Boston University designed its Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies program to transform scholars into researchers who can teach at universities, colleges, and seminaries around the world. Boston's Ph.D. in Religious Studies takes an interdisciplinary approach, and faculty are drawn from various departments, including History, Philosophy, Sociology, Romance Studies, and more. Students may choose from six areas of specializations, including Buddhist Studies, Jewish Studies, and Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean World. All accepted students are offered a five-year Dean's Fellowship which includes full tuition and a living stipend.
In 1839 the Newbury Biblical Institute was established; this institute would later become the School of Theology, BU's first school. Today, BU educates over 34,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The university consists of 17 schools of colleges across three campuses. BU offers more than 300 programs of study and employs over 10,000 faculty and staff. BU students come from over 130 countries, and alumni are located in more than 180 countries. At BU, students can participate in study abroad programs in more than 30 cities throughout 21 countries.