PhD in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric
42 Credit Hours
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric prepares practitioner-scholars to be deeply connected to the church and also to the academy (though not necessarily via tenure-track, full-time professorial positions). Practitioner-scholars engage in scholarship from the perspective of their location in ministry, applying PhD-level research and analysis to African American preaching and other practices of sacred rhetoric. This is the first PhD program in African American Preaching in the country.
Program Highlights
- Cohort-centered learning, with personal advisors assigned to each student
- Coursework focuses on:
- History of African American preaching and other forms of sacred rhetoric
- Theologies informing this history and practice
- Signature skills involved in the practice of African American preaching/sacred rhetoric
- The gifts these traditions offer the global church, especially European American churches
- Three assistantships:
- Research Assistantship (Year 1)
- Teaching Assistantship (Year 2)
- Two Community Teaching Assistantships (Year 3)
- Download Program Overview
Requirements
- MDiv or equivalent degree and GRE score

85%
of CTS students
receive financial aid

$1M+
in financial aid
dispersed annually

7:1
student to faculty
ratio

161
total students
(spring 2020)

CTS became free-standing
seminary in
1958
Nearly
7000
counseling sessions
provided in 2020