The M.A. program in Religion and Culture at Laurier puts its finger on the pulse of religion in today’s world. Students in the program examine how religious thinkers, traditions, practices, and ideologies inform global processes, social movements, intercultural interactions, community formation, individual identity, and other aspects of contemporary life. A focus is on the present, but not without knowledge of the past. The graduate seminars also examine the many histories implicated in these processes to enable a deeper understanding of the place of religion in today’s global communities.

Key features of the program include:

• Its interdisciplinary approach. Faculty draw upon their training in religious studies, anthropology, sociology, psychology, area studies, and philosophy to take multi-faceted approaches to the study of religion.

• Its concern with religion on the ground. The program encourages students to undertake field work.

• Its interest in religious diversity in North America. The M.A. program is closely linked to the joint Wilfrid Laurier—University of Waterloo Ph.D. program in Religious Studies. Graduate seminars can include both M.A. and Ph.D. students.

• Its emphasis on critical analysis, research, and public presentations. The program fosters critical research skills and offers training in academic writing and conference presentations.

What is distinctive about our MA program?

• The program highlights interdisciplinarity, and helps students increase their understanding of a wide range of approaches used in the study of religion, including fieldwork.

• Students are provided with a solid background in their study of a variety of religious traditions

• On average, MA students receive $12,000 for the fall & winter terms (combined scholarship and teaching assistantship funds); certain students are eligible for other awards and fellowships.

• MA students work closely with faculty and have doctoral students as colleagues.

• Many opportunities exist to develop better writing and public presentation skills.

• The program can be completed in 12 months.

• Laurier has excellent library facilities, both on and off campus

Why Laurier?

As members of a Department with a long-standing M.A. program, our faculty are committed to creative teaching and strive to foster in their students the spirit of free inquiry, the determination to pose probing questions, and the critical skills and knowledge needed to study religion in today’s world. The program nurtures an interdisciplinary perspective on the study of religion and emphasizes the intimate relationships between religion and its cultural contexts.

Our program is one of the few in North America that places special emphasis on field research.

The Department has ties to the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and one of the department members is a CIGI research chair. The Department also offers, with the University of Waterloo, a Ph.D. program in Religious Studies that focuses on religious diversity in North America.

Faculty Research Areas

Active scholars, faculty members in the Religion and Culture Department have expertise in fields that include:

• Global Christianity

• Christian origins and Gnosticism

• Islam, especially contemporary Islamic thought

• Judaism

• African diasporic religions

• South Asian religions

• Caribbean religions

• Buddhism in North America

• Religion among immigrant and refugee communities

• Multiculturalism

• Psychology and religion 

• Religion and popular culture

• Food and religion

• Gender, sexuality and religion

• Technology and religion

• Mysticism

What is expected of our graduate students?

Admission Requirements

Applicants to the MA program must have completed, or be in the process of completing, an honours (four-year) BA or its equivalent. They must meet the minimum university standard of a B average in the fourth year, and have a B+ in their major. Students who do not meet these criteria may apply for admission as qualifying students.

The Department welcomes applications from students in religious studies, and also from students in other departments in the humanities and social sciences whose training and proposed program involves significant interdisciplinary research pertinent to religious studies. Normally, such applicants will have taken the equivalent of 5 full-year courses in religious studies.

Deadlines

Priority will be given to applications received by February 1. After this date, the Department will continue to accept applications until its program is full. The online application form can be assessed here: http://www.wlu.ca/page.php?grp_id=36&p=635.

Applicants must submit a writing sample, such as a term paper, as well as an application essay. Guidelines for the essay are found on the personal information form <http://www.wlu.ca/documents/19771/APP_PERSONAL_INFO_FORM.pdf> that is part of the online application package.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing or exemption is occasionally granted on the basis of work completed previously. Such standing will be considered upon written application by the student at the beginning of the program.

Program Requirements

All students follow one of two streams in the MA in Religion and Culture: the course stream or the thesis stream. Students are initially admitted into the course stream. Admission to the thesis stream is granted upon the successful completion of an accepted thesis proposal.

Students in both streams are required to complete RE693 (Comprehensive Examination). This course is based on a reading list provided by the Department, and emphasizes understanding of the world's religions and the academic study of religion. In case of a failing grade, the course can be repeated once.

In addition to RE693, course-stream students are required to complete RE698* (Research Project) and five other half-credit electives. For the Research Project, students focus on an area of study chosen in consultation with the course supervisor, then present that work, or a distillation of it, to a public audience. By "public" there are a variety of possibilities — e.g., a lecture at a university colloquium, a conference, or other off-campus venues. The assessment of the project includes both the written work and the public presentation.

Thesis-stream students, in addition to completing RE693, are required to (1) complete four half-credit electives, at least two of which are taught by members of the Department, and (2) prepare an acceptable thesis proposal, a thesis, and an oral defence. Thesis-stream students will not be permitted to take RE698* for credit. A student cannot register in RE699 until the proposal is formally accepted. Proposals must follow the departmentally- approved guidelines. A proposal may be submitted any time after admission to the program; full-time students must have their proposal approved by the end of their second term. Acceptance is dependent upon the quality of the proposal and the Department's assessment of a student's overall ability.

Students whose thesis work necessitates the use of a second language will be required to demonstrate competence in that language before the thesis proposal is accepted. Decisions about language requirements and how they shall be satisfied are made by the student's thesis committee, in consultation with the Graduate Officer.

Course-stream students enrolled full-time normally take three terms (12 months) to complete their degree, while thesis-stream students normally take four terms (16 months).

A student's specific program, including course selections, must be approved by the Graduate Officer.