Graduate Research Fellowships

Trinity Western University’s Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Humanities (Philosophy Stream) invites applications for three MAIH Graduate Research Fellowships beginning in September 2024 (two at $20,000; one at $10,000). While completing their MA, successful applicants will conduct research on spiritual flourishing supervised by Dr. Myron A. Penner as part of his “Objects of Spiritual Yearning Among the Spiritual But Not Religious,” research project funded by the John Templeton Foundation. Dr. Penner’s project is a three-year research collaboration with two psychologists (Dr. Emily Burdett, Nottingham; Dr. Adam Baimel, Oxford Brookes) with a focus on understanding the spiritual desires of those who qualify as “spiritual but not religious.” The degree completion track for the graduate research fellows is as follows:

  • Three core courses in English, History, and Philosophy (required of all MAIH students)
  • Two special topics courses related to Dr. Penner’s research project
  • Three elective courses
  • Two research courses: one course in research methods and design, and one course constituted by the student’s MA major research paper.

In addition, graduate research fellows automatically become members of Dr. Penner’s Spiritual Yearning research lab, and as such are expected to attend and participate in bi-weekly lab meetings where lab members discuss research and directed readings, and occasionally present their own work.

Applicants should have completed a Bachelor’s degree in humanities or social science by Sept. 2024, with preference given to applicants who have specialized in either philosophy or psychology and who are easily able to navigate between those two disciplines. Interested applicants should complete the online application to TWU’s MAIH (Philosophy Stream) and submit all application materials by February 1, 2024. We anticipate notifying successful applicants by February 15, 2024. In addition to the completed online application, applicants should submit the following:

  • Statement of Interest. Here the applicant should describe their interest, qualifications, and aptitude for graduate study in philosophy. Applicants should also highlight their experience with, or aptitude for, understanding social science research. Finally, applicants should describe their current understanding of spiritual flourishing and what might interest them in studying spiritual flourishing among the spiritual but not religious.
  • Writing sample of the applicant’s scholarly work (preferably no longer than 4,000 words).

Feel free to direct any inquiries about the fellowships, application process, or the research project to Dr. Penner at myron.penner@twu.ca.