School of Intercultural Studies
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Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies (Ph.D.)

• Provides the highest level of academic certification by developing skills in missiological scholarship in preparation for teaching at the university and graduate level.

• Offers a unique learning experience tailored to each student's ministry calling, gifts, and academic interest.

• Equips missiologists to meet the challenge of ministering in an increasingly complex, multiethnic, and multinational world.

Distinctively Fuller
Founded in 1965, Fuller's School of World Mission has pioneered the major areas of study within missiology. Now, as the School of Intercultural Studies, the school continues to facilitate innovative and relevant teaching, and train of missiologists, international church leaders, missionaries, and evangelists. Fuller's integrative approach to missiological education reflects its commitment to furthering God's mission and discovering how Christian leaders can participate in God's worldwide redemptive work. Students are challenged to minister incarnationally across the ethnic, cultural, generational, and economic barriers in today's global society. In its goal of extending God's Kingdom, the School of Intercultural Studies educates leaders to share God's love with unreached peoples in both urban and rural areas and to bring the Gospel anew to modern western culture. Students also benefit from Fuller's person-centered approach. With the help of their faculty members, School of Intercultural Studies students design their own degree programs to fit their individual goals, competencies, and callings. The faculty and staff actively mentor students seeking to become all that God has created them to be. The Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies represents the highest level of academic certification, preparing men and women for teaching mission studies at the university and graduate level.
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The Faculty
Every member of Fuller's internationally known faculty is a committed Christian who integrates his or her disciplines with personal faith and dedication to the teachings of Jesus Christ. These scholars bring to the classroom a wealth of training and experience, including ministries that extend beyond the seminary.

All School of Intercultural Studies faculty are practitioners who have significant personal experience in cross-cultural mission and hold strong academic credentials. Moreover, they remain connected to ministries in their areas of expertise. The faculty speak various languages other than English, including French, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, Indonesian, Arabic, and Hausa, and their writings have been published in 14 languages.
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The Curriculum
The School of Intercultural Studies curriculum is designed to help students craft their own academic programs to fit their individual needs. The curriculum for doctoral programs requires that students have already developed certain competencies through previous graduate course work. These competencies include the ability to integrate the study of Scripture and the mission of the church within the context of cross-cultural ministry and the ability to contextualize the Gospel for specific people groups. This comprehensive approach melding theory and practical application enables missionaries, national church leaders, and educators to prepare for more fruitful and focused ministries.

Students in the Ph.D. program may specialize in a given ministry area by choosing a concentration such as: leadership, Islamic Studies, urban mission, international and community development, mission in modern/postmodern culture, church growth, church planting, spiritual dynamics of mission, theology of mission, Bible translation, mission history and anthropology.

The Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies degree requires successful completion of 56 units in missiology beyond the master's level, including advanced studies in two major and two minor areas, plus an 8-unit dissertation.

• 6 Tutorials: 48 units total
• 2 Research Methods: 8 units total
• Dissertation: 8 units total

The program is approved by the student's Doctoral Guidance Committee and supervised by the appointed School of Intercultural Studies faculty mentor. Students may enroll in up to three master's-level courses in the School of Intercultural Studies free of charge in support of each tutorial. Tutorials may be completed by independent study under the supervision of a faculty member or as tutorial seminars with other doctoral students and a faculty tutor involving classroom discussion and presentation. Tutorials are supplemented by the Research Methods courses that enable effective data collection and analysis necessary for the writing of the dissertation. The Tutorials and Research Methods course work for the Ph.D. can normally be completed within the first two years of study if the student is able to study full-time. This is followed by four comprehensive examinations and the dissertation in the third year. The dissertation research conducted for the Ph.D. degree must show originality and creativity, as well as make a contribution to missiological theory. It must include an element of application and contribute significantly to the field of missiology and the expansion of the Kingdom of God. At least three years of ministry related to the proposed research area is required of Ph.D. applicants.
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Curricular Models
The curricular model for the Ph.D. degree in the School of Intercultural Studies allows students to follow a tutorial-based format, similar to the European educational model, in which they carry out research and the writing of tutorials under faculty supervision. Students work independently and progress at their own pace, discussing their work regularly with their faculty mentor, guidance committee, and peers.

Students will do at least two tutorials in a seminar format. Doctoral tutorial seminars offer a community-based learning experience with other doctoral students, greater exposure to faculty, and built-in support for completing the program in a defined time frame.

A very focused full-time effort will allow a Ph.D. student to complete the degree in three years.

In order to design their program, students will be required to take MB561 “Introduction to Research Design” either as a prerequisite or as the first course in their program. MB561 is offered as a Summer Intensive at the end of July/early August each year. Please check the campus course offerings for the exact dates.
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Residency Requirements
Ph.D. students are required to spend at minimum of eighteen months residency (not necessarily contiguous) in Pasadena during their doctoral studies to meet the program requirements of tutorial courses, seminars, methodology, research and writing.

Outcomes
As the largest and most diverse graduate-level missiological school in the world, Fuller's School of Intercultural Studies has trained more than 3,500 men and women to serve in leadership positions throughout the globe. In over 75 countries, our graduates serve as missionaries, educators, evangelists, linguists, pastors, administrators, authors, youth leaders, church planters, and humanitarian workers, bringing the love of Christ to a hurting world.
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Admissions Information
Applications are accepted yearly in January for Fall Quarter (September) enrollment into the program. To be eligible to apply to the doctoral programs, the School of Intercultural Studies requires that individuals have achieved some significant milestones both academically and ministerially. Applicants must have completed a master's degree with a strong grade point average. Within that master's degree (or in addition to the degree) a student must have completed prerequisite graduate level missiology and theology coursework. These foundational prerequisite units consist of 48 quarter / 32 semester units earned in missiology and 48 quarter units / 32 semester units earned in theology, for a total of 96 quarter / 64 semester units at the graduate level. An applicant may request a transcript evaluation to assess prerequisite units by contacting the School of Intercultural Studies Director of Doctoral Studies by e-mailing sis-docdir@dept.fuller.edu or calling 626-584-5287. Applicants must also have completed at least three years of ministry related to their proposed research topic.

For deadlines click on the clock
Applicants for the Doctor of Philosophy program in the School of Intercultural Studies must submit the following:

• Official transcripts of all postsecondary schools attended, showing a master's degree earned from an accredited institution of higher learning with a cumulative graduate grade point average of at least 3.7.

  Note: a minimum of 48 quarter units of graduate missiology coursework and 48 quarter units of graduate theology work must have been completed within the master's degree (or done in addition to the master's degree). Applicants who have already completed more than 64 units of the required 96 units of combined missiology and theology graduate course prerequisites may be considered for provisional admission into the program. All master's level prerequisites must be completed before the applicant commences doctoral studies in the Fall quarter.
   
• Evidence of personal maturity as communicated through three references, the applicant's religious autobiography, and statement regarding ministry experience (which must consist of at least 3 years in the applicant's proposed research area).
   
• Graduate research and writing competence as evidenced in a writing sample, 70 pages in length, not necessarily focused on the applicant's proposed research area.
   
• Written Program Focus statement outlining the applicant's proposed dissertation and research subject, with an explanation of how this work will make a contribution to extending the Kingdom of God. This one- to two-page typed statement should address the following areas: proposed title of dissertation, purpose statement, goals for research, and key questions necessary for doing the research. Also include missiological areas of study; description of how the study will contribute to new missiological theory; where field research will be done (if applicable); background information regarding how ministry experience will inform the applicant's doctoral research topic; and a statement about how the applicant intends to use the degree in subsequent ministry.
   
• Applicants must also successfully pass a 3 hour doctoral qualifying exam that will test their foundational knowledge of missiology and the specific area of their proposed doctoral research. The exam must be completed before the application deadline and can be scheduled in December or early January by calling the SIS Doctoral Studies Office 626-584-5287 or by e-mailing the Director of Doctoral Studies Coordinator at sis-docdir@dept.fuller.edu. The exam must be supervised by a proctor if the applicant resides outside the southern California area and cannot take the exam on the Pasadena campus.

Note: Applicants to the PhD in Intercultural Studies program who have not completed an English-based master's program will be required to submit an official score from either the TOEFL with minimum scores of 600 (paper), 250 (computer), or 100 (internet) or the IELTS Academic Format with a minimum score of 7.0.

If you have any questions about the Ph.D. in Intercultural Studies application requirements please e-mail the Doctoral Studies Director at sis-docdir@dept.fuller.edu or call the School of Intercultural Studies Doctoral Studies Office at 626-584-5287.

To request an application packet or more information about the application process click here. If you would like to apply on-line, click here.
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