Religion
2090 Foreign Language Building, MC-166
707 South Mathews
Urbana, Illinois 61801
Tel: (217) 333-0473
Fax: (217) 244-4019
Email: religion@illinois.edu
Graduate Major: Religion
Degrees Offered: M.A.
Graduate Minor: Religion
Graduate Degree Programs
The Department of Religion offers a Master of Arts in Religion.
Admission
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Applicants need not have an undergraduate major in the study of religion. But they must demonstrate a capacity to undertake advanced study in this area of inquiry. All applications for admission must be supported by three letters of recommendation from persons qualified to comment on the applicant’s aptitude for graduate study in religion. Applicants are required to submit a sample of their written work. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is required. International applicants whose native language is not English must take the IELTS or the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and have their scores submitted to Institution Code #1836, Dept. #00. A score of at least 600 on the paper-based test (PBT), or 250 on the computer-based test (CBT), or 100 on the internet-based test (iBT) is required for admission to this program.
Degree Requirements
*For additional details and requirements refer to the department’s graduate degree requirements and the Graduate College Handbook.
Master of Arts
| Required Courses: | Thesis option Required Hours | Non-Thesis option Required Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RLST 510 | 4 | 4 |
| Two additional 500-level courses at least one of which must be in Religion | 8 | 8 |
| Each student will establish a primary field of study in consultation with the Director of Graduate Studies and the student’s advisor. Two courses must be taken within that field. In most cases, the primary field of study will be a particular field such as Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Philosophy of Religion, or Religion in America. | Min. 8 | Min. 8 |
| Language Requirement: Students will demonstrate reading comprehension in one language other than English that is appropriate for research in the main field of the student’s interest. The student will demonstrate that competence by completing a fourth-semester (or more advanced) course in a foreign language or by passing a reading comprehension test administered by the department. | Credit does not apply to requirements | Credit does not apply to requirements |
| Thesis Hours Required/RLST 599 (min/max applied toward degree): | Max. 8 | |
| Total Hours | 32 | 32 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 12 | 12 |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Within the Unit: | 8 | 8 |
| Other Requirements: | ||
| Students may take up to two of the required eight courses in departments other than Religion. Courses must be relevant to the student’s curriculum in Religion. | ||
| Two revised research papers in the student’s primary field of study are required. | N/A | 2 papers |
| Student’s must pass the MA examination | ||
| Minimum GPA: | 2.75 | 2.75 |
Graduate Minor
The graduate minor in Religion is designed for graduate or professional students in other disciplines who desire to complement their degree program with a study of Religion. The Minor will consist of any coherent set of at least 12 graduate hours of courses that is approved by the Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Religion. It will include at least one graduate seminar in the Department of Religion. The successful completion of a minor is noted on the student’s transcript. For admission to the program contact the department.
Minor Requirements
| Required Courses: | Required Hours |
|---|---|
| Any graduate seminar in Religion | 4 |
| Graduate electives in Religion at the 400 level or above | 8 |
| Total Hours | 12 |
| Other Requirements:* | |
| Minimum 500-level Hours Required Overall: | 8 |
| In addition to the minor requirements, students must also complete the requirements of their major degree. The major department determines which and how many minor hours may also be applied to the major degree. Please contact your department for more information. | |
| Total hours | 12 |
Graduate Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program.
Facilities and Resources
The extraordinary University Library is the department’s main research facility; within it, the History, Philosophy & Newspaper Library, the Rare Book Room, and the area studies libraries (Slavic, Africana, Latin American, Asian Libraries) all serve faculty and students with expert bibliographers and focused collections. Among other special collections that are likely to be useful to our students are Afro-Americana and Women’s Studies; the library is also a major repository for government documents.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to many students in the form of fellowships or assistantships. More information is available on the Graduate College web site, http://www.grad.illinois.edu/fellowship/finaid.