How To Get a Ph.D in Biblical Studies?

Every now and then I get questions from students or pastors who are thinking about doing a doctorate in biblical studies.  I talk them through the various issues and struggles that are faced in the course of doing a doctorate. However, I’m glad to say that there is now a book that addresses this very topic by my pal Nijay Gupta, Nijay Gupta. It is titled A Guide book for Getting a PhD in Biblical Studies Beyond (Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock, 2011).

Here’s the blurb:

What if you had a guidebook that you could turn to at each stage of your academic journey to help you navigate through the process of getting a PhD in biblical studies and succeeding in the academic world? This book is precisely intended to fill that need. From theory to practice, you will find discussions and answers to the most pertinent and pressing questions that prospective and current doctoral students are faced with: How do I choose a program? How can I gain admission into an elite program? How do I choose a research topic? Alongside the “big” questions about the process, there are also a host of smaller matters: How do I publish an article? What conferences are out there in my field? Where do I start looking for a job? How do I get teaching experience? How do I write a syllabus? This guidebook tackles all of these questions and many more in three parts: Prepare focuses on getting into a PhD program; Succeed guides you through the doctoral program, especially the writing of the dissertation; and Advance treats issues that relate to success in the academic world such as conference participation, publishing, employment, and best practices in teaching.

And here’s an endorsement I wrote for the book:

Getting a PhD in biblical studies ain’t a walk in the park, it’s more like running for your life through the African Serengeti at meal time! Lucky for would be PhD students is that Dr. Nijay Gupta can be your tour guide as you start this journey. Nijay himself has been tried by the ordeal of a British doctorate, he’s a successful graduate who landed a job, and an accomplished author to follow up. If you want to know about the A-Z of doing and finishing a PhD in biblical studies, this book will show you the way and save you much pain and frustration too. Anyone serious about doctoral studies in the field of Bible or Theology should consult this volume first.
—Michael Bird