Religious Studies: Masters Program

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Introduction

WHERE DO I LIVE?
Housing information

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES
Graduate College
The Department
Admissions Notification

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Fees and Expenses
Graduate Assistantships
Additional Financial Support

THE M.A. PROGRAM
Aims
Requirements
Thesis Option
Portfolio Option
Areas of Emphasis
Curriculum

AFFILIATED CENTERS AND PROGRAMS
ASU affiliated centers and programs

To learn more about our FACULTY, AFFILIATED FACULTY, and COGNATE FACULTY please visit the FACULTY section of our website.

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Introduction

The Department of Religious Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University offers a program of study leading to the Master of Arts degree in Religious Studies. Emphasizing the comparative study of religions, the department seeks to understand the phenomena of religion across a wide spectrum of cultural contexts and historical periods. Reflecting the different interests and areas of expertise of the faculty, the curriculum incorporates a variety of approaches to the subject, including the cultural, historical, literary, sociological, and theological. Primary areas of emphasis include religion in the Americas (African-American, Latin American, Native American, and North American religions), modern Western theological and ethical thought, Buddhism, Christianity, East and Southeast Asian religions, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. Comparative themes and issues are central to the curriculum. These include: religion and gender; religion, nationalism and ethnicity; religion and science; religion and modernity; mysticism; popular religion; ritual studies and symbolism. Although students often concentrate upon a single religious tradition for their thesis work, the program seeks to provide a broadly comparative understanding of religions, not simply a specialist's training in a single tradition.

The small size of the department creates an environment of collegiality among faculty and students. The thorough advising system and numerous extra curricular colloquia on topics of contemporary importance to enhance the academic study of religion. Each semester there are approximately fifteen students in residence engaged in course work, with five to ten other students at various stages of their thesis research. A graduate faculty of over twenty professors allows for small graduate seminars and extensive contact with faculty outside of the classroom.

Arizona State University, comprising over 57,000 students (11,000 graduate students) in eleven academic and professional colleges, is located in Tempe, Arizona -- a part of the metropolitan Phoenix area. The intellectual, cultural, and social advantages of a large university and one of the nation' s fastest growing urban areas are at the student's disposal. The mild climate and surrounding Sonoran Desert, mountains, and lakes offer abundant recreational opportunities. The university also has numerous recreational facilities available for students at no extra charge.

WHERE DO I LIVE?

Housing Information

Whether you want to live on-campus or off-campus, there are many choices available at ASU or in the Tempe/Mesa/Phoenix area. Residential Life provides a variety of housing from studio to two bedroom apartments, with varying payment plans and optional meal plans. Approximate costs vary from $400 for a studio, to $2,700 for a two-bedroom (houses four people). More information is available from: Residential Life, Arizona State University, Box 870212, Tempe, AZ, 85287-0212, (480) 965-3515.

The Office for Off-Campus Student Services maintains a variety of information sources for the student looking for off-campus housing. If requested, they will send a packet of information that includes: Guide to Off-Campus Living, Vacancy List, and Apartment List. Plan to arrive in Tempe early to secure the type of off campus housing you desire. If you are in need of a hotel, the guide includes a listing of motels/hotels. The packet of information can be requested by phone from the Office for Off-Campus Student Services by dialing (480) 965-6246. If you are on campus, they are located on the first floor of the Memorial Union and are more than willing to assist you when you arrive.

ADMISSIONS PROCEDURES

Graduate College

Applicants should apply electronically by going to the Arizona State University Graduate College web site (http://www.asu.edu/graduate/).

The Department of Religious Studies cannot make a decision on an application until the Graduate College has received and processed the necessary forms and transcripts. However, the department encourages prospective students to contact the department's Director of Graduate Studies as soon as they decide to apply to the Graduate College.

Additional information may be obtained by writing directly to us at

Department of Religious Studies
Arizona State University
PO Box 873104
Tempe, AZ 85287-3104

The Department

In addition to applying for admission to the Graduate College, applicants must at the same time send or arrange to have sent the following materials to the departmental Director of Graduate Studies:

a copy of scores from the General Graduate Record Examination;
three letters of recommendation by faculty who know the applicant's academic work and are able to assess his/her potential for graduate study;
a typed, double-spaced essay of about 1,000 words (3-4 pages) describing the applicant's academic background, reasons for wishing to pursue an M.A. in Religious Studies, and the area of special emphasis the applicant plans to study in the program at Arizona State University;
the score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from students whose native tongue is not English.

The letters of reference and essay should be sent directly to

Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Religious Studies
Arizona State University
PO Box 873104
Tempe, AZ 85287-3104

The faculty in Religious Studies read the essays and letters of recommendation with care to assess, in general, the applicant's ability to write and, in particular, the applicant's ability to complete the M.A. in Religious Studies within the framework of the curriculum and faculty expertise. (The department will not give serious consideration to applications from students who wish to pursue a thesis which lies beyond the teaching and research interests of the faculty.) Therefore, before writing the essay, applicants are urged to read carefully the sections below concerning the faculty and the curriculum.

Admissions Notification

The deadline for completed applications for admission and graduate assistantships for enrollment in the fall is January 1. Notification of admission and graduate assistantship awards is made on or about April 1. The department considers late applications and applications for spring semester on an individual basis.

Applicants will be notified by the Graduate College that their application has been accepted, or accepted provisionally, or denied. Regular acceptance normally requires an undergraduate GPA of 3.5, GRE scores of at least 600, or TOEFL scores of 550 (equivalent to 213 on the computer test) or above for international students. Provisional acceptance may be based on a weak undergraduate record or GRE scores, and require that the student complete 9 graduate hours in the department with a B (3.00) or better during the first semester. Students admitted provisionally are generally not eligible for assistantships. For applicants whose background in Religious Studies is weak (fewer than 15 hours of undergraduate course work in Religious Studies), but who have a strong undergraduate record and good GRE scores, the acceptance letter may stipulate courses to be taken in addition to the regular M.A. requirements.

FEES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Graduate Assistantships

Application forms for graduate assistantships are to be obtained from and returned to the department, not the Graduate College. The letters of recommendation for admission may also serve as letters of recommendation for an assistantship. Assistantships are of two types: teaching and research. In either case a recipient is assigned to assist a particular faculty member in a course or in his/her personal research endeavors. Graduate assistants share an office with several other assistants and typically work twenty hours per week.

Additional Financial Support

Scholarships which waive tuition and/or provide stipends are also available for minority students and students with outstanding academic records.
The Program for Southeast Asian Studies at ASU offers assistantships and scholarships for students who intend to focus upon this area. Students should contact them directly.
The Department of Religious Studies awards the Reiganji Scholarship for the Study of Buddhism. To apply for this scholarship, please contact the Director of Graduate Studies.
The Jewish Studies Program awards the Rabbi Morris Kertzer Scholarships, the Alpert Scholarships for research projects in Jewish Studies, and Great Student Award.

THE M.A. PROGRAM

AIMS

The M.A. program is designed to meet several types of educational and career aspirations.

For those who wish to qualify for doctoral programs at leading universities, it offers intensive training in research methods and a broad background in the academic study of religion.

It serves as a terminal degree in the humanities for students preparing to teach at the high school or community college level.
It develops special competence for students preparing for professional careers in such fields as law, social work, journalism, counseling, and the ministry.

Requirements

Two options exist for completion of the M.A. degree in Religious Studies: a thesis option and a portfolio option. Each option generally takes two years to complete.

Thesis Option

Twenty-four hours of graduate course work: a) two seminars in methods and theory of religion (REL 501, 502); b) six credits of REL 591, Graduate Seminars on general topics in the comparative study of religion; c) REL 592: Research; d) nine hours of electives.
A reading knowledge of French, German or another language relevant to the proposed thesis topic is normally required. At the discretion of the student's advisory committee, the requirement may be waived for students who are not planning to enter a doctoral program that requires competency in foreign languages.
A thesis which earns six hours credit. Students must choose thesis topics that relate to the expertise of the faculty. Students are required to have three copies of their completed thesis bound; one copy for the Library, one for university archives and one for the department.

Portfolio Option

Thirty hours of graduate course work: a) two seminars in methods and theory of religion (REL 501, 502); b) six hours REL 591, Graduate Seminars on general topics in the comparative study of religion; c) four courses in a major area of concentration; and two courses in a minor area.
A reading knowledge of German, French or another language relevant to the student's program. At the discretion of the student's advisory committee, the requirement may be waived for students who are not planning to enter a doctoral program that requires competency in a foreign language.
The student will assemble, and orally defend, a portfolio of three papers in the following areas: theory and methods; the major area of concentration; and the minor area of study.

Curriculum

The required courses (see Requirements), which constitute half of the student's course work, insure that a student will receive a broad background in the comparative study of religion. The remaining electives (9 hours) are usually taken within the Department of Religious Studies, in regularly scheduled seminars at the 500 level. Additionally, students may take up to 6 hours in 400 level courses in the department, or 3 hours in Reading and Conference. To supplement their program, students may, with the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, take up to 6 elective hours outside the department in order to take advantage of the expertise of the faculty in other departments. Faculty within such departments as Anthropology, History, Humanities, Philosophy and Women's Studies offer courses which significantly expand the educational opportunities of the Religious Studies program.

AFFILIATED CENTERS AND PROGRAMS

ASU Affiliated Centers and Programs

African-American Studies Program
Leanor Boulin-Johnson, Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/aframstu/)

Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Robert Bjork (English), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/acmrs/)

Center for Asian Studies
Claudia Brown (Language and Literature), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/asian/)

Interdisciplinary Humanities Program
Peter Lehman (History), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/humanities/)

Jewish Studies Program
Hava Samuelson (History), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/jewishstudies/)

Southeast Asian Studies Program
James Rush (History), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/pseas/)

Women's Studies
Kathleen Ferraro (History), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/womens_studies/)

Center for Latin American Studies
Tod Swanson (Religious Studies), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/latin/)

Chicana & Chicano Studies
Cordelia Candelaria (English), Director
(http://www.asu.edu/clas/chicana/)

Areas of Emphasis

The graduate program offers a curriculum that has six main areas of emphasis. These six areas are not precise divisions of the curriculum, but represent main orientations of the program in terms of the combined research and teaching expertise of the faculty.

I. RELIGIONS IN THE AMERICAS

The religious history and experience of Native Americans and immigrant religions from Africa, Asia and Europe; their interrelationships in Central, Latin, and North America.

II. COMPARATIVE AND HISTORICAL STUDIES OF RELIGION

Historical studies of religious traditions and comparative studies of related phenomena and issues in two or more traditions. Particular emphasis, beyond the Americas, in Buddhism, Christianity, including Eastern Orthodoxy, East and Southeast Asian religions, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Russian religious history.

III. CRITICAL STUDIES OF RELIGION

Theoretical and normative studies in religion, including theological and ethical inquiry, critical theory and cultural studies.

IV. RELIGION AND MODERNITY

The impact of the Enlightenment, science and technology, colonialism, and other developments in the modern period upon individuals and religious communities around the world.

V. RELIGION, SOCIETY, AND POWER

The study of conflict and power in relation to religious movements and discourses, including issues of identity, gender, class, race, ethnicity and violence.

VI. RELIGION AND SCIENCE

The historical and philosophical study of the relationship between science and religion during different historical periods and in different cultural settings.

Curriculum

Graduate Level Courses

501 Methods and Issues in the Study of Religion, Classical Theories
502 Methods and Issues in the Study of Religion, Contemporary Theories
591 Religion and Authority
591 Categories of Religious and Secular
591 Religion and Modernity
591 Religion and Nationalism
591 W.E.B. DuBois and Religious Imagination
591 Religions of the U.S. Southwest
591 Conversion
591 Religion in America
591 Collective Memory
591 Icons
598 Buddhism in Southeast Asia
598 Religion and Authority
598 Religion and Justice
598 Religion in Japan
598 Religion in Russia
598 Medieval Women Mystics
598 Islam and the West
598 Theology of Terror
598 Religion and Science
598 God in the Western Religious Tradition
598 Mormonism and American Culture
598 Buddhist Art
598 Medical Ethics: Religious and Secular
598 Andean Myth and Testimony in History
598 American Paradox: Religion, Ethnicity, Culture
598 Writing/Religion in the Late Middle Ages
598 Saints Mystics and Martyrs
598 Collective Memory
598 Antisemitism

Undergraduate Level Courses

100 Religions of the World
200 Study of Religious Traditions
201 Religion and the Modern World
202 Religion and Popular Culture
203 Saints & Sinners
205 Living and Dying
210 Introduction to Judaism
225 African-American Religion
240 Introduction to Southeast Asia
260 Introduction to Islam
270 Introduction to Christianity
301 Comparative Mysticism
305 Ritual, Symbol, and Myth
310 Western Religious Traditions
315 Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)
317 Introduction to Rabbinic Judaism
318 Contemporary American Jewish Identities
320 American Religious Traditions
321 Religion in America
322 Malcolm & Martin
323 Black Religion: A Biographical Approach
324 Spirituals and the Blues
326 U.S. Latina/o Religion and Culture
330 Native American Religious Traditions
331 History of Native American Religious Traditions
332 South American Religious Traditions
344 Religion and Values in Japanese Life
345 Asian Religious Traditions
350 Hinduism
351 Buddhism
355 Japanese Cities and Cultures to 1800
365 Islamic Civilization
366 Islam in the Modern World
371 New Testament
372 Formation of the Christian Tradition
373 Women in Judaism
374 Witchcraft and Heresy in Europe
377 Religion in Russia
379 Religion, Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict
381 Religion and Moral Issues
382 Religion, Magic and Science
383 Origins, Evolution and Creation
385 Contemporary Western Religious Thought
386 America and the Holocaust
390 Women and Religion
400 Approaches to Religion
405 Problems in Religious Studies
410 Judaism in Modern Times
415 The Jewish Mystical Tradition
420 Religion in American Life and Thought
426 American Preachers and Preaching
427 American Religious Thought
444 Religion in Japan
460 Studies in Islamic Religion
464 The Islamic Mystical Tradition
470 Religion in the Middle Ages
471 Reformation and Modern Christianity
480 Religion & Global Politics
483 Religion & Science
486 Modern Critics of Religion
494 Religion & Science
494 American Jewry in Film & TV
494 Buddhism in Southeast Asia
494 God in the Western Religious Tradition
494 Religion and Justice
494 Confucianism and Taoism
494 Medical Ethics: Religious and Secular
494 Buddhist Art
494 Responding to Evil
494 Mormonism and American Culture
494 World War II and the Holocaust
494 W.E.B. DuBois/Religion/Modernity
494 Andean Myth and Testimony in History
494 Sociology of Religion
494 Social Theory and the Holocaust
494 Black Religious Historiography
494 Bioethics: Religion and Culture
498 Pro-Seminar in Religious Studies

For More Information on the Master's Program see the Guide for Master's Students