Skip to content
PhD in Intercultural Studies

School of Mission and Theology

The Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies (PhD ICS) degree represents the highest academic credential in the study of Christian mission. It is offered through Fuller’s Center for Missiological Research (CMR), a world-renowned institution for missiology, intercultural studies, and world Christianity. The PhD ICS program at Fuller provides exceptional candidates with the opportunity to design, develop, and complete a customized research plan in consultation with faculty advisors through a tutorial-driven process that integrates a wide range of academic disciplines. PhD ICS graduates make an original contribution to missiology. They are well-trained scholars prepared to teach at the university and seminary level and with the standing to provide global leadership.

Cohorts

8–15 new students per year

Global Community of Learning

Study with faculty like these:

Kirsteen Kim

PROFESSOR OF THEOLOGY AND WORLD CHRISTIANITY AND ASSOCIATE DEAN FOR THE CENTER FOR MISSIOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Johnny Ramírez-Johnson

PROFESSOR OF ANTHROPOLOGY, PROFESOR DEL CENTRO LATINO

Ryan K. Bolger

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF CHURCH IN CONTEMPORARY CULTURE
Oscar Garcia Johnson

Requirements

To be considered for a PhD in Intercultural Studies, applicants will have achieved a master’s degree and have completed graduate-level coursework of a theological nature that includes some missiology.

Application is through an online form, including transcripts and references, together with a statement of the proposed area of research for the dissertation. The PhD program starts for new students in the fall quarter (late September).

quote bubble

"I serve as a pastor in a second generation Singaporean immigrant church in Toronto. The PhD ICS allowed me to join my passion for mission in this context with rigorous scholarship and research. The program gave me the opportunity to step back from frontline ministry and reflect on my context with other ministry-minded scholars who shared a passion for mission. I also leave Fuller with a greater capacity for theologically reflective practice, as well as skills for teaching at the graduate level."
– Ryan Seow, PhD ICS, 2022

Female Studying on bench

Scholarships

Scholarships are available to eligible incoming PhD Intercultural Studies students each year on the basis of an outstanding application. These can cover 90 percent of the cost of tuition for up to three years of the program. In addition, students may apply for other scholarships, some of which have been established to provide financial aid to Intercultural Studies students.

amos yong teaching

Mentoring

At the time of admission each student is assigned to a mentor whose expertise is relevant to the student’s main research interest. This mentor becomes the primary consultant who helps the student determine the feasibility and scholarly credibility of their project. Further, students work with other scholars in tutorials and courses, and are required to invite one or two additional professors to serve on their advisory committee. While a student’s mentor must be a Fuller faculty member, the PhD ICS program is flexible enough to allow students to work with any appropriately trained scholars on various aspects of their research.

In addition to providing mentorship by a faculty advisor, CMR promotes academic relationships between cohorts through a semistructured mentoring program connecting first-year students with those already in the program.

hubbard libnrary

Residence and Study Process

The PhD in Intercultural Studies program is designed to be completed in 4–5 years. Students complete the first year of the program by studying together as a cohort. After that, students customize their own program including tutorials, courses, library research, and in most cases, fieldwork. Half-time study may also be an option depending on the student’s circumstances.

Read more about the Center for Missiological Research (CMR).

calendar bubble

Upcoming Events

INTERCULTURAL STUDIES LECTURES

Fuller's annual Intercultural Studies Lectures bring in the top scholars from around the world to interact with the Fuller academic community.

Kirsteen Kim wqith Students

Curriculum

The curriculum of the PhD in Intercultural Studies comprises four first-year seminars, five tutorials, two methods classes, four comprehensive exams, and a dissertation of approximately 75,000 words (58 total units). Each of these components is customizable to meet the specific research interests of the student under the guidance of their faculty mentor and guidance committee. With relatively little classroom-based instruction in this program, a high premium is placed on rigorous faculty-supervised academic reading and writing.

Through a carefully designed process, students will develop their own research project. Core areas in which current students and mentors focus include the following: children at risk, cultural anthropology, decolonizing mission, development studies, evangelism studies, global Pentecostalism, Islamic studies, public theology, technology in mission, theology of mission, theological of religions and comparative theology, urban mission, and world Christianity. Research topics vary depending on student preference and faculty expertise.

Fuller Studio bubble
Fuller studio logo

FULLER dialogues: Evangelism in a Post-Christendom Era

Scholars, activists, and practitioners from around the world reflect together on the work of deconstructing former models of evangelism and reconstructing renewed expressions for faithful and effective witness in today’s context.

Steve Argue in conversation with a man

Community

Students admitted to the PhD in Intercultural Studies join a cohort of PhD and ThM students learning together in a diverse community of scholars. This collegiality is lived in important ways through the Center for Missiological Research (CMR), which is made up of PhD and ThM students in all years of the program (totaling more than 50), plus faculty and scholars visiting through the Global Research Institute. As befits missiology, PhD ICS students come from all continents, and students and faculty share intercultural and transnational research interests. The CMR administers the PhD program, connects students across different year groups, and arranges shared activities for all members of CMR. The center’s activities include regular academic colloquia, informal fellowship, spiritual formation events, and special lectures, such as the annual Missiology Lectures.

Request More Information About the PhD in Intercultural Studies

You May Also Be Interested In

Doctor of Global Leadership (DGL)

Equipping experienced leaders to integrate theory and practical research to effect change in their context of service

ThM in Intercultural Studies (ThM ICS)

The ThM ICS enables practitioners to build a missiological framework on top of previous graduate work in theology to produce a thesis and be equipped for intercultural ministry or PhD research

PhD in Theology

The highest theology degree Fuller offers, the PhD prepares students for teaching and scholarship in their chosen discipline: New Testament, systematic theology, Christian ethics, or other concentrations

Joel Short_600x600

Get to know your admissions counselor | Joel Short

I came to study at Fuller in 2004 and have worked on Fuller’s admissions team since I graduated in 2007. I am inspired by the many people I meet who are seeking to change the world by changing hearts and minds. I am privileged to listen to so many wonderful stories and to help pour light on the path. I love history and enjoy books, podcasts, museums, maps, antiques and anything else that helps me understand how the past relates to the present and the future.

Chat Now

Chat with an Admissions representative

Office Hours

Monday–Friday
8 am – 5 pm (Pacific Time)

To view in-person Welcome Center hours for the Pasadena, Arizona and Houston campuses, click here.