Postgraduate Research

Through partnership with Anglia Ruskin University, Westcott House has a thriving postgraduate research community. We have full and part-time students, either resident in Cambridge or from much further afield, who are studying for PhDs independently or as part of their ordination training.

All postgraduate students are welcomed into the life of Westcott House as members of the worshipping community here and have tutors who provide pastoral care during their studies. They also join with other research students from across the Cambridge Theological Federation for research seminars, postgraduate community life, and various training opportunities.

Further information on studying for a PhD with Anglia Ruskin University is available from the Cambridge Theological Federation

Members of our academic team are open to enquiries about potential doctoral study in their areas of specialism. Please contact the appropriate supervisor by email.

Dr Julian Gotobed

  • Congregational Studies
  • Homiletics
  • Ministry/Leadership Studies
  • Whiteness and Racism in Theology, Church, and Society
  • Theology and Practice of Evangelism
  • Nonconformist Studies (with special interest in P. T. Forsyth and James McClendon)

Dr Jenny Leith

  • Political Theology
  • Negative Theology / Mysticism
  • Christian Formation and Discipleship
  • Ecclesiology
  • Anglicanism

Dr Karen O’Donnell

  • Feminist Theology
  • Liturgy
  • Trauma Theology
  • Practical Theology
  • Eucharistic Theology & Practice

Dr Julia Snyder

  • New Testament (especially Acts, Paul, and the Synoptics)
  • Scripture and Violence
  • Apocryphal Acts

In addition, we have a number of Associate Supervisors with expertise covering a wide range of fields who can offer postgraduate supervision.

Dr Ryan Collman

  • The Apostle Paul
  • Circumcision in the Ancient Mediterranean
  • Reading the New Testament within Judaism

Revd Dr James Crockford

  • Christian theologies of music
  • The interaction of religious texts and practice
  • The early works of St Augustine

Dr Emily Gathergood

  • Interpretation of the New Testament

Revd Canon Philip Hobday

  • Christian doctrine
  • Early and Reformation Church History
  • Anglican identity
  • Faith and Politics

Professor Peter Kevern

  • The interface between religion and health/social care

Dr Alastair Lockhart

  • 20th Century Religious Innovation/Non-Traditional Religion
  • Psychology and religion
  • Social sciences and religion
  • Apocalypticism and millenarianism
  • War and religion

Dr Abigail Maguire

  • Practical Theology
  • Pedagogy, Educational Practice and Theological Education
  • Ethics and Pastoral Theology (with specialist interest in beginning and end of life)
  • Law and Public Theology (specifically medical law)
  • Christian Doctrine (especially personhood, sin and salvation)

Dr Emma Swai

  • The portrayal of disability in biblical writings, especially New Testament
  • Disability Theology
  • Linguistic analysis of ecclesiastical texts
  • Positionality and interpretation

Meet some of our postgraduate students and learn more about their research