Research and Writing
While research and writing are skills conventionally mastered in the humanities at the undergraduate level, many students arrive in seminary after a long hiatus between their undergraduate work and their master’s program. Other students will not have majored in the humanities and do not have the same skills as their peers. Even those who have an extensive humanities background can benefit from further work on their writing skills and from the chance to learn the particular bibliographical resources available for the academic study of theology. The course is designed to strengthen the student’s abilities in academic research and writing in the theological disciplines. It complements the introduction to theological writing that takes place during orientation.
Courses
THBR 531 Bibliography, Research, and Writing (1)
This course will provide entering students with assistance for each writing assignment in courses being taken concurrently. (Accordingly, there are no written assignments for this course itself.) In addition, the course offers an extended introduction to using the library. Research methods will be treated as well. The course is graded on a pass-fail basis. Required for first year M.Div. and M.A. students; may be elected by others. The instructor may exempt well-prepared students from this course requirement on the basis of prior coursework or demonstrated ability.
THBR 533 Theological Research and Writing for ESL Students (3)
This course is designed to help international student writers succeed in writing, editing, and completing a large research project specific to their discipline. This could be a research paper, journal article, literature review, dissertation chapter, grant proposal, or other relevant document. The course provides intensive help with grammar, idiomatic phrasing, and overall clarity for writers whose native language is not English. The instructor will collaborate with the Language Center of the University for additional resources.