The PhD program in Public Theology and Witness will be directed by the Rev. Teresa L. Smallwood, JD, PhD, the James Franklin Kelly and Hope Eyster Kelly Associate Professor of Public Theology at United Lutheran Seminary. Instruction and guidance will be offered by the ULS faculty and a cohort of Senior Fellows, including Professors Rebecca T. Alpert, Katharine Henderson, Obery Hendricks, Jr., Mary Hunt, Stephen Ray, Cheryl Sanders, Susan Thistlethwaite, Emilie M. Townes, and others.

Format:

Two years of full-time coursework
Required residence in Gettysburg, PA for the first academic year
Placement with a Senior Fellow in a praxeological context
Teaching experiences
Comprehensive exams, normally in the third year
Dissertation

Available Programs of Study:

Christian Traditions and Culture (including Systematic and Constructive Theology, Bible, and Church History)
Church and Society (including Racial Justice and Gender and Sexuality Justice)
Public Advocacy (including Policy, Communications, and Ethics)

Funding:

Full-tuition scholarships for all students admitted into the 2024–2025 cohort
Generous scholarships available for campus housing
Optional compensated teaching fellowships
Other stipends are available, depending on student circumstances and areas of study

Applications for Fall 2024 are closed. We are not accepting applications for the next cohort at this time.