APPLICATIONS FOR THE 2026 SPRING TERM (AND FOLLOWING) WILL BE AVAILABLE UNTIL AUGUST 1, 2025. UNITED LUTHERAN SEMINARY IS RESTRUCTURING ITS INTERNAL PROCESS SO THAT YOUR EXPERIENCES BOTH AS AN APPLICANT AND AS A STUDENT WILL BE GREATLY ENHANCED. YOUR PATIENCE DURING THIS TRANSITION IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS PLEASE EMAIL ADMISSIONS@ULS.EDU.

‍The PhD program in Public Theology and Witness is 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 cohort
Generous scholarships available for campus housing
Optional compensated teaching fellowships
Other stipends are available, depending on student circumstances and areas of study

PhD Application Overview
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Read more about this degree in the Academic Catalog