Doctoral
|
Boston University Graduate School
SPR Degree Requirements in
Detail
|
Degree Requirement | MA | PB-PhD | PM-PhD |
Total credits required for degree |
32 | 64 | 40 |
DRTS required courses | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Track 4 required courses: Core Texts and Motifs (1 year) Science Literacy (1 year) R&S Proseminar (1 semester) |
|
8 |
4 |
Track 4 research competencies: Research Language Science Research Competency |
0 NotReq |
0 0 |
0 0 |
Track 4 lab placement | NotReq | 4 | 4 |
Credits remaining for elective courses | 24 | 32 | 16 |
The post-Masters PhD degree requires 40 credits, and the post-Bachelors PhD 64 credits of coursework. The doctoral programs have four required classes, as follows.
The Track 4 Faculty recommends that doctoral students consider three other courses (or types of courses) as vital preparation for qualifying examinations:
Religion & Science PhD students (but not MA students) also need to demonstrate competence in a basic science-related skill such as mathematics, computer programming, neural modeling, or logic, depending on the specialization. For example, a student specializing in certain aspects of the biological sciences may need the ability to understand computer programming just to understand what is at stake in such research as computer models of protein folding and the like. Someone working in physics would usually need competence in mathematics. A student working in ecology would probably need expertise in environmental modeling software.
During the placement (and continuing afterwards, optionally), the student takes on the insider-outsider role of being involved in the work of the lab in basic ways while trying to interpret that work for those both inside and outside the laboratory context.
Each student is
assigned an advisor within the lab. Within the Religion & Science program, a cooperative learning
arrangement is adopted whereby people in lab placements meet regularly as a group with
Religion & Science
faculty. Students should register for the Lab Placement Seminar while they
are in a Lab Placement. The aim of these meetings is to discuss how to interpret what is going on in
their labs in relation to their growing mastery of the history and philosophy of science,
and with their growing understanding of the humanities.
This requirement cultivates practical expertise in observation and interpretation of the social setting of research science. It furnishes the student with an ideal context within which to reflect upon the more abstract studies of their program. And the training provided is an indispensable part of understanding the practical character of modern scientific research.
For further information about qualifying examinations, check out the guidelines and reading lists in the Green Book and review the list of Religion & Science qualifying examination questions in the Web QE Question Archive.
The usual timeline for doctoral students' progress in the Track 4 or SPR program is laid out in the table below. To proceed beyond the 6th year in a PM-PhD and beyond the 7th year in a PB-PhD, a program extension is required. MA students have three years before a program extension is required. Further program extensions are required for each subsequent year. After these degree completion deadlines pass, continuing registration fees (i.e. post-coursework registration fees) increase significantly.
Degree Requirement | PB-PhD | PM-PhD |
Plan of Studies submitted | semester 1 | semester 1 |
Foreign Language completed | semester 2 | semester 2 |
Science Competency completed | semester 4 | semester 4 |
Lab Placement completed | semester 6 | semester 4 |
Coursework completed | semester 6 | semester 4 |
First two qualifying exams completed | semester 7 | semester 5 |
Proposal for third (specialty) exam approved | semester 7 | semester 5 |
Third (specialty) qualifying exam completed | semester 8 | semester 6 |
Fourth (oral) qualifying exam completed | semester 8 | semester 6 |
Dissertation prospectus approved | semester 9 | semester 7 |
Dissertation successfully defended | semester 12 | semester 10 |
Prerequisites for the post-masters Ph.D. include serious background in two of the three disciplines with good reason to think that the third is within reach. A little more flexibility may be possible for M.A. applicants. The post-bachelors degree is often a good option for doctoral candidateseven for those with masters degrees in one of the three fields. The extra courses are usually needed to establish a solid basis for interdisciplinary research and a masters degree can be picked up along the way.
When the background is almost but not quite what is needed, extra prerequisites or corequisites may be stipulated.
Some of the special requirements (such as math, logic, programming, computer modeling, environmental modeling, economic modeling, statistics) often are covered in undergraduate degree programs. As with languages, however, an examination typically would be required in order to ensure that sufficient competence has been achieved. Because the type of lab experience we are seeking to provide is a distinctive and important part of the degree program, the lab placement (see below) would not be waived even for someone with previous lab experience.
There are ways to save money in DRTS degree programs and many arrangements have been made to help you do that. For the basics, read the "Stretching your Dollars" document. For more advanced strategies, please consult with Prof. Wildman.
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