Religious Studies

Master of Arts

The M.A. in Religious Studies, which may be elected either as preparation for more advanced study or as a terminal degree, requires:

1. either: the successful completion of 30 credit hours, of which 24 credit hours comes of course work, of which at least 9 hours must be taken in a single religious tradition or cultural area and of which at least 6 hours must be taken in courses with a strong emphasis on method; and the preparation and successful defense of a thesis, which counts for the remaining 6 credit hours represented by at least six credit hours of non-topical research with the student’s advisor and which exhibits competence in the area of specialization, skill in a given method of study, and an ability to employ resources in the relevant foreign language(s);
2. or: the successful completion of 30 credits of course work, of which at least 12 credits are taken in a single religious tradition or cultural area and at least 6 are taken in courses with a strong emphasis on method; and satisfactory performance in a comprehensive examination based on a reading list approved by the relevant field committee. The choice between these options is determined in consultation with faculty advisors, and with a view to the student’s objective in graduate study. (When M.A./Ph.D. program students successfully complete their comprehensive doctoral examinations, they have also completed the master’s examination requirement and may elect to receive the M.A. degree);
3. and: a reading knowledge of either French or German demonstrated by examination (though another language may be substituted under appropriate circumstances and with the approval of the Committee on Graduate Studies.) Within these general requirements, the M.A. Program remains flexible and can be closely tailored to the interests and aims of the individual student. Normally the M.A. program can be completed in three semesters, but very rarely in fewer.
4. and: Must be completed with at least one full academic year’s enrollment in residence.

Doctor of Philosophy

The following requirements pertain generally to all Ph.D. programs in the department: students admitted to the M.A./Ph.D. (i.e., students without prior graduate work in religious studies or related fields) must complete a minimum of 54 credits in courses at the 5000 level and above, plus 18 credits in other courses (may be non-topical research) for a total of 72 credits.

Students admitted directly to the Ph.D. program (i.e., who already hold a graduate degree in religious studies, such as the M.A., M.Div., or some equivalent) may petition the Graduate Committee for advanced standing at the end of their first year of residence and may be allowed to waive up to 24 credits of the course work requirement. These students will need 30 credits of course work plus 18 other credits (e.g., non-topical research) for a total of 48 credits. All doctoral students must spend at least two consecutive semesters during the academic year in full-time residential study.

Students must demonstrate, by examination, a reading knowledge of both French and German, although other languages may also be required. Another language may be substituted if it is appropriate to the field of specialization. Language competencies must be certified before a student may proceed to comprehensive examinations.

Students must successfully complete a series of comprehensive examinations in the field of specialization within six months of the completion of required courses and language examinations. Then, within six months of the completion of these examinations, students must submit and defend, before the relevant faculty committee, a dissertation proposal.

Students are expected to complete all pre-dissertation requirements (but not necessarily the dissertation proposal), including coursework, language proficiency examinations and comprehensive examinations, by the conclusion of their eighth term of study.

When the dissertation proposal is approved, students proceed to the writing of a dissertation that demonstrates a high level of research skills, sophistication of method, originality of insight, and specialized knowledge. Dissertations must be defended in oral examination before the faculty.

The time required for successful completion of doctoral studies varies. Programs such as the History of Religions, which require substantial language training and/or periods of fieldwork inevitably take longer to complete. Students should anticipate a period of three to six years of study.

Areas of Specialization

The Department offers four major areas of specialization in doctoral studies. They are Historical Studies; Theology, Ethics, and Culture; History of Religions; and Scripture, Interpretation and Practice

Buddhism

• RELB 5011 - Readings in Chinese Buddhist Texts I, II Credits: 3
• RELB 5012 - Readings in Chinese Buddhist Texts I, II Credits: 3
• RELB 5055 - Buddhist Philosophy Credits: 3
• RELB 5170 - The Dalai Lamas of Tibet Credits: 3
• RELB 5250 - Seminar in Japanese Buddhism Credits: 3
• RELB 5270 - Seminar in Chinese Buddhism Credits: 3
• RELB 5390 - Tibetan Buddhist Tantra Dzokchen Credits: 3
• RELB 5430 - Sanskrit Religious Texts Credits: 3
• RELB 5460 - Seminar in Mahayana Buddhism Credits: 3
• RELB 5470 - Literary Tibetan V Credits: 3
• RELB 5490 - Religious History of Tibet Credits: 3
• RELB 5520 - Seminar in Daoism Credits: 3
• RELB 5600 - Elementary Pali Credits: 3
• RELB 5610 - Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Credits: 1 to 3
• RELB 5660 - Seminar on Indian Buddhism Credits: 3
• RELB 5800 - Literary Tibetan VII Credits: 3
• RELB 5991 - Seminar in Chinese Buddhism Credits: 3
• RELB 8200 - Literary Tibetan VII Credits: 4
• RELB 8210 - Literary Tibetan VIII Credits: 4
• RELB 8230 - Advanced Literary and Spoken Tibetan Credits: 3
• RELB 8310 - Advanced Sanskrit/Pali I Credits: 1 to 3

Christianity

• RELC 5009 - Bonhoeffer and King: Resistance and Reconciliation Credits: 3
• RELC 5048 - Philo of Alexandria and Hellenistic Judaism Credits: 3
• RELC 5052 - Seminar in American Catholic History Credits: 3
• RELC 5077 - Pius XII, Hitler the US and WW II Credits: 3
• RELC 5130 - Being and God Credits: 3
• RELC 5141 - Theology of John Calvin Credits: 3
• RELC 5155 - Ecology, Christianity, and Culture Credits: 3
• RELC 5158 - History of Christian Ethics Credits: 3
• RELC 5310 - Early Christianity and Greco-Roman Culture Credits: 3
• RELC 5551 - Seminar in Early Christian Thought Credits: 3
• RELC 5830 - Love and Justice in Christian Ethics Credits: 3
• RELC 5910 - Religion, Race and Politics in American Society Credits: 3
• RELC 5976 - The Theology of Friedrich Schleiermacher Credits: 3
• RELC 5700 - Patristic Greek Credits: 3
• RELC 8410 - Seminar on American Religious Thought I: Edwards to Emerson Credits: 3
• RELC 8420 - Seminar on American Religious Thought II: Liberalism Through Neo-Orthodoxy Credits: 3
• RELC 8590 - Topics in New Testament Studies Credits: 3
• RELC 8920 - Seminar in Early Christianity Credits: 3

General

• RELG 5030 - Readings in Chinese Religion Credits: 3
• RELG 5070 - Interpretation Theory Credits: 3
• RELG 5170 - Seminar in History of Religions Credits: 3
• RELG 5240 - Problems in Philosophy of Religion Credits: 3
• RELG 5541 - Seminar in Social and Political Thought Credits: 3
• RELG 5630 - Seminar: Issues in the Study of Religion and Literature Credits: 3
• RELG 5690 - Contemporary Religious Movements Credits: 3
• RELG 5780 - Wallace Stevens and the Absolute Credits: 3
• RELG 5850 - Narrative in Ethics and Theology Credits: 3
• RELG 5900 - Ethics, Politics, and Rhetoric Credits: 3
• RELG 7250 - Kierkegaard and Philosophy of Religion Credits: 3
• RELG 7360 - Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion Credits: 3
• RELG 8000 - Negativity and the Religious Imagination Credits: 3
• RELG 8055 - Seminar in the Thought of Martin Heidegger Credits: 3
• RELG 8330 - Comparative Religious Ethics Credits: 3
• RELG 8340 - Contemporary Theological Ethics Credits: 3
• RELG 8350 - Proseminar in Scripture Interpretation and Practice Credits: 1
• RELG 8400 - Historiography Seminar in American Religion Credits: 3

Hinduism

• RELH 5053 - Hindu Philosophical Systems Credits: 3
• RELH 5340 - Ritual and Renunciation Credits: 3
• RELH 5450 - Hindu-Buddhist Debates Credits: 3
• RELH 5465 - Shaiva Tantra Credits: 3
• RELH 5475 - Social Vision in Hinduism Credits: 3
• RELH 7045 - Pāṇini and the Sanskrit Grammarians Credits: 3

Islam

• RELI 5380 - Islamic Biomedical Ethics Credits: 3
• RELI 5400 - Muslim Comparative Theologies: Sunni-Shi’i Creeds Credits: 3
• RELI 5420 - War and Peace in Islam: A Comparative Ethics Approach Credits: 3
• RELI 5540 - Seminar in Islamic Theology Credits: 3
• RELI 7100 - Islamic Religious Law Credits: 3

Judaism

• RELJ 5048 - Philo of Alexandria and Hellenistic Judaism Credits: 3
• RELJ 5050 - Judaism in Antiquity Credits: 3
• RELJ 8880 - Biblical and Jewish Palestinian Aramaic Credits: 3

Special Topics

• RELS 8995 - Research Credits: 1 to 12
• RELS 8960 - Thesis Research Credits: 3
• RELS 8998 - Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Research Credits: 1 to 12
• RELS 8999 - Non-Topical Research Credits: 1 to 12
• RELS 9998 - Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Doctoral Research Credits: 1 to 12
• RELS 9999 - Non-Topical Research Credits: 1 to 12