Practical Theology Doctorate

Entry requirements

Normally a 2:1 degree in a relevant discipline is required for entry. Candidates will also require a suitable base in practice to be accepted on this course We welcome applications from: Public sector professionals in health, education and social services. Active members of caring professions such as psychotherapy, counselling, nursing, social work, community development. Those involved in religious ministry in parish, congregational, or chaplaincy settings. People working in charities, non-governmental organizations, in the cultural industries, or in the arts. Those involved in industry or business wishing to deepen their understanding of the ethical and theological dimensions of their practice.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Doctor of Practical Theology is a practice-based doctoral level degree. It provides a unique opportunity for practitioners in a wide variety of settings to work with peers from similar and different professional and voluntary contexts to gain a practice-based and relevant research degree by staged part-time work.

The programme is designed particularly for part-time students (though it may be possible to take it full-time) and you will be encouraged to use your professional, voluntary or ministerial practice as the foundation for your structured research in practical theology.

The DPT is suitable for all those actively involved in professional or substantial voluntary work across a range of contexts and institutions, who want to examine the implications of action guiding beliefs, values, and ideologies (‘theologies’) for their practices, and vice versa. A variety of social science and other methodologies can be used to research practice and contexts.

It consists of three introductory modules and a final dissertation, permitting a staged approach to research. Assessment is by a portfolio of work including a literature review, a publishable article, a research proposal and a final 50,000-word dissertation.

You will be supported throughout by regular supervision, seminars, and workshops with peer and academic engagement. There will also be a summer school drawing together professional doctoral students in practical theology from other universities offering this programme.

Fees and funding

Please visit:

www.birmingham.ac.uk/pgfunding

Qualification and course duration

DPT