Department of Theology & Religion | Doctor of Theology and Ministry (DThM)

Doctor of Theology & Ministry (DThM) at Durham University

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The DThM is Durham’s Professional Doctorate in Theology. It is intended for anyone who is interested in the relationship between theology and practice. The programme, run in partnership with St. John’s College, has two phases. The first phase is delivered during the intensive teaching weeks held twice a year in Durham. This is followed by the research phase, where students continue their doctoral level research in their chosen field of study supervised by a team drawn from the Department of Theology & Religion and St. John’s College.

The Professional Doctorate is an alternative to the PhD. It is examined in the same way as a PhD, and in the research phase students work with two supervisors as they would on any doctoral programme. The advantage of the professional doctorate is that it gives a structured taught research training that supports you as you develop your research proposal and throughout the research process. The intensive teaching weeks also offer the regular support of a cohort of fellow students to work alongside you as you do your doctorate.

DThM students who wish to submit a longer thesis of 100,000 words may apply to transfer to a PhD at the completion of the research phase of the DThM. The decision whether or not to approve such applications will be subject to careful academic scrutiny by the programme directors and other University officers.

Your research can be located in any of the core areas in Theology and the Study of Religion. This includes: Systematic Theology, Biblical Studies, Practical Theology, Spirituality, Church History, Christian Ethics, Anthropology and the Sociology of Religion. The distinctive feature of the DThM is that there is an expectation that every research project will make explicit connections to the practice of faith.

DThM Learning Intensives

There are two week-long learning intensives each year for the DThM, held in September and in the Spring. Students are required to attend both of these weeks throughout their study on the programme. Accommodation is booked through St. John’s College, Durham.

The typical week will include:

• Public lectures and seminars from an invited theologian;
• Module teaching for first year students;
• Workshops on designing and conducting a research project and other skills;
• Student presentations of work in progress;
• There are also optional times of student-led worship.

The degree is ideal if you want to pursue research that links an aspect of practice with the core disciplines in Theology and the Study of Religion. It is also a good way to come back to study after a time working in the Church or in an NGO or as a Chaplain or a Youth Worker. Students do not have to be ordained or to be currently active in ministry to do the degree. Most students do the programme part time and at a distance and we always have a number of students who live outside of the UK. It is however possible to study full-time and with the link to Cranmer Hall, which is part of St. John’s College, it is possible to combine full time study with ministerial training.

The Department of Theology & Religion is a world-leading centre for research, scholarship and postgraduate development within the cross-disciplinary field of Theology & Religion. Because this field is broad and complex – comprising the pervasive human tendency to form fundamental beliefs about divinity, the Universe and the human good – the Department regards interdisciplinary method as essential and maintains a collegial, collaborative research culture.  It has a distinctive ethos, characterised by open, critical but sympathetic attention to multiple religious traditions. Its research includes critical textual, historical, theological and social scientific methods, applied within the three fields of Biblical Studies, Christian Theology and the Study of Religion.

Our postgraduate programmes are very international in focus and more than half of our postgraduate students are from overseas. The international outlook of the department is a vital element of our work and success. As well as increasingly recruiting international staff, our academics are members of global networks, regularly participate at international conferences and many are instantly recognised throughout the world for their publications and academic leadership.

Doctoral studies here are not purely centred on the writing of the thesis but include practical preparation for the academic job market, providing students with access to world-class study facilities and to a range of training and professional-development opportunities. This may include work as a teaching assistant or research assistant, or participation in the exchange or study abroad schemes.

Durham graduates are in demand across many sectors. The world-class study facilities, combined with a research-led approach to learning and the Department’s international outlook mean our postgraduate taught courses and research degrees provide the fundamental skills and personal qualities needed to succeed in the workplace.

Our Theology & Religion graduates are equipped to follow a wide range of careers, including law, politics and government, marketing, business and finance, industry, charity work, the media, journalism and the clergy. Many progress into careers with religious institutions across the world, while others work in schools, colleges and universities. Our taught MAs also offer a pathway into research and many graduates take the step into higher-level studies.

Previous employers have included Linklaters, Kirkland and Ellis, Coltraco Ultrasonics, the Home Office, Durham Police and Jaguar Land Rover.

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