Baylor University Doctoral Viewbook

TRANSFORMING KNOWLEDGE. B AY L O R U N I V E R S I T Y D O C T O R A L D E G R E E P R O G R A M S

BAYLOR UNIVERSITY IS A PRIVATE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY AND A NATIONALLY RANKED RESEARCH INSTITUTION, characterized as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas, and through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest, continually operating university in the state.

The mission of Baylor University is to educate men and women for worldwide leadership and service by integrating academic excellence and Christian commitment within a caring community.

FAST FACTS n B aylor’s average total enrollment is 14,000 undergraduate students and 2,400 graduate/ professional students n More than 40 countries are represented within Baylor’s diverse graduate student population n On average, graduate students publish over 300 publications per year n E ach year, the Graduate School grants more than 400 travel awards for travel to Professional meetings and presentations

NATIONAL RECOGNITION Every year, Baylor University along with numerous programs and departments in its Graduate School receive national recognition for excellence in education and research. A few of the many awards and outstanding rankings within Baylor Graduate School include:

Top 100 Graduate Programs in U.S. News n U.S. Army-Baylor Master’s Degree Program in Health Administration n U.S. Army-Baylor Doctoral Degree Program in Physical Therapy

Baylor consistently ranks in the top 100

national doctoral-granting universities in “America’s Best Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report.

n Department of Biology n Department of Chemistry n MBA Specialization in Healthcare n Louise Herrington School of Nursing Master’s Degree Program n Department of Physics n Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program n Master’s Degree Program in Social Work n Sociology Graduate Program n Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Program n Department of Statistical Science

Baylor is one of only 44 colleges and universities in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain named a “Best Buy” by the Fiske Guide to Colleges.

COMPELLING SCHOLARSHIP One of Baylor’s most distinctive characteristics is its identity as a research university with a strong Christian commitment. In the Baylor University Graduate School, graduate students and faculty work together to form a community recognized for compelling scholarship, where research discoveries illuminate solutions to some of the world’s most significant challenges, including poverty, hunger, energy, economic growth, human rights, diversity and sustainability. Graduate students are at the center of world-impacting discoveries, working side-by-side with some of the leading research minds in the world.

Saving the Oceans

Baylor researchers have developed a novel technique for reconstructing contaminant and hormone profiles in whale earplugs. This technique is providing new insight into how pollutants and other man-made stressors impact marine mammals.

Detecting Cancer

By looking at amateur digital photography, Baylor researchers are working to develop a better method to detect and diagnose retinoblastoma in infants. The collaboration between a chemistry professor and computer science professor has resulted in a free app that scans baby photos for signs of retinoblastoma and other eye diseases.

Reducing Chemicals

At the forefront of sustainable environmental quality, Baylor is working to reduce chemicals in our water. A team of researchers is developing predictive models that anticipate toxic properties of man-made chemicals before they find their way into the water supply.

Preparing Our Future Faculty (PROFF) is a series of free, interrelated workshops offered each academic year designed to assist students with the process of higher education job searches and with entering the ranks of higher education professionals. Examples of workshops include “Preparing Your Curriculum Vitae and Cover Letters” and “The Substance and Style of Interviewing.”

The Academy for Teaching and Learning offers Seminars for Excellence in Teaching and other programs to help equip graduate students, adjunct instructors and temporary lecturers who are Teachers of Record to meet Baylor's expectations of teaching excellence.

The Teaching Capstone in Higher Education (TeaCHE) is offered to students wishing to teach in higher education upon graduating with a masters or doctoral degree. With an increasingly competitive job market, this capstone is intended to enhance students’ readiness to teach in a higher education environment.

The Conyers

Scholars Program is an intensive program for Baylor doctoral students

sponsored by the Graduate School and the Institute for Faith and Learning. The program convenes dinners and seminars in an effort to foster intellectually rich discussions about faith and inquiry as students are introduced to the writings of first-rate Christian scholars.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT The Baylor Graduate School offers a variety of programs and opportunities to prepare students for their future careers. Whether that career is in higher education, research or elsewhere, Baylor graduate students are well equipped to make meaningful contributions to their chosen disciplines by participating in workshops, seminars and other development programs.

The 300,000 square foot Baylor Research &

Innovation Collaborative (BRIC) provides a unique blend of university research, industry, workforce development and training, public symposia and business start-up space focused on science and engineering.

The Baylor Sciences Building houses the Departments of Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Geology, Physics and Psychology/ Neuroscience and includes 33 classrooms and more than 150 teaching and research labs.

OUTSTANDING FACILITIES

The Paul L. Foster Campus For Business and Innovation seamlessly integrates cutting edge technology to support interactive learning and collaboration accomodating the future of technology, teaching methods and departmental needs.

Through the Baylor University Libraries system, graduate students have access to over two and a half million volumes and access to the latest technology in five libraries, including Armstrong Mayborn museum Browning Library, which is often listed as one of the most beautiful collegiate libraries in the world.

ACADEMIC RESOURCES From research support to thought-provoking discussions, the Baylor Graduate School provides resources and training that allow graduate students to excel at the highest level. Graduate students are encouraged to challenge themselves academically and are supported with the tools necessary to succeed.

In the Graduate

Writing Center, consultants assist graduate students with writing projects

at all stages of the composition process, whether students are working on academic papers, reports, personal statements and applications, papers intended for publication, theses and dissertations or grant proposals The Language

Support for International Graduate Students Class is a one-

semester, content-based ESL course for graduate students whose first language is not English. The Colloquium aims to improve students’ English language skills for their professional development as teacher-scholars and to prepare future Teachers of Record and Lab Instructors for the unique cultural milieu of the American classroom.

Travel Awards Programs are offered to support students as they contribute original research in their chosen fields. Two award programs are available: Travel to Professional Meetings to support presentation of findings of graduate-student research and Travel to Support Doctoral Research.

STUDENTS & FACULTY Baylor graduate students are provided the training and the tools necessary to lead, serve and succeed. They are instructed and guided by outstanding faculty who encourage students to think critically, reach informed conclusions and contribute to their chosen academic and research disciplines.

GRADUATE, SOCIOLOGY Brandon Martinez recently earned a PhD in sociology at Baylor and now serves as an assistant professor of sociology at Providence College in Rhode Island. At Baylor, he authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in highly-ranked journals, such as Social Science Quarterly and Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion. Dr. Martinez received the Outstanding Dissertation Award for his examination of how the intersection of race and

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I came to Baylor University because their sociology department boasted several highly accomplished and esteemed faculty who

specialized in my areas of interest. Throughout my graduate career, I was privileged to

work alongside and collaborate with several

professors who always treated me as a colleague as opposed to a subordinate.

religion influences the social world.

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The graduate program at Baylor offers students a unique environment for scholarly formation.

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Brandon Martinez, PhD ‘15

Dr. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, PhD PROFESSOR, RELIGION

With its outstanding research faculty and

Beverly Roberts Gaventa came to Baylor in 2013 as

library resources, Baylor cultivates strong

Distinguished Professor of New Testament, having

young scholars. But Baylor’s concern is to help

previously taught at Princeton Theological Seminary.

those strong scholars also flourish as teachers.

Her publications focus on Pauline theology, the

This balance between research and teaching

literary and theological analysis of Luke-Acts, and

prepares our graduates well for the increasingly

feminist biblical interpretation. In 2016, she will be

rapid changes in the educational landscape.

president of the Society of Biblical Literature.

STUDENT, MECHANICAL ENGINEERING Sarah Stair earned both a bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Baylor and was the first student accepted into Baylor’s PhD program in mechanical engineering. She received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue her doctorate. During her studies she has received several accolades for her work from organizations including the American Society for Mechanical Engineers and the Society of Plastics Engineers.

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While at Baylor I have been given the opportunity to learn from truly remarkable

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Sarah Stair

professors. Their passion for their profession is unmistakable, and as a student, it has often encouraged me. I am grateful for their guidance while I mature both as a researcher and as a professional.

WACO, TEXAS BEARATHON

CAMERON PARK

DOWNTOWN WACO

In the heart of Central Texas, the City of Waco provides Baylor is centrally located within two hours of the amenities of a big city wrapped in the comfort of a

Dallas to the north and Austin to the south.

close-knit community. Waco is a regional hub offering

Located along the Brazos River, the city is home

you daytime and nighttime entertainment, fine dining,

to many natural areas for outdoor recreation

shopping, sports activities, and cultural events.

opportunities. This includes the 416-acre Cameron Park, where residents and visitors

As a graduate student in Waco you will have the

enjoy scenic overlooks, towering limestone

opportunity to experience a broad range of activities

bluffs and more than 20 miles of hiking and

such as: kayaking down the Brazos River, trying a

biking trails.

famous Gutpack from Vitek’s Barbecue and exploring history through the halls of the Mayborn Museum or the Waco Mammoth National Monument.

McLANE STADIUM

CENTRAL TEXAS MARKETPLACE