Faculty and Student Portals

• Syllabi Compliance
• Advising Forms and FAQs for Faculty
  
• OAK (BlackBoard)  Includes site for Divinity/GDR Faculty Documents (Search information, GDR / Theology and Practice admissions, etc.)

• YES - Your Enrollment Services
  • After logging in to YES, you can search for all courses (i.e. divinity), for a particular course (i.e. DIV 2503), or for all courses taught by an instructor (with the advanced search, searching by last name).  Faculty, please note that YES displays the course information specific to the course designation, so the online grading tool is the best way to see your complete class roll if a course is cross-listed.

• Online Grading
• Online Course Evaluations
• MDiv Sr. Project Evaluation Rubric
• MTS Thesis Evaluation Rubric
• Divinity Academic Calendar
  
• Email List Manager
• FERPA Authorization to Release Information or Request for Letters of Recommendation
• VU Bookstore eDoptions
• Desk Copy Request Form
• Center for Teaching
• Faculty Bios
• Faculty, Staff, & Student Picture Directory (login required)
  
• Catalog
• Faculty Handbook
  
• Guidelines for CVs

• Faculty: div_faculty@list.vanderbilt.edu | gdr_faculty@list.vanderbilt.edu
• Faculty/staff: div_facultystaff@list.vanderbilt.edu
• Faculty Emeritus: div_emeritus@list.vanderbilt.edu
• Divinity Students: divinity_students@list.vanderbilt.edu
• GDR Students:  gdr_students@list.vanderbilt.edu
• GDR Student lists by Area of Study: Ethics and Society,     Hebrew Bible,    History,    HACTOR,    Homiletics and Liturgics,    Jewish Studies,    New Testament,    Religion, Psychology and Culture,    Theology
• VUmailguard - Antivirus and SPAM filtering for VUmail

• SLATE: Graduate Program Online Applications
• EXCALIBUR   
• Information for Graduate Faculty (includes downloadable forms for dissertation and QE committees and directors)
• GDR Policies
• Website
• Faculty | Faculty Manual
• GDR Student Directory 
• GDR Calendar
• GDR Schedule of Classes -Fall 2014
• Graduate School
• Catalog
• Forms for Graduate Education:
  Request for Change in Graduate School Curriculum, Transfer Credit Worksheet, Intent to Graduate Forms, Intent to Graduate Form, Dissertation Defense Results Form, Dissertation Defense Results Form, Dissertation Enhancement Grant Application, Qualifying Examination Results Form, Qualifying Examination Results Form, Request to Appoint Ph.D. Committee Form, Request to Appoint Ph.D. Committee Form, Request to Change MFA Committee Form, Request to Change MFA Committee Form, Request to Change Ph.D. Committee Form, Request to Change Ph.D. Committee Form, Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form, Request to Schedule Dissertation Defense Form, Request to Schedule Qualifying Examination Form, Request to Schedule Qualifying Examination Form, Dissertation Proposal Worksheet , Minor Area Worksheet, Transfer credit checklist March 9-20, 2015
  • GDR Qualifying Examination Dates (2014-2015)

• October 6-17,2014
  March 6-9, 2015
  August 3-14, 2015

• Information Request form
• Graduate Department of Religion Admissions Information - PhD and MA only (Important information regarding Test of English as a Foreign Language, GRE, application deadline, campus visits, etc.)
• Graduate Program Online Applications - PhD and MA only (NOTE:  Deadline for submitting an application in Religion is December 1st of each year.)
• FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

• Vanderbilt Graduate School Admitted Students

• Please see also the links below under General Information and Resources

• GDR Website
• GDR Program Guidelines
• GDR Handbook (Updated Spring 2024)
• PhD Requirements - An Overview
• M.A. Requirements - An Overview
• The Graduate School has implemented the new Doctoral Workflow form for PhD students. GDR PhD students use this link to Appoint/Modify a PhD Committee, Schedule/Modify a Qualifying Exam, Schedule/Modify a Dissertation Defense, Extend Deadline to Enter Candidacy, Extend Candidacy, Submit the Results of the Qualifying Exam, or Submit the Results of the Dissertation Defense. User Guide links can be found on the Vanderbilt Graduate School Academic Forms & Guidelines webpage.
• Forms for Graduate Education (MA & PhD) (links to Transfer Credit Worksheet, Request for graduate credit for an undergraduate/professional course, Permission to Audit, Request to Appoint or Change Adviser)
  Additional Departmental Forms:  Qualifying Exam Worksheet, Dissertation Proposal, Minor Area Worksheet
• GDR Faculty
• Graduate School Academic Calendar
• Graduate School
• GDR Mentor/Mentee Guidelines
• Vanderbilt Health and Wellness
• GDR Student Travel Grant Information and link to application
• HR
• ISSS (International Student Scholar Services)
• Oracle (Login with VUNet ID and password required)
• SLATE: Graduate Program Online Applications
• Student Employment
• Student Worker Request Form -To request a student be hired for on-campus work. 
• T&P Student Travel Request Form
• Vanderbilt Information Technology (Help Desk, Software Store, etc.)
• Vanderbilt Student Accounts

• YES - Your Enrollment System - After logging in to YES, you can search for all courses (i.e. REL), for a particular course (i.e. REL 2503), or for all courses taught by an instructor (with the advanced search, searching by last name).  Faculty, please note that YES displays the course information specific to the course designation, so the online grading tool is the best way to see your complete class roll if a course is cross-listed.
• The Graduate School has implemented the new Doctoral Workflow form for PhD students. GDR PhD students use this link to Appoint/Modify a PhD Committee, Schedule/Modify a Qualifying Exam, Schedule/Modify a Dissertation Defense, Extend Deadline to Enter Candidacy, Extend Candidacy, Submit the Results of the Qualifying Exam, or Submit the Results of the Dissertation Defense. User Guide links can be found on the Vanderbilt Graduate School Academic Forms & Guidelines webpage.
• Forms for Graduate Education (MA & PhD) *Includes links to Graduate School Request for graduate credit for an undergraduate or professional course, Request to Appoint or Change Adviser, Transfer Credit Worksheet, and Permission to audit
  Additional GDR Departmental Forms:  Qualifying Exam Worksheet, Dissertation Proposal, Minor Area Worksheet, Request for Incomplete
• Students must now request Independent study and Reading or Directed study courses directly from their landing page in YES.

The dissertation proposal is a statement that aims to show the appropriateness, manageability, and significance of the projected research. It is presented for approval to the entire faculty of the Graduate Department of Religion. In writing the proposal the student is responsible for making a convincing case, at least in general terms, for the appropriateness, manageability, and significance of the project, and for doing so in language appropriate to the open forum of educated discourse. The proposal should deal with the following issues, though not necessarily in the order of their listing here:

1. The subject matter. State the subject, and show (1) that the inquiry properly belongs within the jurisdiction of this department, and (2) that adequate direction for the project is available in the faculty.
2. The historical background of the project. As briefly as possible place the inquiry in the context of earlier research on the subject or problem.
3. The problem and its significance. Give a preliminary statement of the problem or thesis and show how the project has some promise of making a significant contribution to knowledge and/or understanding. At the minimum the proposal should map out a coherent line of inquiry; in some instances the research will be far enough along to state a thesis and show how, if it is confirmed, it will make a contribution to the discipline.
4. Scope. Show that the projected inquiry is restricted enough to be manageable and large enough to be significant.
5. Resources. Show that the resources necessary to carry out the project are available here at Vanderbilt or accessible elsewhere.
6. Method and procedure. The student should indicate that the competencies necessary for carrying through with the inquiry have been acquired and that the proposed method is adequate for the inquiry.

The proposal should not be longer than three to four pages in length.

• VIREO (Login with VUNet ID and password required)
• Checklist for Graduation (including thesis and dissertation requirements)

Divinity Library | Heard Library

• Britannica (on campus, off campus)
• Proquest
• JSTOR
• Ex Libris Discovery
• ILL
• Place Items on Reserve | E - Reserves

• BrightSpace (Login with VUNet ID and password required)
  * On-Demand BrightSpace Resources for instructors
• GDR Mentor/Mentee Guidelines
• YES - Your Enrollment Services (Login with VUNet ID and password required)

• Application for Teaching Associate Positions (Login with VUNet ID and password required)
• Student Teaching in the GDR  (Updated Spring 2024)
  **Required forms for Student Teaching in the GDR**
  1.  Professional Development Planning Form 
  2.  Course Shadowing Agreement Form 
  3.  Teaching Assistant Agreement Form 
  4.  Teaching Associate Agreement Form 
• Guidelines for Teaching Associates and Faculty  
• Center for Teaching
• External funding information (FTE "Fund Finder")
• External funding information (Graduate School website)

gdr_students@list.vanderbilt.edu

• James P. Byrd, Associate Dean for Graduate Education and Research, Cal Turner Chancellor's Chair of Wesleyan Studies, Professor of American Religious History,  james.p.byrd@vanderbilt.edu
• James Hudnut-Beumler, Chair for Graduate Department of Religion, Anne Potter Wilson Distinguished Professor of America Religious History, james.hudnut-beumler@Vanderbilt.Edu
• Sana Selemon, Administrative Manager for the Graduate Department of Religion, sana.selemon@vanderbilt.edu