Resources for Current Students
Other Program Support:
The Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) is available to answer questions and support students during the course of the program. The DGS offers regular office hours and is available by email. The current Director of Graduate Studies for Fall 2023 is Dr. Ruth Langer, and in Spring 2024 will be Dr. Dieter Roth.
The Graduate Program Assistant (Berit Guidotti, 2023-2024) is also available to respond to student requests, and can be reached at theolog@bc.edu.
Incoming doctoral students are paired with a current doctoral student to help ease the transition into the program. Mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet once each semester during the mentee’s first year in the program.
All first year doctoral students participate in a year-long seminar which includes mandatory training in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and Title IX responsibilities, as well as opportunities for fellowship and professional development.
Students are invited to attend lunchtime discussions with current faculty on topics such as teaching, job applications, conference presentations, manuscript preparation, and careers outside the academy.
All doctoral students attend regular faculty-student gatherings (organized by each area) to discuss current research and discipline-specific trends.
- The Mammon List (Funding from and for your theological work)
- TGSA Travel
- GSA Funding Sources
- Funding from the Dean’s Office
Dr. Stephen F. Brown Graduate Student Research Fund
For Graduate Students in the Boston College Theology Department and Philosophy Department
Application Guidelines
The family of professor emeritus Stephen F. Brown has generously established a fund in honor of Dr. Brown’s exemplary career in service of the work of historical and systematic theology and medieval philosophy.
This fund will provide financial assistance to doctoral students in the Boston College Theology and Philosophy Departments who seek additional funds to support research and study at another institution, either abroad or in the US. Preference will be given, in descending order, to students seeking financial assistance in support of the following:
- paleography: study of ancient (defined here and below as “late antique/early Christian and medieval”) texts not yet available in modern critical editions;
- ancient languages: study of ancient languages (e.g., Latin, Greek, Syriac, Coptic) needed for the purposes of the academic study of ancient Christian thought (defined here and below as “theology and philosophy”);
- modern research languages: study of modern languages (e.g., German, French, Italian) needed for the purposes of the academic study of Christian thought;
- ancient Christian thought: study of the ancient texts and sources of Christian thought;
- modern Christian thought: study of modern texts and sources of Christian thought in relation to its ancient sources and influences.
Assessment of applications will be made by the Brown Research Fund Oversight Committee (currently Dr. Boyd Taylor Coolman, chair; Dr. Eileen Sweeney; and Dr. Jeremy Wilkins). All applications for funding for the coming academic year, beginning in the summer, must be submitted to the committee by March 15th, though applications submitted after that date may still be considered if funds still remain. Applications should be submitted to the chair of the oversight committee, currently Dr. Coolman (boyd.coolman@bc.edu).
The application will include:
- a cover letter explaining the need for the funds and what they will be used for, making explicit reference to the priorities outlined above;
- the student’s CV;
- a proposed budget outlining anticipated expenses and other resources;
- a letter from the student’s advisor/dissertation director supporting the request.
The committee will prioritize applications and determine the amount to be dispersed in each instance. The total dispersal of funds in a given academic year will not exceed $ 6,000. All students receiving funds will be expected to send a stewardship report to the oversight committee and the Brown family at the conclusion of their funded event. The students’ report will be posted on the Dr. Stephen F. Brown Graduate Student Research Fund webpage on the Theology Department website.
The Theology Department Administrator, Patti Donnellan (patricia.fleming@bc.edu) will assist in the logistics regarding the awarded funds.
Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund
For Graduate Students in the Boston College Theology Department
Application Guidelines
The family of the late Dr. Tatha Wiley, a 1994 graduate of our doctoral program, has generously established the Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund in honor of Dr. Wiley’s exemplary career in service of theological scholarship.
This fund will provide financial assistance to doctoral students in the Boston College Theology Department who seek additional funds to support their research and academic career, e.g., to attend academic conferences or to meet other expenses regarding their education and professional formation, either abroad or in the US. The funds will be dispensed under the direction and discretion of the Theology Department.
Before applying to the Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund, the students are required to apply first to other existing sources of funding and to submit detailed descriptions of these requests and of their results.
Assessment of applications will be made by the Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund Oversight Committee. The three members of this committee are: (1) the Director of the Graduate Studies (ex officio); (2) the Chair of the Theology Department (ex officio); (2) the President of the Theology Graduate Student Association (TGSA). The committee will be chaired by the Director of Graduate Studies.
All applications for funding for the coming academic year, beginning in the summer, must be submitted to the committee by September 15th or by March 15th, though applications submitted after the March 15th deadline may still be considered if funds still remain. Applications should be submitted to the chair of the oversight committee.
The application will include:
- a cover letter explaining the need for the funds and what they will be used for;
- the student’s CV;
- a proposed budget outlining the anticipated expenses;
- a description of the other funds for which the student applied and whether they were granted or not. If the application windows for these funding sources have not yet opened the student should indicate how to use existing funding resources, and the applications deadlines;
- a letter from the student’s advisor/dissertation director supporting the request.
The committee will prioritize applications and determine the amount to be dispersed in each instance. The total dispersal of funds in a given academic year will not exceed $ 5,000.
At the conclusion of their funded event, all students receiving funds will be expected to send a stewardship report to the Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund Oversight Committee and to the family of Dr. Tatha Wiley. The students’ report will be posted on the Dr. Tatha Wiley Memorial Fund webpage on the Theology Department website.
The Theology Department Administrator, Patti Donnellan (patricia.fleming@bc.edu) will assist in the logistics regarding the awarded funds.
Annual Conferences Timeline
Other Annual Conferences with Moving Dates
- Ecclesiological Investigations, www.ei-research.net
- Transdisciplinary Theological Colloquium at Drew Seminary, depts.drew.edu/tsfac/colloquium/
- New Wine, New Wineskins Catholic Moral Theology Symposium at Notre Dame, www.newwinenewwineskins.com
- Association of Practice Theology hosts bi-annual meetings, www.practicaltheology.org
- International Academy of Practical Theology hosts bi-annual meetings, www.ia-practicaltheology.org/category/conference/
- A number of research groups gather separate from but in tandem with the regional AAR/SBL conventions. Check with relevant groups/sections within AAR/SBL to see if there are networking or presenting opportunities that pertain to your research interests.
Membership Requirements
- Most society-sponsored conferences require that you have a membership with the society in order to present papers at their meetings. Annual fees usually accompany membership, but there is often a special student rate.
- Some societies, such as CTS and AAR/SBL, simply require that you to hold membership at the time of your presentation. This means you can wait to pay for your membership until after your paper is accepted, if you so choose.
- Other societies, such as CTSA and SCE, have a lengthy membership process that requires application. You may need to plan ahead—even as early as a year ahead—in order to complete the membership process before submitting a paper proposal. These societies also have requirements tied to academic standing: both societies require that presenters have completed their comprehensive exams for the PhD.
- If you find you can’t access a Call For Papers without paying to join the society in question, ask around—many fellow students and faculty are members of these societies and would be happy to pass CFPs around.
Contact
If you would like to suggest an addition or correction to the department’s conference timeline, please contact theology@bc.edu.
Society of Christian Ethics Annual Meeting
Society of Christian Ethics Call for Proposals (for following year)
Pappas Patristic Conference Proposals Due (at Holy Cross)
National AAR/SBL Call for Papers
Society of Christian Ethics Proposals Due
National AAR/SBL Proposals Due
Pappas Patristic Conference (at Holy Cross)
NEM-MAR Regional AAR/SBL Meeting
Engaging Particularities Comparative Theology Conference (at BC)
International Conference on Patristics Abstracts Due (at Oxford)
Medieval Academy of America Annual Meeting
Medieval Academy of America Annual Meeting Call for Papers (for following year)
International Congress of Medieval Studies Meeting (at Kalamazoo)
Religious Education Association Proposals Due
College Theology Society Annual Convention
North American Patristics Society Annual Meeting
Catholic Theological Society of America Annual Convention
Patristic, Medieval, Renaissance Conference Proposals Due (at Villanova)
Medieval Academy of America Annual Meeting Proposals Due
Academy of Catholic Hispanic Theologians of the US (immediately before CTSA)
Submissions to College Theology Society Annual Volume Due
Catholic Theological Society of American Call for Papers
International Congress of Medieval Studies Call for Papers (at Kalamazoo)
Catholic Biblical Association Annual Meeting
International Conference on Patristics (at Oxford)
Catholic Theological Society of American Proposals Due
International Congress of Medieval Studies Proposals Due (at Kalamazoo)
College Theology Society Call for Papers
NEM-MAR Regional AAR/SBL Call for Papers
North American Patristics Society Call for Papers
Engaging Particularities Comparative Theology Conference Call for Papers (at BC)
Patristic, Medieval, Renaissance Conference (at Villanova)
Religious Education Association Annual Conference
National AAR/SBL Annual Convention
North American Patristics Society Proposals Due
College Theology Society Paper Proposals Due
NEM-MAR Regional AAR/SBL Proposals Due
Engaging Particularities Comparative Theology Conference Proposals Due (at BC)
Pappas Patristic Conference Call for Papers (at Holy Cross)