Graduate Program

The Department of Religious Studies offers graduate programs leading to the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in five major areas of specialization in doctoral studies. Questions regarding the graduate program should be directed to Liz Smith

Areas of Study

Historical Studies

• Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity
• European and American Religious History
• Historical Theology

Theology, Ethics, and Culture

• Philosophical Theology
• Religious Ethics
• Religion and Culture

History of Religions

• African Religions
• Buddhism: East Asian
• Buddhism: Indian or Theravāda
• Buddhism: Indo-Tibetan
• Buddhism: Sino-Tibetan
• Daoism
• Hinduism
• Indian Religions

Scripture, Interpretation and Practice

• Comparative Scripture, Interpretation and Practice
• The Study of Judaism
• Islamic Scripture, Interpretation and Practice

Islamic Studies (Ph.D. only)

Degree Programs

Masters Degree Program

The M.A. program is designed to allow students to prepare for more advanced work, to pursue a personal interest, to explore vocational options, and/or to gain certification for secondary school instruction in religious studies. For more details, read the M.A. Degree Requirements.

Ph.D. Program

The Ph.D. program is designed to train teachers and research scholars for the academic study of religion in universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges. For more details, read the Ph.D. Degree Requirements.

Note: Both the M.A. and Ph.D. programs may be of benefit also to persons engaged in religious vocations who wish to supplement their professional training with an academic graduate degree.