An essential part of the admission package is the submission of an academic paper. In this paper, you should demonstrate your ability to do research, to engage with scholarship, to build a logically cohesive argument, to execute your methodology, and to contribute to the field of your interest. At AIIAS several factors limit how many students can be accepted into the PhD in Religion program each year. Therefore, do not overlook the significance of this submission. A paper should follow the guidelines below:

Download a sample Academic Paper

1. Choose a topic related to your field of study. In other words, if you intend to do a PhD in Old Testament your paper should be on a passage or issue in the Old Testament. The same applies to the other fields of study.
2. The paper needs to be academic in nature (not pastoral or homiletical).
3. The paper should be of such quality that it could pass a peer-review process and potentially be published by a journal.
4. The paper needs to be a minimum of 20 pages long, but can be up to 40-50 pages long.
5. The paper should be in the format of an article and not a thesis. An article condenses the introductory chapter of a thesis into a single, brief introductory paragraph and the article trims the argumentation to the essential arguments. For samples see reputable journals such as JATS, AUSS, or JAAS.
6. The paper should follow Turabian or SBL format.  Additionally, the standard formatting rules apply: double-spaced; 1.5” left and 1” top, bottom, and right margins; footnotes (not endnotes); Times New Roman 12pt font; and cover page. For details on the format see Nancy Vyhmeister and Terry Robertson, Quality Research Papers: For Students of Religion and Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014.
7. If a thesis was part of the masters degree, you can submit a summary of this thesis following the format and style listed here.
8. AIIAS holds in high regards the integrity of a student’s writing. In the academic world plagiarism is one of the worst offenses a scholar can commit. By submitting as your own the work of others you are claiming their accomplishments for yourself. Please note that AIIAS employs software to detect plagiarism.

Please consult the Academic Bulletin for a complete, detailed list of admission requirements.