Doctor of Philosophy in Integration of Religion & Society

Do you want to understand your career as a calling?  Discover Oxford Graduate School's Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) in the Integration of Religion and Society.

Gain the knowledge and confidence to lead, publish, and change the world at Oxford Graduate School (OGS).  The OGS Doctor of Philosophy in the Integration of Religion and Society program is designed to integrate faith and work in a meaningful way.  OGS's doctoral program enables students to enhance their work skills through academic research and interdisciplinary skills.  OGS graduates work in a variety of fields where research is a strong component, from political consulting to market research and medical research, to careers in social service, business, ministry, and education.

The OGS degree program is designed to be productive and rewarding and to fit the unique needs of working adults. The faculty and staff are dedicated to supporting students in balancing their work, family, and academic commitments. The Doctor of Philosophy in the Integration of Religion and Society is designed to help graduates make a positive Christain impact worldwide.

Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) Degree Program Details

The doctoral program is designed with the goal of integration of religion and society.  The program consists of courses in six structured, short-term residency-based cores and a dissertation phase.  Because the degree is interdisciplinary, students focus research on a social problem in their area of interest.  Successful completion of the disseration leads to graduation.

DPhil Degree Requirements

The DPhil program consists of 72 credit hours of the following courses offered in six week-long intensive residencies called "Core" sessions with online tutorial-style instruction for 30, 60, 90, and 120 day assignments.

Additional requirements:

• University of Oxford reading and research trip (an annual tradition since 1981)
• Library of Congress reading and research trip
• Doctoral dissertation

Completion time:  4-6 years

Degree Program Expectations

As a result of academic study, students are expected to develop and exhibit:

1. Clarity of English in both speech and written work
2. Evidence of understanding research methodology
3. Proficiency in research statistics
4. Ability to gather evidence and synthesize findings
5. Mastery of literature related to dissertation area
6. Competency in critical inquiry of unsolved or unresolved social problems

Course Work Timeline

1. Orientation Workshop (Core 1)
2. Short Term Residences (Cores 2-6)
3. Dissertation Phase (typically spanning a period of 2-3 years) including:
   1. Proposal development
   2. Proposal defense
   3. Conducting the Research
   4. Writing the dissertation
4. Degree validation
5. Graduate Colloquy