with only an accredited MA. This can be done in a variety of academic disciplines if in the MA a thesis was written. I'm sure the MA suffices in many areas as providing a good foundation for doc work.

    However, IMO, in the areas of Biblical and Systematic Theological Studies a one year MA (which I have from Point Loma) would not have prepared me to do well in doc work. I was not ready! I know that I could not have done the UZ dissertation ,as I did it, on the strength of my MA experience. Or, if I eventually could have , the dissertation would have taken six ,not three, years to do.

    Maybe I'm just pessimistic about the inadequacy of an MA to begin doc work in Theology, but my perception is borne out in the US by the doc program prerequites of evangelical seminaries as Dallas, The Masters, or Baptist Seminary in Pa (?). In these a MA degree simply will not get one into the PhD/ThD programs! In some cases, even the MDiv is deemed insufficient, and the four year ThM is required. So, besides the SA doc being by dissertational research and the US requiring some course work plus the dissertation, the US programs also have stiffer entry requirements.

    Still I do not feel that I necessarily "got off easy." My masters/ doc programs (if I pass) took me seven years of full-time study to finish , and I'm very happy with the dissertation which is the end product of that.

    Thanks Russell for being one of those who encouraged me and thanks too to the others who gave advice and support and to Chip and the mods who make degreeinfo such a good place to learn about distance learning. This is a great board!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 27, 2004
  3. Anthony Pina

    Anthony Pina Active Member

    Bill,

    Thank you for posting your experiences with UNIZUL. There are many on Degreeinfo who are interested in what happens when someone from the U.S. decides to go through a foreign doctoral program. Perhaps your experience will help to create more UNIZUL alumni.

    Based on the exchanges that you have had with me and others here on Degreeinfo, I am confident that the thoroughness that you have displayed will be evident in your dissertation as well. I would expect that you will "ace" your dissertation defense. I look forward to being able to address you as "Dr. Grover".

    Tony Pina
    Northeastern Illinois University
     
  4. Guest

    Guest Guest

    Congratulations on your dissertation submission. You will hopefully become Bill Grover, ThD, by your 65th birthday. To pursue an advanced degree at this point in your life (a time when so many are looking for a lazy boy recliner) is certainly inspirational. Best wishes!
     
  5. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    I've no doubt that you'll fly through the last stages. Keep us updated.
    Jack
     

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