To be a doctoral candidate means that you Love to Study.
Many years ago, I found an old script in a glass frame in an antique store. It is signed simply B. Whilton. It begins with the one word, STUDY written in large letters at the top along with pictures of books, and drawings of those involved in study. I bought the piece and it hangs in my study to this day. It reads as follows:
Study
The whole Universe is your library, authors, conversations and remarks upon them,
are your best tutors. There is not a wider difference between Man and Beast than between Man and Man.
And to what is this Difference owing but to the Distinguished Improvement
of the Mind by Study, and Meditation?
Without these Helps, no Distinction of Faculties will render us Conspicuous.
Study to be Eminent. Meritocracy is below a brave Soul. Eminency in Knowledge conjunct with equal
Goodness will be to you of all other most commendable Distinction ~May 16, 1734
As this is an Interfaith Program, students are expected to have a broad background knowledge of all the world faith traditions, in addition to the specific area in which they wish to focus their dissertation – such as the Kabbalah, A Course in Miracles, Mysticism, Sufism, near death experience, reincarnation, ministering to the dying, ministry to animals, prisoners, disaster victims, etc. These areas of concentration can be quite broad.