Skip to content ↓

Introducing “The Residency Ph.D.,” A Doctoral Program in Community

The Residency

This sponsored post was prepared by Midwestern Seminary

We’ve seen tremendous growth over the last several years at Midwestern Seminary, due largely to our renewal of the foundational seminary commitment to exist for the Church. This has become our leading pledge and vision, our institution’s very raison d’etre. And this has meant a strong commitment to training pastors for local congregations. But gospel ministry is a robust thing, and many men and women pursue theological education with contributions to the academy in their sights. Our challenge then is how to ensure that our training of scholars is wedded as closely as possible to service to the local church.

How do we do this? By innovating a residential Ph.D. program that doesn’t merely emphasize the “for the Church” commitment but actually provides a context that complements the discipleship culture of Christian community.

This is where Midwestern Seminary’s The Residency comes in. Starting in Fall 2017, this new residential component of Midwestern’s Ph.D. program provides the benefits of personal interaction with faculty, administration, theological and pastoral leaders, and fellow students. And the campus life in Kansas City, Missouri provides an exciting and gracious culture within which to pursue your studies in a way that is both academically rigorous and spiritually enriching.

While Residency students attend the same seminars and follow the same path as non-residential Ph.D. students, and while there are no additional tuition expenses, The Residency combines the best aspects of the American Ph.D. program and the traditional UK doctoral model, merging independent advanced theological research with cohort-based mentorship and oversight. In this community context, The Residency will provide you with a unique avenue for following your call to serve churches through the academy.

Are you, or is someone you know, interested in pursuing a Ph.D.? The Residency program offers:

  • personal interaction, weekly forums, and mentorship with faculty and other ministry leaders.
  • an enculturated experience that better prepares doctoral students in the skills and aptitude necessary for service in the academy.
  • classroom experience that can help you capitalize on Midwestern’s high rate of placement of doctoral grads in teaching positions.
  • a Graduate Certificate in Theological Higher Education, in addition to your Ph.D., signaling your readiness for teaching at the highest levels.

And the required credit hours are identical to our modular Ph.D. program, so you don’t need any additional classes or seminars.

Interested in pursuing your Ph.D. in a community that exists For The Church? Find out more info and take the next step at mbts.edu/theresidency.

MBTS The Residency

  • Thriving Marriage

    Thriving Marriage

    I have often wondered about the best time to write a book about marriage. When a couple is young, there is so much about marriage they have not yet experienced. They can still impart wisdom and teach lessons, of course, but there is so much of marriage that remains unknown to them. Yet when a…

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 11)

    A La Carte: Falling out of repentance / Tattoos as confession / The Epstein List and secret sins / Teaching generosity / Lessons from a former youth pastor / Bedbugs in the bowels of the city.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 10)

    A La Carte: Questions for a maturing marriage / The lesbian seagulls that weren’t / But mommy, why? / A time to be tired / The modern rise of Stoicism / and more.

  • The Stranger

    The Stranger: A Short Film For You

    Based on a true story and inspired by the truth that character comes before competence, “The Stranger” is an honest, light-hearted and meaningful picture of what it means to truly serve others.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 9)

    A La Carte: The singer who changed the course of my life / Stay on the line / Incompatible thick communities / Lulla-Bible? / The solution is not megachurch / Who were the Anabaptists? / and more.

  • A La Carte Collection cover image

    A La Carte (July 8)

    A La Carte: 15 ways to discern false teaching / The queering of history / The best part of my day / 6 kinds of hearers of God’s Word / Countering Muslim attacks on the Bible / Kindle deals / and more.