DU/Iliff Joint Doctoral Program in the Study of Religion!

Interdisciplinarity for the study of religion involves developing expertise in different disciplines in constructive ways to create unique academic perspectives to benefit students, institutions, and the world. 

JDP students are not limited to a predesigned field of study.  They are free to pursue their unique interests using the resources and classes offered by a comprehensive research university and a school of theology.  Students take 42 quarter credits of electives allowing them ample opportunity to explore many different academic disciplines. The result can be seen in the wide diversity of topics covered in our recent dissertations.  

Who are our students?  

Complementing the values of both the secular University of Denver and United Methodist-affiliated Iliff School of Theology, JDP students come from a wide diversity of religious traditions or have no religious affiliation at all.  They are seeking to better understand how religion impacts the world around us, how it has affected the past and present, and how it might shape the future. 

The Joint Doctoral Program (JDP) welcomes students into a community that encourages: 

• Intellectual curiosity to engage with stimulating ideas both past and present; 

• Eagerness to explore a variety of religious and spiritual perspectives; 

Mission Statement 

Drawing broadly upon the resources of both institutions, the University of Denver and Iliff School of Theology Joint Doctoral Program in the Study of Religion (JDP) prepares globally minded, socially-conscious scholar-teachers through dynamic, interdisciplinary training in the study of religion as theorized and lived.