Deepen your understanding of the Christian tradition within the richness of the Roman
Catholic heritage and the Spiritan charism. The Ph.D. in Theology program focuses
on global Christianity and engages with the challenges faced by disadvantaged populations
in an ecumenical spirit.
As a student, you’ll explore the Christian tradition through its biblical foundations,
historical development, and interactions with diverse religions and cultures. You’ll
engage in rigorous studies of systematic, moral and biblical theology while broadening
your perspective through disciplines like history of religion, philosophy, anthropology,
sociology, spirituality and the physical sciences.
This program will equip you with the knowledge and insight to address critical issues
and make meaningful contributions to the world.
Learning Outcomes:
Master and articulate contemporary theological systems and schools of thought using
hermeneutical tools appropriate to the subjects studied.
Demonstrate knowledge of foundational areas of Catholic theology.
Bring ecumenical and global dimensions of Christian theology into dialogue with Catholic
thought.
Show a capacity to present integrated and constructive theological arguments that
critically engage and analyze historical and contemporary theological sources.
For over 40 years, our doctoral program in Theology has equipped students like you
to make a global impact, awarding nearly 200 Ph.D. degrees. As a graduate, you’ll
join a distinguished network of leaders who have become professors, authors, deans,
provosts, department chairs, and institute directors—both in academia and within the
Church, including the Vatican.
Our alumni also serve as priests, pastors, chaplains, bishops, and even Superior Generals
of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Your journey here could lead to similar influential
roles, contributing to theology and the wider world in transformative ways. Recent
graduates' accomplishments showcase the exceptional quality of our students' theological
work, including:
Elaine Heath served as the Dean of Duke Divinity School.
Rev. Dr. Alain Mayama, C.S.Sp. is the current Superior General of the Spiritan Congregation.
Rev. Dr. Gabriel Mendy, C.S.Sp. was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Banjul, Gambia.
Numerous graduates are serving in full-time, tenured faculty positions at academic
institutions, including Fordham University, University of Portland, John Carroll University,
Creighton University, St. John’s University (NY), St. Mary’s University (TX), Loras
College (IA), Gannon University, and several prestigious institutions of higher education
on the African continent, like the Spiritan International School of Theology, Attakwu-Enugu,
Nigeria.
Our graduates have published their dissertations as monographs at prestigious university
presses, including Georgetown University Press, the University of Notre Dame Press,
Routledge, Palgrave Macmillan, Oxford University Press, and others.
In our doctoral program, you’ll complete 30 credit hours in biblical theology, systematic
theology, and theological ethics, equipping you with a strong foundation in the field.
After coursework, you’ll undertake a rigorous comprehensive written and oral exam
to solidify your expertise across key theological areas. You’ll also gain proficiency
in two theologically relevant languages, broadening your academic skill set. Your
capstone achievement will be your dissertation, culminating in a written work and
oral defense that showcase your unique contributions to theology.
During your first two years, you’ll be mentored as a Teaching Assistant, and then,
for the next two years, you’ll independently teach a course each semester. These teaching
opportunities will help you refine your pedagogical skills and prepare you for professional
success as an experienced educator.
Duquesne's broad diversity of doctrinal and moral theology, taught in the context
of a historical and global approach, enabled me to teach, publish and present in multiple
theological areas, from biblical foundations to phenomenological theory. I’ve also
ventured into areas of other disciplines, such as the role of ritual theory in the
anthropological sciences.
Dr. Mary Beth Yount, Ph.D., the Irene S. Taylor Endowed Chair for Catholic and Family
Studies at St. Vincent University, and consultant to the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops
I have enjoyed the program's decolonial and interreligious character, the interlibrary
loan, and the department's almost family-like atmosphere.
Richard Tambwe, Current Ph.D. student
Program Requirements
Our department has reimagined the curriculum with you in mind, offering a dynamic
program that reflects the expertise of our faculty and addresses the skills you need
to succeed in today’s job market—whether within academia or beyond.
You’ll benefit from a global perspective rooted in our Spiritan charism, with opportunities
to explore theological themes that align with the Spiritan and Catholic identity of
Duquesne University. Our curriculum emphasizes the rich historical tradition of the
Catholic Church, the systematic study of the Holy Spirit (pneumatology), and the Church’s
mission in contemporary societies and new cultural contexts. You’ll also engage with
critical global and local issues, such as climate change, habitat destruction, economic
injustice, and the neglect of the common good. This holistic approach ensures that
your theological studies are not only academically rigorous but also deeply relevant
to the challenges of our time.
The following is a sample curricular progression:
Each candidate for the Ph.D. in Theology must demonstrate a reading competency in
two foreign languages which are theologically relevant.
Within one year of finishing course work, each candidate for the Ph.D. in Theology
is required to take a comprehensive examination which includes a research component,
a written component and an oral component in each of four areas: systematic theology,
ecclesiology and sacraments, general moral theology and an area of specialization
chosen by the student and approved by the faculty.
A dissertation (six credits), which makes an original and significant theological
contribution, written under the supervision of a director and publicly defended before
a three-person dissertation defense board which includes the director.
Admission Requirements
undergraduate & graduate transcripts & diplomas,
personal statement,
current CV
sample of academic writing, and
three letters of recommendation.
Student Funding
Each year the Department of Theology appoints a limited number of graduate assistants.
Assistantships include full tuition and fees, and a competitive multi-year stipend.
Graduate assistants carry a full-time course load and fulfill requirements for their
assistantships by completing work as a TA during coursework and as a Teaching Fellow
during their third and fourth years of the program. All applicants for admission into
the Ph.D. degree will automatically be reviewed as candidates for graduate assistant
positions. Ph.D. candidates may also be employed by the department on a part-time
basis for teaching undergraduate courses.
Partial Tuition Discounts
Graduate students who do not receive financial aid may apply for partial tuition assistance.
The following discounts are available through the university Financial Aid Office,
subject to their approval:
50% discount for Catholic lay ministers and school teachers,
