Thank you for your interest in the Ph.D. Studies program at Princeton Theological Seminary. For your convenience, links to individual academic department web pages, descriptions of field-specific programs of study, application prerequisites, and language requirements are accessible below.

For information concerning financial aid opportunities and Seminary housing, look for the FAQ’s link on the Admissions home page.

Ph.D. applicants are expected to apply online. To access the online application, please click on “Apply Online” on the Admissions home page.

(Note: Paper forms are available only to those who do not have the computer technology available to them to submit the application electronically. If you are in this category, please contact the Admissions Office by email at phdapplications@ptsem.edu explaining why you are unable to apply electronically and requesting paper forms.)

Every applicant must take the Graduate Record Examination General Test (GRE) or, if English is not your native language, the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Only one test is required (either GRE or TOEFL). A test waiver is not permitted. Please schedule your test early enough to assure that results will reach the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid by January 8th. (The ETS institution code for Princeton Seminary is 2671).

A reduced application fee of $50 is available for those applicants who submit a completed application and all supporting documents to the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid by November 20, 2009. Any application submitted after or not completed by November 20, 2009 must include the full $70 fee or it will not be processed. There are no waivers of the application fee. The FINAL DEADLINE for receipt of all application materials for those seeking admissions for fall 2010 is January 8, 2010.

Applicants may call the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid (609.497.7805) with any questions about the application process, or email queries to phdapplications@ptsem.edu.

If you have any questions related specifically to the content of the Ph.D. program or if you would like to visit the Seminary, please contact the Ph.D. Studies Office by email at phd@ptsem.edu.

Princeton Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, national or ethnic origin, or disability in its admission policies and educational programs. The Seminary's Senior Vice President (Administration Building, Business Office; 609-497-7700) has been designated to handle inquiries and grievances under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other federal nondiscrimination statutes.

The Princeton Seminary Ph.D. program is designed to equip men and women for independent scholarship and for teaching in colleges and seminaries in various dimensions of the study of religion. Programs are offered in 13 fields of study, organized into 5 broad areas:

Area I: Biblical Studies (Departmental Website)

1. Old Testament 
2. New Testament 

Area II: History and Ecumenics (Departmental Website)

1. Church History, History of Doctrine 
2. Mission, Ecumenics, and History of Religions (MEHR)

Area III: Theology (Departmental Website)

1. Theology 

Area IV: Religion and Society  (Program Website)

1. Religion and Society 

Area V: Practical Theology (Departmental Website)

1. Practical Theology

Individualized interdisciplinary programs are also sometimes permitted under the direct administration of the Ph.D. Studies Committee.

For the sequence of a typical program, please click here.

For application information, please click here.

A personal interview is not required as part of the Ph.D. admissions process, but visitors are welcome. It is preferred that appointments be scheduled in advance through the Ph.D. Studies office during the months of October, November, March, and April.

For further information, please contact:

Director, Ph.D. Studies Program
Princeton Theological Seminary
P.O. Box 821
Princeton, New Jersey 08542-0803
Telephone: (609)497-7818
E-mail: phd@ptsem.edu

The program of any particular student may deviate from the following outline at some points, but this sketch indicates in general what may be anticipated.

1. Orientation and registration for incoming Ph.D. students is held immediately before the opening of the fall term in September.During the preceding May, students will be assigned temporary advisers who will help with first semester registration. Early in the semester a three-person residence committee will be appointed to work with the student throughout the residence period. From this committee and especially its chair, the student should secure counsel regarding courses and other aspects of the program up to the comprehensive examinations. As students plan their programs, they should remember that faculty will not normally be available during the summer recess or during official leaves from the Seminary. At these times members of the faculty have no contractual obligation to advise students, to read drafts of dissertations, or to engage in any other instructional activity.Other appropriate faculty members are normally substituted for residence committee chairs who are on leave.
2. After fulfilling the initial modern language requirement (see Language Requirements, above), the student enters a two-year period of full-time resident study prior to the completion of the comprehensive examinations.During this residence period, students are required to complete successfully a minimum of eight doctoral seminars or their equivalent. Full-time resident study is generally understood as enrollment for two or more seminars, courses, or directed readings per term, in accordance with faculty advisement, with availability Monday through Friday for library research and interaction with colleagues outside of scheduled class meetings. In no case is advanced standing granted at the time of acceptance for admission. In exceptional cases the Ph.D. Studies Committee may later reduce the time of residence preparation for the comprehensive examinations on recommendation of the student's department.Under no conditions will the minimum requirement of two years' full-time tuition be reduced.
3. In the second term of the first year, the student's work is reviewed and evaluated by the residence committee.This first-year review is based on a self-evaluation prepared and distributed by the student to members of the residence committee. After the review, a written evaluation of the first year is presented by the residence committee to the student and to the Ph.D. Studies Office.
4. The student is urged to give thought to possible dissertation areas and topics from the very beginning of residence. Seminar and course paper topics may be selected in part to explore such possibilities.During the second year of residence, the student should take the initiative to work out a research topic with the residence committee.The research topic must be approved by the student's department no later than the last departmental meeting of the second year of residence. A copy of the approved topic should then be submitted by the department to the Ph.D. Studies Office.
5. The period of resident study culminates in the comprehensive examinations, a series of five-hour written examinations followed within ten days to two weeks by an oral examination, usually two hours in length.With the permission of the student's residence committee and department, an essay may be presented in lieu of one of the written examinations. (Such permission generally is not granted in the Department of Biblical Studies.) Students in Religion and Society may present papers in lieu of two of the written examinations.Other variations in testing procedure must be approved by the Ph.D. Studies Committee. In the oral examination, which is conducted by the faculty in each area, the student's competence across the breadth of the field is assessed, and a determination is made as to whether the comprehensive examination as a whole has been passed or failed. Examinations may be taken in April and May of the second year of residence or in September and October or January of the following year.With specific exceptions approved by the student's committee and department, the examinations should be taken at one period, with no more than seven days elapsing between the individual examinations. All seminars must be completed and grades recorded before comprehensive examinations begin. An exception to this rule will be made for any seminars in which a student is enrolled during the term in which comprehensive examinations are being taken.
6. Upon the student's satisfactory completion of the comprehensive examinations, the student's department appoints a dissertation committee, taking into account the research topic and the student's suggestions.The committee is subject to the approval of the Ph.D. Studies Committee.The chair of the dissertation committee must be a full-time member of the Seminary faculty.Under the guidance of the dissertation committee, the student develops the research topic into a formal dissertation proposal to be submitted to the Ph.D. Studies Committee for approval. The comprehensive examinations must be passed and the dissertation proposal approved no later than the last meeting of the Ph.D. Studies Committee in the third year. Failure to meet this deadline may result in dismissal. During the summer recess or during official leaves from the Seminary, faculty members have no contractual obligation to advise students, to read drafts of dissertations, or to engage in any other instructional activity.Other appropriate faculty members may be appointed as substitutes for dissertation committee chairs who are on leave.
7. The Ph.D. Studies Committee has set a maximum length of 250 pages for a Princeton Seminary dissertation. Permission of the dissertation committee is required in advance for a significantly longer work. A final draft of the dissertation must be approved by the dissertation committee no later than March 15 of the year in which the degree is to be conferred.To allow sufficient time for evaluation of the dissertation, the student should submit the draft to the committee several weeks in advance of this deadline. Style guidelines and specifications are available from the Ph.D. Studies Office. After the dissertation is approved, a date for a public oral examination is set by the candidate's department, in consultation with the candidate and with the approval of the Ph.D. Studies Office.Two final copies, together with two copies of an abstract of 350 words or less, must be delivered to the Ph.D. Studies Office no less than two weeks before the oral examination date.Upon satisfactory completion of this examination, the candidate is recommended by the examiners for the Ph.D. degree.
8. At least one week prior to the last faculty meeting of the term, three copies of the dissertation (unbound) are to be given to the Ph.D. Studies Office. Each copy must include an abstract of 350 words or less.The dissertation is made available to the scholarly world by microfilm, for which the candidate is to complete the Doctoral Dissertation Agreement Form in the Ph.D. Studies Office.The abstract is published in Dissertation Abstracts.
9. The Ph.D. program is designed to be completed in no more than five years of full-time study. In those cases in which candidates are allowed to study on a parttime basis during the dissertation stage, all degree requirements are expected to be completed within six years of entry into the program. After the six-year limit, extensions may be granted for one year at a time with a maximum of three oneyear extensions. Extensions will be granted only on the basis of significant progress, which is normally construed to mean the submission of substantial amounts of written material to the dissertation committee.The candidacy will be terminated if the dissertation is not successfully defended within nine years of the date of entrance into the program. As a basis for requesting the first year's extension beyond the six-year limit, the chair of the dissertation committee must indicate in writing that progress has been made on the dissertation and that some writing has been done that has been deemed satisfactory by the dissertation committee.As a basis for a second year of extension, the chair of the committee must report that approximately half of the total dissertation has been submitted and found satisfactory, and that the candidate is progressing on the second half of the dissertation. A third and final extension may be granted only on the basis of a personal appearance by the chair of the dissertation committee before the Ph.D. Studies Committee to make a substantial case that the dissertation can be successfully completed during the next academic year.* Failure to pay tuition (full or reduced) for an academic year without approval of the senior vice president and chief operating officer, will result in termination of the candidacy.

* Seminary regulations for duration of program described above apply to all Ph.D. students.Due to U.S. government regulations, the duration of visas for foreign national students may in some cases be shorter than the time needed to complete the dissertation. Even if a student must depart from the U.S., dissertation research and writing may continue provided the student remains in good academic standing.

Princeton Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, national or ethnic origin, or disability in its admission policies and educational programs. The Seminary's Senior Vice President (Administration Building, Business Office; 609-497-7700) has been designated to handle inquiries and grievances under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other federal nondiscrimination statutes.

Please Read Before Proceeding to Application

All applicants for admission to the Ph.D. program at Princeton Theological Seminary must hold the degree of B.A., or its equivalent, from an approved college or university, and ordinarily the degree of M.Div., or its equivalent, from an approved theological institution. It is assumed that those who are enrolled in M.Div. or equivalent programs when they apply for admission will have received their degrees before matriculation.

The M.Div. degree is required of applicants in Practical Theology. In other areas, if the M.Div. or its equivalent is absent, a minimum of two years of graduate study in religion is required. Included in the two years must be a course in each of Old Testament, New Testament, systematic theology, philosophy, or ethics; history of religions; a human science in relation to religion; and two courses in the history of Christianity.

Candidates for programs in Christian Education, Pastoral Theology, and Homiletics must submit evidence, as early as possible in the first year of residence, that they have engaged in that form of professional practice under close supervision, or else they must arrange to do so during their period of residence.

All candidates must be fluent in English and must demonstrate reading knowledge of two other modern languages, normally German and French. It is strongly recommended that candidates enter the program with a reading knowledge of both languages. Competence in at least one language—in the case of Biblical Studies, German—must be established before matriculation as a condition of registration for a full course load. Competence in the second modern language must be demonstrated as a prerequisite for the second year of residence. Please see Language Requirements, for more information.

Princeton Theological Seminary does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, sex, age, marital status, national or ethnic origin, or disability in its admission policies and educational programs. The Seminary's Senior Vice President (Administration Building, Business Office; 609-497-7700) has been designated to handle inquiries and grievances under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and other federal nondiscrimination statutes.

MODERN LANGUAGES

1. All candidates must be fluent in English and must demonstrate reading knowledge of two other modern languages, normally German and French. It is strongly recommended that students enter the program with a reading knowledge of both languages. The level of competence required may be roughly indicated as that to be expected from recent satisfactory completion of second-year college study of the language.
   
   Competence in at least one language—in the case of Biblical Studies, German—must be established before matriculation as a condition of registration for a full course load. Competence in the second modern language must be demonstrated before beginning the second year of residence, or the student’s program will be terminated.
2. Tests in reading competence in German and French (written translations, with and without dictionary) will be conducted by the Seminary in September, January, and May. In lieu of the translation test, the Seminary will accept a passing grade in the Princeton University summer language courses for graduate students. Other certifications are acceptable substitutes only under exceptional circumstances.
   
   Newly admitted students normally are expected to take the May test in one language in absentia. Registration for these tests is through the Ph.D. Studies Office of Princeton Seminary; the $10 fee is payable to Princeton Theological Seminary at the time of test registration. Newly admitted students who are not prepared to pass this test are normally expected to take one of the Princeton University summer language courses for graduate students. Information on these courses is available from the Ph.D. Studies Office.
3. Students who do not fulfill the first modern language requirement before the beginning of the first year will be classified as “qualifying candidates.” Qualifying candidates may take only one doctoral seminar or course (permission of instructor required) and must engage in language study with an approved tutor at their own expense.
   
   Qualifying candidates must take the language test in January. If the test is not passed, language study will continue during the second semester, again with only one seminar or course permitted. After the required first modern language test is passed, the term “qualifying candidate” will no longer apply. In every case, both modern foreign language requirements must be fulfilled before beginning the second year, or the student’s program will be terminated.
   
   Qualifying candidates will be considered full-time students, although they will be taking only one course or seminar, and will pay full tuition. During the third year (first semester if possible), those who were qualifying candidates will make up any seminar(s) missed. During this time, such candidates will pay only the continuation fee, although they will be taking seminars or courses for academic credit.
   
   Those who have been qualifying candidates and who must take seminars or courses during the fall semester of their third year will follow the usual sequence: they will take the comprehensive examinations and write the dissertation proposal by the end of the third year (see The Program of Study, page 12). If any required seminar is not offered until the second semester of the third year, the candidate must petition the Ph.D. Studies Committee for an exception to this deadline.
   
   In no case will financial aid be extended beyond the fourth year to compensate for time lost due to failure to meet the language requirement.
4. Petitions for modern language substitutions, where permitted, should be submitted (after matriculation only) by the residence committee chair to the student’s department, which will forward any recommendation for language substitution to the Ph.D. Studies Committee for final approval. Substitutions may be permitted if the requested language can be shown to be more relevant to the student’s field of research, course of study, and career intentions than the language that would otherwise be required.
5. Modern language requirements by areas and fields are as follows:
   • Biblical Studies (both fields): German and French required. Knowledge of German must be demonstrated before matriculation.
   • History and Ecumenics (Church History and History of Doctrine): German and French required.
   • History and Ecumenics (Mission, Ecumenics, and History of Religions): German and French ordinarily required. A student may petition to substitute another modern language for one of these (but not for both).
   • Theology (all fields): German (required) and ordinarily French. A student may petition to substitute another modern language for French.
   • Religion and Society: German and French ordinarily required. A student may petition to substitute another modern language for one of these (but not for both).
   • Practical Theology (all fields): German and French ordinarily required. A student may petition to substitute another modern language for one of these (but not for both).

ANCIENT LANGUAGES

Several fields require their Ph.D. candidates to demonstrate command of ancient languages, as set forth below.

* Languages marked with an asterisk (*) must be mastered before matriculation.

** In the case of Early Church History and Early History of Doctrine, reading knowledge of either Greek or Latin is required at matriculation.

THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOLAR PROGRAM

Every year Princeton Theological Seminary welcomes international scholars who are preparing for positions of major responsibility in churches and theological schools of their home countries. It is assumed that Ph.D. applicants for the international scholar program will have the educational background indicated below (see EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS) and that a major portion of this study will have been done in the applicant’s home country or part of the world.

The purpose of the International Scholar Program for Ph.D. candidates is to cooperate with churches outside the United States in preparing men and women for leadership responsibilities. Thus each applicant is required to present an ecclesiastical reference concerning his/her Christian commitment and leadership qualities. If the applicant’s proposed study is in preparation for a specific institutional post, the institution is asked to supply this information in support of the applicant.

DURATION OF PROGRAM

The Ph.D. Studies Committee has set the length of the program at five years of full-time study. These five years consist of two years of full-time resident study, followed by a year in which to pass the comprehensive examinations and prepare a dissertation proposal. The fourth and fifth years are for dissertation research and writing. See the Seminary catalogue for more information on the duration of the Ph.D. program. If it is not possible for an international student to complete the dissertation by the end of the fifth year, he or she should expect to complete the dissertation phase of the program at home, as U.S. government regulations do not permit extension of student visas beyond year five of our program except for “compelling medical or academic reasons.”

EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIALS

International Ph.D. candidates must present a properly certified educational background. The Ph.D. admissions committee recognizes that educational systems are organized differently in different areas of the world. International applicants should usually present five to seven years of full time post-secondary study, including work in the humanities, arts, and sciences (two to four years) and in theology (three to four years). This is meant to be equivalent to the background required of U.S. applicants, who must present six to seven years of post-secondary education, including the B.A. (or B.S.) and the B.D. or M.Div. degrees or their academic equivalent. International applicants are encouraged to present an explanation of how their educational credentials meet these requirements.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

International scholars are admitted only upon evidence that they are sufficiently proficient in the English language to deal adequately with course material in oral and written form. Proficiency must be demonstrated by presenting the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), which is now computer-based in most parts of the world. Ph.D. applicants are expected to obtain a minimum score of 23 on each section of the computer-based TOEFL (CBT) or the internet-based TOEFL (iBT), or a minimum score of 57 on each of the three sections of the paper-based TOEFL. Successful applicants usually present scores well above this minimum.

International applicants who have used the English language extensively may take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) if they prefer. However, scores from either the TOEFL or GRE are required. TOEFL scores must be no more than two years old; GRE scores must be no more than five years old.

Ph.D. candidates are also required to have adequate reading knowledge of German and French. (For more information on modern foreign language requirements, see the Seminary catalogue, or “Language Requirements” on the Ph.D. admissions section of the seminary website.)

FINANCIAL SUPPORT

Princeton Seminary currently provides limited financial assistance for five years and subsidized (but not free) housing for five years for international Ph.D. students. To be considered for financial assistance international students must complete the International Ph.D. Student Financial Aid Application form. The maximum Seminary grant (currently tuition plus $11,000 per year for five years) is not enough to cover all of the student’s expenses; therefore, applicants are urged to seek and apply for scholarships from denominational and other sources. U.S. Government regulations require each international student to demonstrate in advance sufficient financial resources for him/herself and dependents, if any, for the first year of the Ph.D. program, as well as credible evidence of a funding plan for the remaining years. Seminary scholarship aid and student on-campus employment may be counted toward this demonstration of financial resources. Please note that spouses are not eligible for employment in the United States. Married students may need to come to Princeton without their dependents if they are unable to demonstrate the financial resources required by government regulation.

Admitted applicants will be expected to demonstrate the above described financial resources no later than April 15 following March admission.

HOUSING

International students who are single are housed in dormitories for five years. Some furnished apartments are available for married international Ph.D. candidates at student rates for five years, provided the student remains in good academic standing. Since most of the apartments have only one or two bedrooms, families with more than three children cannot be accommodated in Seminary housing.

PROCEDURE FOR APPLICATION

If you are able to meet these academic, ecclesiastical and language requirements, please submit the Ph.D. application and supporting credentials no later than December 31 for the following academic year.

PhD. Scholarship Information

Applicants who wish to be considered for any form of financial assistance must complete the appropriate Ph.D. Princeton Seminary Student Financial Aid Application. All aid programs listed below are disbursed during the academic year.

Merit Tuition Scholarships

Merit Tuition Scholarships are awarded to doctoral students on the basis of demonstrated academic merit and promise of scholarly accomplishment in a chosen field of advanced study. These scholarships are awarded for the first four years of the candidate's program and cover full tuition for the first two years and the candidate's continuation fee (this fee replaces the tuition charge after year two) for year three and four.

Doctoral Fellowships

In addition to the Merit Tuition Scholarship, the Seminary awards a number of Doctoral Fellowships to students based on demonstrated academic merit and promise of scholarly accomplishment. This fellowship is worth $12,000/ academic year and is awarded for up to four years (eight semesters) of study in the Ph.D. program. Candidates awarded doctoral fellowships must reside in the Princeton area, hold no more than 20 hours a week of outside employment, and remain in good academic standing. Candidates who receive an outside grant for overseas study and relinquish their Seminary scholarship during one of their first four years of doctoral work are eligible to apply for Seminary aid during a fifth year.

PhD Studies Grant

Students not selected for a Doctoral fellowship may apply for need-based grant aid for the first four years of their program of studies at Princeton Seminary. Applicants would have to follow the standard financial aid application procedures which include, completing our institutional aid application, completing the Free Application fo Federal Student Aid, and submiting a copy of your federal tax return. If a student qualifies, she/he can receive up to $12,000  in need-based grant aid during each of their first four academic years. In order to qualify, doctoral candidates must apply each academic year, maintain satisfactory academic progress and reside in the Princeton area. For more information, please feel free to contact the office of Admissions and Financial Aid.

Fellowships and Assistantships
Annually over 40 teaching fellowships are awarded to provide assistance in Seminary courses. The basic stipend of a full-time teaching fellow is $3,950 for which the holder normally leads three preceptorials during one semester. The basic stipend of a two-thirds-time teaching fellowship is $2,845 for which the holder normally leads two preceptorials during one semester. A one-third-time option may also be possible with a stipend of $1,740 per semester.

Research assistantships are also available, in which a student is contracted on an hourly basis to assist a faculty member with a specific research project.

The George S. Green Fellowship for Doctoral Study
One $12,000 fellowship for doctoral work preferably but not exclusively in Old Testament may be awarded for up to four years of study to a senior in the Master of Divinity program in the Seminary, or a candidate in the Master of Theology program at the Seminary, who has displayed outstanding academic achievement and scholarly promise.

Timothy Scholars Program 

“Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to those who believe, in word, in your way of life, in love, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.” (I Timothy 4:12)

I.          INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

THE MISSION of the “Timothy Scholars Program” is to prepare a cohort of qualified teaching scholars for emerging positions in higher education that focus on forming leadership for ministry with young people.  Timothy Scholars will customarily be located in education and formation in practical theology, and must demonstrate vocational interest in teaching in areas related to forming pastors and leaders in youth/emerging adult ministry. Candidates who qualify to take part in the Timothy Scholars program must also demonstrate a record of excellence in pastoral ministry with young people.

The Timothy Scholars Program originated through the United Methodist-affiliated Foundation for Evangelism, and has been continued through the generosity of a United Methodist donor. For this reason, the scholarship intentionally enacts a wholistic, Wesleyan model of formation that unites (as Charles Wesley wrote in 1763) “knowledge and vital piety,” combining intellectual rigor with pedagogical and spiritual formation throughout the program.

Timothy Scholars receive full tuition, teaching fellowships of up to $26,000 over five years[i], and a $15,000/year stipend each year for five years (or until the scholar takes full-time employment, whichever comes first).  In addition, Timothy Scholars’ teaching honoraria are underwritten (up to $10,000 over five years) for youth ministry education in under-resourced communities, and expenses are underwritten (up to $1400/year) for participation in professional meetings where peer mentoring with other currently funded Timothy Scholars takes place.  These opportunities are developed in consultation with, and expenditures are approved by, the program mentor.

II.         REQUIREMENTS OF TIMOTHY SCHOLARS

A.         Admissions requirements:

Timothy Scholars commit to a course of study that prepares them for teaching in areas of practical theology, mission, and discipleship formation with young people. They apply and meet the standards for admission to the Ph.D. program set forth by Princeton Theological Seminary. In addition, Timothy Scholars complete and submit the “Timothy Scholars Application Form” available on the seminary website, with the Ph.D. application form, and obtain two relevant references specific to the candidate’s youth ministry experience and potential as a leader in the field. The deadline for Ph.D. applications also the deadline for applying to be as Timothy Scholar. 

NOTE:  Eligibility for the Timothy Scholars Program does not guarantee admission into the Ph.D. program at Princeton Theological Seminary.  Similarly, ineligibility for the Timothy Scholars Program does not disqualify a candidate from admission to the Ph.D. program.

B.         Academic requirements:

Timothy Scholars must successfully complete all aspects of the Ph.D. program according to the standards set forth by the Department of Practical Theology and Princeton Theological Seminary.

C.         Denominational requirements:

Timothy Scholars may be from any theological or denominational tradition, and are admitted to the Ph.D. program without regard to denominational affiliation.  However, since the Timothy Scholars program originated to prepare viable candidates for positions in youth/young adult ministry in United Methodist and Methodist-affiliated institutions, and has been continued through the generosity of a United Methodist donor, students from Wesleyan backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.  

D.        Formation requirements:

Because research has identified vocational relationships as key to one’s longevity in ministry, the Timothy Scholars program intentionally brings scholars into the Ph.D. program in pairs, and assigns a program mentor to oversee the formation requirements of the program, to conduct the annual peer mentoring experience, and to oversee pedagogical and spiritual formation aspects of the program. The program mentor is a faculty member (with a Ph.D.) who teaches in education and formation in the area of youth/young adult ministry.  The program mentor is designated by the seminary, and reports annually on the progress of scholars in the program.  Currently Kenda Creasy Dean, Associate Professor of Youth, Church and Culture at Princeton Theological Seminary, serves in this role. 

(a)        Annual peer mentoring.  “Currently funded” Timothy Scholars meet for annual peer

mentoring with other  “currently funded” Timothy Scholars.  Normally, the annual peer mentoring experience will take place in tandem at a professional meeting appropriate to students’ vocational interests, in order to help them establish professional connections in the field.

(b)        Ongoing spiritual guidance.  Timothy Scholars participate with their cohorts in an ongoing program of spiritual guidance, as developed by the program mentor, for the duration of their funding period.

(c )       Pedagogical formation.  Timothy Scholars participate in ongoing pedagogical formation throughout the program, honing their abilities as teachers in both degree and non-degree educational settings.  In addition to assisting in coursework at Princeton Theological Seminary as teaching fellows (mentored by the sponsoring faculty member), Timothy Scholars will offer annual leadership in a practitioner-oriented youth/young adult ministry training event (i.e., continuing education, leadership training, coaching, or direct-service opportunities with youth themselves such as camps, conferences, etc.)  In addition, at least twice during the funding period and in consultation with the program mentor, Timothy Scholars will offer youth ministry education for leaders in under-resourced communities, as developed by the Center for Youth Ministry Training, the Institute for Youth Ministry, or another sponsoring body connected to the program.

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