phd religious studies canada

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Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD)

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Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

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The PhD in Religious Studies provides training in early Judaism, Christian origins, and religions of the Late Antique Mediterranean.

Students develop range and breadth through coursework and comprehensive examinations in Years 1 and 2 of the program; after that, students will be encouraged and enabled to narrow their focus so that they become world experts in their chosen dissertation topic.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

What makes the program unique?

The PhD if Religious Studies is the only program in Canada to offer students the opportunity to focus on the early religious traditions of the Mediterranean and Middle East. PhD students engage in a broad range of coursework and pursue multi-disciplinary research on the material culture, religious beliefs, languages and histories of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. We have four full-time faculty specializing in Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish studies, and early Christianity and New Testament Studies. Our other faculty in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies are interdisciplinary researchers whose work regularly engages with religion and myth, including the archaeology of Roman religion and Greek mythology.

I chose UBC for many reasons, the top 3 are, the interdisciplinary nature of the department at UBC, my supervisor, and that Vancouver and the West Coast are my home.

Rivkah Gillian Glass

Quick Facts

Program enquiries, admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Course requirements.

Students must have completed a minimum of two years' of study in Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, or Latin prior to commencing the program. More than two years is highly recommended and preferred.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research focus.

Our research strengths in Religious Studies include Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish studies, and early Christian history and literature. Many of our faculty are interested in historiography, receptions of the ancient world, and digital approaches to the past. Additionally, our faculty have expertise in a large range of ancient languages and we offer rigorous training in Ancient Greek, Latin, Biblical Hebrew, and Classical Arabic as well as introductory courses in Akkadian, Middle Egyptian, and Coptic.

Program Components

PhD students complete coursework, comprehensive exams, modern language exams, and a dissertation.

Research Facilities

Our students have access to work space in the Graduate Reading Room with exclusive access to a library of ancient texts and seminal scholarship relating to Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies and a computer lab for research and teaching equipped with eight powerful desktop PC computers with dual monitors and a variety of software packages (including ArcGIS, Adobe Creative Suite and Agisoft Metashape) as well as a 3D printer.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

Career options.

Our aim is to equip our graduating PhD students with all the professional skills they may need to attain a tenure-track teaching position and to carry out the varied responsibilities which such a position brings. Graduates may also pursue career opportunities in government, higher education, business, not-for-profit, and more.

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

• Research Supervisors

Advice and insights from UBC Faculty on reaching out to supervisors

These videos contain some general advice from faculty across UBC on finding and reaching out to a supervisor. They are not program specific.

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Bablitz, Leanne (Roman history, Roman law, Roman courtrooms, , Roman social history and law, Roman topography, Roman legal procedure)
• Cooper, Elisabeth (Archaeology of greater Mesopotamia)
• Daniels, Megan (Classical religion; Archaeology of Greece and the broader eastern Mediterranean; Late Bronze Age to Hellenistic Period; Ancient religion, sanctuaries, votive objects; Cross-cultural interaction; Ancient economies and trade; Divine kingship; Digital/data science approaches to the ancient world, particularly ancient religion; Migration and mobility across Eurasia; Phoenician culture; Ceramic analysis)
• De Angelis, Franco (Ancient Greek world history, environment, urbanism, developmnet of societies, colonization, economics, ancient literature)
• Fisher, Kevin (Prehistoric archaeology; Anthropology; Archaeological theory; Archaeometry; Archeological Data Analysis; Archeological Excavation Methods and Techniques; architecture; built environments; digital archaeology; Dynamics of Social Transformations; Mediterranean archaeology; Near Eastern archaeology; power; Social Life / Societal Life; social interaction; Urban Spaces and Urbanity; urbanism)
• Gardner, Gregg (Judaism, Rabbinic Literature, Rabbinic Judaism, Mishnah, Talmud, Jewish Studies, Jewish Law, Jewish Ethics, Charity, Jewish Ethics, Archaeology of Israel, Archaeology and Hebrew Bible, Archaeology of Jerusalemn )
• Griffin, Michael (Greek philosophy, Ancient philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Proclus, Neoplatonism, Ancient logic )
• Huemoeller, Katharine (Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Religion and religious studies; Ancient law (in theory and in practice); Documentary texts; gender and sexuality; Non-urban life in antiquity; Roman social history; Slavery (ancient and comparative))
• Marshall, Christopher Warren (Cinema studies; Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Film, television and digital media; Religion and religious studies; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions)
• McCarty, Matthew (archaeology and art of the Roman Empire and Iron Age Europe/North Africa; ancient religion and ritual practice; interplays between texts, practices, and objects; imperialism, colonialism, and identity in the ancient world; interdisciplinary, cross-cultural, comparative (especially comparison with Qin/Han China), and theoretical approaches; historiography of archaeology)
• McElduff, Siobhan (Ancient and modern translation, history of the book)
• Milstein, Sara (Classical Greek and Ancient Rome history; Classical archaeology; Classical linguistics; Religion and religious studies; biblical and cuneiform law; Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Studies; History of Major Eras, Great Civilisations or Geographical Corpuses; literary history of the Bible; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Mesopotamian literature; Near Eastern scribal culture; Religious Contexts)
• Schneider, Thomas (Egyptian history and phonoly)
• Yoo, Philip
• Yoon, Florence (heralds and the representation of the absent; anonymity and naming, particularly in Greek Tragedy; props and silent characters in Greek drama)

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

• A daughter of Hebrews and Hellenes. Epiphany in Aseneth and contemporary ancient Greek literature
• “Let us go to the seer” : oracle giving, scribal culture, and the invention of Hebrew scripture

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MA)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion and Ethnicity (MA)
• Master of Arts in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology (MA)
• Master of Arts in Classics (MA)

Further Information

Specialization.

The following areas of concentration are offered in the Master's program: Biblical Studies; Christian Thought and Institutions; History of Religions; Islamic Studies; and Judaic Studies. The Ph.D. program at present provides training in Early Judaism, Christian Origins, and Religions of the Late Antique Mediterranean.

UBC Calendar

Program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Ryan Schroeder

I chose to study at UBC because I wanted to conduct research under Dr. Sara Milstein (Assistant Professor of Hebrew Bible and Ancient Near Eastern Studies), a world-class scholar of the transmission of biblical and Mesopotamian literature. I knew that other faculty members in the Department of...

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Religious Studies

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis-based program

Program overview.

Religious studies seeks to develop understanding and empathy for diverse religious traditions and the people who practise them. Evaluators, here, will guide you through the study of religion from a multidisciplinary perspective, using methods drawn from various disciplines. The most common approaches are anthropological, sociological, historical, philological, and philosophical. In many cases, more than one method is used to illuminate a religion or a religious issue. Other approaches may include aesthetics and economics. Thus, the field is identified in terms of its subject matter, religion, and not the disciplinary approach used by scholars. Within the field, understanding is seen to precede criticism, with critical discussions of religious beliefs and traditions developing once understanding has been achieved.

Completing this program

Courses: Topics include Western religions, Eastern religions, the nature of religion and advanced critical discourses in the study of religion.

Language:  Students demonstrate reading knowledge of at least two languages other than English prior to the candidacy examination.

Thesis:  Students will be required to submit and defend an original research thesis.

Colloquium Course:  Students participate in a PhD departmental colloquium.

Candidacy:  Students will complete both oral and written candidacy exams.

Specializations

• Western Religions
• Eastern Religions
• Nature of Religion

Former students have become academics, teachers, social workers, hospital chaplains, journalist and human relations professionals some have even entered the diplomatic service.

A PhD in religious studies is usually considered a final degree.

Students are required to prepare a thesis and successfully defend in an open oral defense.

Five courses minimum

Learn more about program requirements in the Academic Calendar

Classroom delivery

Time commitment.

Four years full-time; six years maximum

A supervisor is required, but is not required prior to the start of the program

See the Graduate Calendar for information on  fees and fee regulations,  and for information on  awards and financial assistance .

Virtual Tour

Explore the University of Calgary (UCalgary) from anywhere. Experience all that UCalgary has to offer for your graduate student journey without physically being on campus. Discover the buildings, student services and available programs all from your preferred device.

Supervisors

Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree. Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.

Lindsay Driediger-Murphy

Irving Hexham

Clara A.B. Joseph

Joy Palacios

Tinu Ruparell

Admission Requirements

A minimum of 3.5 GPA on a 4.0 point system, over the past two years of full-time study (a minimum of 10 full-course equivalents or 60 units) of the undergraduate degree.

Minimum education

A degree comparable to the University of Calgary Religious Studies Master of Arts.

Work samples

A sample of written work (e.g. a recent research essay).

Reference letters

Test scores, english language proficiency (elp).

An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:

• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL iB T including TOEFL iBT Home Edition)  minimum score of 86 (Internet-based, with no section less than 20).
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS)  score of 6.5 (with no section less than 6.0).
• Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency  minimum score of 180.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE)   score of 59 or higher
• Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL)  overall score of 70 (no section less than 60).
• Academic Communication Certificate (ACC)  minimum of B+ in each course.
• Duolingo English Test  obtaining a minimum score of 125 (with no sub-score below 105).

*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements.

For admission on September 1

Online Application Opens - October 1.

• January 15:  Application Deadline
• January 25:  Supporting Documents and Reference Deadline

If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements

Are you ready to apply?

Learn more about this program, department of classics and religion.

Social Sciences Building, Room 558 618 Campus Place NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Contact the Graduate Program Administrator

Visit the departmental website

University of Calgary 2500 University Drive NW Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4

Visit the Faculty of Arts website

Related programs

Thesis-based MA

Anthropology

Thesis-based PhD

Thesis-based MFA

Course-based MA

Thesis-based MMus

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Religious Studies (PhD)

Our PhD in Religious Studies, with a specialization in Religious Diversity in North America, is offered jointly with the University of Waterloo . This joint partnership allows our students to feel supported by both departments, and provide access to additional resources, courses, and diverse faculty members from both universities.

Our innovative program has three facets: a North American focus, multidisciplinary theories and methods, and public intelligibility.

Robust programming.

Close-knit community.

Joint partnership with the University of Waterloo.

Program Details

We are excited to tell you about our innovation program, which has three facets.

North American Focus

The program concentrates on the diverse nature of, and interactions among, the religious traditions and movements of Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. The emphasis is largely, although not exclusively, contemporary. In order to understand the religious complexity of the North American continent, essential textual and historical background is provided.

Multidisciplinary Theories and Methods

The program is multidisciplinary in two ways: in its admission of students from a variety of related disciplines, and in the faculty, courses and research that students encounter. Faculty have expertise not only in religious studies but also in related disciplines such as anthropology, history, philosophy, psychology and sociology. In addition, the program utilizes adjunct faculty from related departments at both universities. The program, designed for students with either religious studies or other, closely related backgrounds, employ both fieldwork and textually oriented methods.

Public Intelligibility

The PhD is designed to meet the needs of individuals who have various professional or vocational objectives. In addition to training those who intend to be scholars in religious studies or related disciplines, the program is designed to attract administrators, artists and media professionals, counsellors, journalists, religious officials, social workers and teachers. Therefore, the program stresses the need for public intelligibility in communicating religious studies scholarship.

In addition to emphasizing writing skills, the program cultivated and evaluates speaking as well as other public performance skills. The program fosters in students both a focus and a flexibility that will serve them well in a job market that requires adaptability, creativity and the ability to be articulate in public situations.

Program Requirements

The minimum degree requirements for the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religious Studies are as follows.

The PhD is designed to take four years for completion. Students must enrol in the program full-time, be available for classes and regular on-campus consultation for at least the first two calendar years, and complete a minimum of six terms beyond the Master of Arts (MA).

Students are expected to proceed through the program in a timely fashion. Normally, students must complete the course work and finish their proposal in the first year; comprehensive exams in the second year; and the dissertation project in the third and fourth years. The responsibilities of the supervisor and the supervisory committee notwithstanding, the candidate is responsible for ensuring that program requirements and deadlines are met in a timely fashion.

The degree requires a minimum of four courses beyond the MA. Students are required to take RE700 and RE710, both doctoral-level research seminars, as well as two electives. Depending on a student’s goals and admission assessment, additional course work may be required. Doctoral students must achieve at least a B in each course.

Students must demonstrate reading knowledge of a second language relevant to the field and/or the dissertation. If the topic of the dissertation makes knowledge of a third language essential, the candidate must demonstrate competence in this language as well. Students are not permitted to begin their dissertation until all language requirements are met.

The proposal is a written document outlining the dissertation project. The proposal must be formally accepted by both the student’s supervisory committee and the joint PhD committee before proceeding to the comprehensive examinations and dissertation project. Subsequent, substantive changes in the proposal must be approved by the supervisory committee and the program director.

Comprehensive Examinations

There are two examinations, each based on a bibliography constructed by faculty in consultation with the student. The purpose of the general exam is to ensure breadth and to assess competence in the religious diversity of North America and in religious studies. The purpose of the field exam is to focus an area of specialization containing the dissertation project. The general exam is conducted by the joint committee, whereas the field exam is conducted by the student's supervisory committee.

A candidate has only two opportunities to complete each of the examinations successfully. These examinations should take place by the end of the candidate's second year in the doctoral program.

To be permitted to take the examinations at a later time, a candidate must petition the director for an extension. Extensions are normally granted only once and then, only for one term.

Dissertation Project

The dissertation project consists of three required, closely related parts: the dissertation, the public presentation, and the dissertation defence. Students must pass all three. Evaluations, carried out by the supervisory committee, take into consideration the mastery of both style and content.

The doctoral dissertation is an piece of research (approximately 50,000-90,000 words in length) aimed at making an original contribution to the study of religion. The dissertation must be crafted for publication as a book, although actual publication is not a degree requirement. This way of fulfilling the dissertation requirement is a distinctive feature of the program, and guidelines are available from the director. The dissertation is prepared in consultation with the supervisory committee, which includes the candidate's supervisor acting as chair, along with two other faculty members, one of whom may be a member of a non-religious studies department.

The public presentation is a second distinctive feature of the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in religious studies. The presentation must be accessible to the public, open to questioning and debate, and subject to faculty evaluation. This presentation may take various formats and must demonstrate the candidate’s ability to make the results of research publicly intelligible and engaging for a diverse, educated but non-specialist audience. The public presentation is held in a venue and at a time different from that of the dissertation defence. Holding it in an off-campus location is preferable. Evaluation is on a pass/fail basis, and a pass is required to complete the degree. Evaluation of such presentations is by the supervisory committee on the basis of a set of criteria available from the program director. A candidate who fails may attempt the presentation only one additional time.

The dissertation defence, which is distinct from the public presentation, is an oral review and evaluation of the dissertation. Prior to the defence, an examining committee is established. It includes the supervisory committee plus an internal examiner from another department at either university. A chair (from the university in which the student is registered) and an external examiner (from another university) are appointed by the appropriate dean of graduate studies. The supervisory committee recommends external examiners to the dean of graduate studies. The decision of the examining committee is based on the dissertation and the candidate's ability to defend it orally. A candidate who fails may attempt the presentation only one additional time.

Faculty Research Expertise

Our faculty have a number of research interests including:

• global Christianity
• Islam in North American and global contexts
• African diasporic religions
• South Asian religions
• Caribbean religions
• Aboriginal religions
• Buddhism and Hinduism in North America
• religion among immigrant and refugee communities
• multiculturalism and transnationalism
• psychology, sociology, and anthropology of religion
• religion and popular culture
• food and religion

Completed Dissertations

Wilfrid laurier university.

• Rigotti, Elizabeth (2018). The Indulgence of Professionalization: Adoption Services, Maternity Homes, and Catholic Negotiations in American Society, 1895-1990 (Supervisor: Carol Duncan).
• Dewji, Sahir (2018). Beyond Muslim Xenophobia and Contemporary Parochialism: Aga Khan IV, the Ismā‘īlīs, and the Making of a Cosmopolitan Ethic (Supervisor: Meena Sharify-Funk)
• Anningson, Ryan (2017). Theories of the Self, Race, and Essentialization in Buddhism in the United States during the "Yellow Peril," 1899-1957 (Supervisor: Jason Neelis).
• Brown, Rachel D. (2017). Immigration, Integration and Ingestion: The Role of Food and Drink in Transnational Experience for North African Muslim Immigrants in Paris and Montreal (Supervisor: Michel Desjardins).
• Armstrong, Suzanne (2015). The Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario: Integrating Christian Principles with the Practicality of Farming (Supervisor: Michel Desjardins).
• McKeen, Leah (2015). Canadian Christian Nationalism?: The Religiosity and Politics of the Christian Heritage Party of Canada (Supervisors: Jeff Wilson and Paul Freston).
• Xavier, Merin Shobhana (2015). Masjids, Ashrams and Mazars: Transnational Sufism and the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship (Supervisor: Meena Sharify-Funk).
• Albarghouthi, Ali (2013). Interpreting on the fault lines: Ijtihad and religious interpretation among Muslim academics and community leaders in North America (Supervisor: Meena Sharify-Funk).
• Amarasingam, Amarnath (2013). Pain, pride, and politics: Social movement activism and the Sri Lankan tamil diaspora in Canada (Supervisor: Lorne Dawson).
• Dickson, William Rory (2012). Living Sufism in North America: Between tradition and transformation . (Supervisor: Meena Sharify-Funk).
• Price, Lauren T. (2012). Regulation of Religious Others within the Zero Institution of Canadian Multiculturalism, a critical cultural psychoanalytic study (Supervisor: Chris Ross).
• Weston, Ryan (2012). It's not like going to church and singing a hymn: Performance, Identity, and Canadian Gospel Music (Supervisor: Carol Duncan).
• White, Marybeth (2012). Enlivening the Buddha: Laying the foundations for the re-creation of Lao Buddhism in Canada (Supervisor: Janet McLellan).
• Bhikkhu, Deba Mitra (2011). Dhamma Education: The transmission and reconfiguration of the Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition in Toronto (Supervisor: Kay Koppedrayer).
• Chandler, Siobhan (2011). The Social Ethic of Religiously Unaffiliated Spirituality (Supervisor: Lorne Dawson).
• Hagerman, Brent (2011). You can't go to Zion with a Carnal Mind: Slackness and Culture in the music of King Yellowman (Supervisor: Carol Duncan).
• Pearse, Holly A. (2010). But Where Will They Build Their Nest? Liberalism and Communitarian Resistance in American Cinematic Portrayals of Jewish-Gentile Romances (Supervisor: Faydra Shapiro).
• Atkinson, Andrew P. (2009). Saltwater sacraments and backwoods sins: Contemporary Atlantic Canadian literature and the rise of literary Catholicism (Supervisor: Peter Erb).
• Campbell, Patricia Q. (2009). Knowing Body, Moving Mind: Ritualizing and learning in two Buddhist centres in Toronto (Supervisor: Ron Grimes).

University of Waterloo

• Emory-Moore, Christopher (2019). Renunciation and the Householder/Renouncer Relation in the New Kadampa Tradition (Supervisor: Jeff Wilson)
• Brassard, Brooke (2018). Thirsty Land into Springs of Water: Negotiating a Place in Canada as Latter-day Saints, 1887-1947 (Supervisor: Jeff Wilson).
• Celestini, Carmen (2018). God, Country, and Christian Conservatives: The National Association of Manufacturers, the John Birch Society, and the Rise of the Christian Right (Supervisor: Scott Kline).
• Morlock, Laura (2018). How it Seams: Religious Dress, Multiculturism, and Identity Performance in Canadian Society, 1910-2017 (Supervisor: Jeff Wilson).
• Dyer-Witheford, Anne (2017). Neospirituality, Social Change, and the Culture of the Post-Fordist Workplace (Supervisors: Lorne Dawson and David Seljak).
• Schuurman, Peter (2016). Bruxy Cavey and The Meeting House Megachurch: A Dramaturgical Model of Charismatic Leadership Performing "Evangelicism for People not into Evangelicism" (Supervisor: Doug Cowan).
• Bekkering, Dennis (2015). Drag Queens and Farting Preachers: American Televangelism, Participatory Media, and Unfaithful Fandoms (Supervisor: Doug Cowan).
• Read, Jamie Ann (2015). "J'y Suis. Pour de Bon." Montreal Jewish Education and the Social Construction of Diaspora Identity (Supervisor: David Seljak).
• Cutting, Christopher (2014). Sharia and Constraint: Practices, Policies, and Responses to Faith-based Arbitration in Ontario (Supervisor: David Seljak).
• Puett, Tiffany (2014). The Political Discourse of Religious Pluralism: World Religions Textbooks, Liberalism, and Civic Identities (Supervisor: David Seljak).
• Shrubsole, Nicholas (2013). Religion, Land and Democracy in Canadian Indigenous-State Relations (Supervisor: Scott Kline).
• Stewart, Adam (2012). Quenching the Spirit: The Transformation of Religious Identity and Experience in Three Canadian Pentecostal Churches (Supervisor: David Seljak).
• Patrick, Margaretta (2011). Playing for Keeps: The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada in the Public Sphere, 1983-2006 (Supervisor: Scott Kline).
• Feltmate, David S. (2010). Springfield’s Sacred Canopy: Religion and Humour in the Simpsons (Supervisor: Doug Cowan).
• Benham-Rennick, Joanne (2008). Religion in the Ranks: Religion in the Canadian Forces in the 21st Century (Supervisor: David Seljak).

"The students in this program have made an effort to help each other across cohorts and between the Laurier and UW campus. The faculty, truly want all students to succeed and have gone out of their way many times to help us. It makes what could be a very isolating and independent journey something that is more communal."

Kate McCartney, PhD student, Religious Studies

Take the first step in your graduate education and apply to one of our graduate programs. Follow our three-step admission process — we’ll walk you through how to apply and prepare for your first day as a graduate student.

• Start: Fall (September)
• Format: Full-time
• Application deadline: Jan. 15 (first consideration), Mar. 30 (international applicants) or Aug. 15 (domestic applicants)

Admission Requirements

• A Master of Arts in religious studies or related field with a minimum A- standing.
• Applications are reviewed by the graduate program committee, which considers all prior university grades, a statement of research interests and letters of reference.
• Contact a prospective advisor prior to submitting your application.
• Review any additional requirements/considerations applicable as an international applicant .

Application Checklist

The first round of applications is considered in early January. Thereafter, applications will continue to be considered until the program is full. If applying after the first phase of applications is considered in early January, consult the graduate coordinator directly to enquire about further openings in the program. We have had a significant amount of interest in our program during the past two years, so we strongly encourage prospective students to apply prior to the deadline.

After you have submitted your OUAC application , paid the non-refundable application fee, and Laurier has received your application, you'll receive an email from [email protected] advising you to upload the additional required documentation to Laurier’s Online Registration and Information System (LORIS) .

Please note, the application process and the uploading of supplemental documentation, which includes references, typically takes two weeks. To avoid disappointment, apply early.

An application for admission to our PhD program in Religious Studies must include:

• The Application Summary, which is generated after you complete your OUAC application (log back in to OUAC to retrieve it).
• Transcripts of all undergraduate and graduate work. Documents must be dated within the past six months.
• A completed statement of intent.
• A resume of your academic and work experience. Include a history of your publication and scholarly paper activity and any other information you feel will interest the admissions committee.
• A sample of your scholarly writing (10-20 pages in length). This may be a chapter of your master's thesis or a paper written for a graduate course.
• Completed reference forms . Three academic references are required. Note: Reference forms are electronically submitted to Laurier by the referee and do not need to be uploaded.

Visit our Graduate Admissions Toolkit for more information about applying.

English Proficiency

Proficiency in written and spoken English is essential to graduate studies at Laurier. Applicants whose language of instruction during their previous postsecondary education was not in English must submit evidence of proficiency in English. If applicable, results from accepted testing services must be uploaded to LORIS .

Your Next Steps

Questions? Contact Edmund Pries, graduate coordinator, at [email protected] . For general inquiries, contact Kirsten Pries, at [email protected] or 548.889.5141. 

"The guidance I've received from faculty members, especially my academic advisor and the advising committee, was excellent. The friendly environment in the department and the integration with the University of Waterloo through the joint program were very encouraging aspects of the experience too."

Gustavo Moura

Waterloo Campus

This program is available on Laurier's Waterloo campus.

Laurier's Waterloo campus is home to more than 19,000 graduate and undergraduate students. Tucked into several city blocks, this campus is walking distance to your classrooms, food, and various campus amenities.

Laurier is a leading force in research among Canadian universities, and many of our research centres and institutes are housed in Waterloo.

Learn more about Laurier's campuses .

Tuition and Funding

Regardless of the type of graduate degree program you intend to pursue, financial planning is important. At Laurier, we want to provide you with as much information as possible about a variety of scholarship and funding opportunities and equip you with the skills to manage your finances effectively in the years to come.

Graduate Tuition and Funding

"With contributions from several university-based partners, ASPIRE provides graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with informative, hands-on professional skills training essential for degree and post-degree success."

Brent Wolfe , Associate Vice-President and Dean, Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies

Graduates of our program have pursued successful careers in higher education, teaching, government and the private sector. Examples of jobs held by our graduates include:

• university professor
• postdoctoral research fellow
• position at an NGO
• public activist

Your Path to Post-Degree Success

ASPIRE is Laurier's professional skills development training program for graduate students. The program helps you craft an individualized, extracurricular learning plan tailored to your professional journey and entry to the workplace .

Learn about the interests and ongoing research of our faculty members. If their research interests you, email the professor directly to set up a meeting. Include information about yourself, your skills, your experience, and why you’re interested in their research.

Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty

Abderrahman Beggar Professor Chair, Religion and Culture 

Gavin Brockett Vice Dean, Faculty of Arts Associate Professor, Middle East and Turkey

Kevin Burrell   Associate Professor 

Michel Desjardins Professor Emeritus / Online Instructor

Carol B. Duncan Professor 3M National Teaching Fellow

Erich Fox Tree Associate Professor Religion, Culture, Gloval Justice MA Coordinator/Advisor Religious Studies PhD Advisor 

Paul Freston Professor Emeritus

David Haskell Associate Professor

Ashley Lebner Associate Professor

Jason Neelis Associate Professor Undergraduate Advisor 

Edmund Pries Associate Professor

Christopher F. J. Ross Professor Emeritus

Meena Sharify-Funk Associate Professor

Ali Zaidi Graduate Advisor, Master of Religion, Culture and Global Justice Associate Professor

Jasmin Zine Professor

University of Waterloo Faculty

Douglas Cowan Graduate Program Coordinator, Associate Chair, Professor (University of Waterloo)

David Seljak Chair and Professor (University of Waterloo)

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Religion (PhD)

Program overview Program structure Admission requirements Application process Tuition & funding

Program overview

A PhD in Religion allows you to expand your study into how religious belief continues to impact the world. Concordia's Department of Religions and Cultures is one of the largest in Canada, with faculty expertise in the world's major traditions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The department has unique strengths in the fields of Canadian Jewish Studies, Roman Late Antiquity, Women, Gender and Sexuality and Iranian Studies. Our department offers a collegial environment and strong mentorship for our doctoral students. Students develop professional, transferable skills while working in a field they are passionate about. The program also allows them to design and teach their own courses, gaining valuable experience that provides them with a competitive advantage in their academic careers.

Program structure

Degree requirements, degree requirements.

Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.

Please see the Religions and Cultures Courses page for course descriptions.

Religion PhD (90 credits)

Topics in judaic studies (phd), topics in religions and cultures (phd), admission requirements, admission requirements.

• MA in Religion, or equivalent, with high standing from a recognized university.
• Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.

Application process

Application deadlines.

Priority will be given to complete applications submitted by the deadline. In some cases, programs may continue to accept applications as long as there is space available.

International students: Considering the waiting period involved in meeting the entry requirements to Canada and Quebec , we strongly encourage international applicants to apply early and submit supporting documents prior to the deadline.

Tuition & funding

Tuition and fees.

Tuition and fees of the program may depend on your student status, among other key factors. Estimate these costs based on the most common situations.

Awards and funding

Funding packages are generally available for students in thesis-based programs. They come in the form of awards, teaching and research assistantships are offered at the time of admission to most students to allow them to focus on their research and studies. Research and thesis-based students are automatically considered for all entrance graduate awards when they apply to Concordia, provided they meet eligibility criteria. No separate application is required.

The Quebec and Canadian governments offer a number of competitive graduate scholarships. We encourage you to apply for these awards at the same time you are preparing your application.

Other programs of interest

Humanities (phd) thesis.

Transform knowledge and creative expression through interdisciplinary research and research-creation by combining your areas of interest in the humanities, social sciences and fine arts.

Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies in Society and Culture (CISSC)

Faculty of Arts & Science , Faculty of Fine Arts

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Doctorate in Philosophy Religious Studies and Specialization Canadian Studies

The Department of Classics and Religious Studies offers programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Arts (MA) in Religious Studies and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Studies.

Objectives and Methods

The Department of Classics and Religious Studies (sector: Religious Studies) focuses on the study of the religious phenomenon through teaching and research in the same manner and on the same level as any other category of facts accessible to human experience and observation.

The disciplines that play a role in the study of religions are primarily of a historical, sociological, psychological and anthropological nature. Such a study must take into account the plurality of religious traditions and expressions in society and examine the relationships among them.

Research on the meaning of religious phenomena is accomplished through analysis and comparison of the various means of religious expression, both in the past and present. No tradition is considered normative.

Areas of Research

The programs focus on religions in Canada, including Amerindian and Inuit traditions, and on religions in the comparative cultural context as well as religions in the Graeco-Roman World. The comparative cultural approach provides an opportunity to explore religious phenomena across different religious traditions expressly within their specific cultural contexts. The program favours the methods of anthropology, history, psychology and sociology.

The Department participates in collaborative programs in Women’s Studies and in Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the MA level and in Canadian Studies at the PhD level. For more information on these programs, see "Apply now."

Because of its strength in relevant areas, its bilingual character and its location in the national capital, the University of Ottawa is uniquely positioned to offer a collaborative program leading to a specialization in Canadian Studies at the doctoral level. The program is especially designed for doctoral students in selected programs in the humanities and the social sciences who wish to enrich their training in a particular discipline by including an interdisciplinary component. 

The programs are governed by the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies.

For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the  specific requirements  webpage.

Candidates must have a Master of Arts in Religious Studies or the equivalent, and must meet the requirements in effect for graduate studies. When they apply, candidates must indicate their preferred area of research, consult a full-time professor of the department whom they hope to have as a supervisor, and submit a two-page statement of their doctoral research project.

Official applications should be submitted by the deadlines in effect for graduate studies. Applications received after a deadline will be considered only if positions are available.

All applicants must be able to understand speak and write either English or French proficiently. Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must provide proof of proficiency in one or the other. The list of acceptable tests is indicated in the “Admission” section of the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies.

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, assignments, examinations, research papers and theses can be produced in either English or French.

Collaborative Program

The doctoral program in Religious Studies participates in the collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the doctoral level. This program has been established for students wishing to enrich their training in Religious Studies by including an interdisciplinary component in Canadian Studies. The seminar ( CDN 6520 or  CDN 6910 ) fits into the departmental course requirements and does not add to the number of courses required for the doctorate in Religious Studies.

Transfer from Master's to PhD

Students enrolled in the MA program may be allowed to transfer to the PhD program without being required to write a master’s thesis provided they meet the following conditions:

• Hold an honours BA in Religious Studies with a minimum average of 8.0 (A-) in the last eight relevant courses of the undergraduate transcript and a minimum of 9.0 (A) in four of these eight courses,  or  hold a master’s degree in a field other than religious studies;
• Have completed the mandatory MA course SRS 5915 / SRS 5115  and three other MA courses with a minimum grade of A- in two courses and a minimum grade of A in two courses;
• Have completed a 40-page research paper ( SRS 5999 );
• Provide a written recommendation in support of the transfer from the supervisor of the research paper and from the Graduate Studies Committee;
• Provide an agreement on the part of a faculty member of the Religious Studies program to supervise the student's doctoral thesis.

The transfer must be completed by the end of the fourth term following initial enrollment in the master’s program. Please note that the minimal admission average requirements for the doctoral program must also be met. Following transfer, all of the usual requirements of the PhD must be met: a total of 30 units of graduate coursework (MA and PhD combined); the comprehensive exam ( SRS 9998 ); and, the thesis ( THD 9999 ).

The doctoral program consists of 18 units in courses and directed studies, a comprehensive examination, and the writing and defence of a thesis. 

Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2018-2019 calendars for the previous requirements.

Thesis proposal and Thesis  After consultation with the research supervisor, the student will prepare a preliminary thesis  proposal as part of the requirements of SRS 8928. Before the end of the second year of studies, the thesis project must be presented for examination and discussion at a colloquium attended by professors and students of the department. After the colloquium, the student will submit the final version of the thesis proposal. Instructions regarding the colloquium and the thesis project can be obtained on the department's website.

For additional information on deadlines and on the writing, submission, examination, and revision of the thesis, please consult the academic regulations in effect for graduate studies as well as the guide Preparing a Thesis or a Research Paper.

The Graduate Studies Committee may require additional courses from the student depending on the nature of the research.

Comprehensive Examination

Students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination in which they demonstrate their knowledge of the general and the specific fields of research to which the doctoral thesis is related. Instructions regarding the examination can be obtained on the department's website.

Courses Taken Outside the Department

Subject to the approval of the Director of Graduate Studies, students enrolled in a graduate program may receive units for two graduate courses (equivalent to six units) taken outside the department.

Research Fields & Facilities

Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa is among Canada’s top 10 research universities.

uOttawa focuses research strengths and efforts in four Strategic Areas of Development in Research (SADRs):

• Canada and the World
• Molecular and Environmental Sciences

With cutting-edge research, our graduate students, researchers and educators strongly influence national and international priorities.

Research at the Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts is proud of the state of the art research conducted by its professors. In the spirit of showcasing its research to the university community as well as to the general public, the Faculty has created three activities: Dean's Lecture Series, Treasures of the Library, and Excellence Lectures.

Facilities, Research Centres and Institutes at the Faculty of Arts

• Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française  
• Institute of Indigenous Research and Studies
• Institute for Science, Society and Policy
• Official Languages and Bilingualism Institute (OLBI)
• Morisset Library

For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb . 

IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.

SRS 5101 Second Temple Judaism (3 units)

Central questions and recent developments in the study of Judaism in the period of the Second Temple.

Course Component: Seminar

SRS 5102 Psychoanalysis and Religion (3 units)

Psychoanalytic thought relating to religion since the work of Sigmund Freud; therapeutic traditions and theories derived from the writings of Melanie Klein, D.W. Winnicott, W.R.D. Fairbairn and Jacques Lacan.

SRS 5103 Freud, Jung and Religion (3 units)

An examination of Sigmund Freud's and Carl Jung's writings pertaining to religion and mythology.

SRS 5107 Origins of Christianity (3 units)

Current questions and recent developments in the study of the origins of Christianity.

SRS 5108 Psychedelics: Interdisciplinary Survey of Psychedelic Studies (3 units)

An examination of the therapeutic, spiritual, and ritual uses of entheogens and psychedelics cross-culturally and throughout human history.

Course Component: Lecture

SRS 5109 Psychedelics, Politics and Harm Reduction (3 units)

A study of harm-reduction approaches and differentiation among substances on the basis of public health, with an emphasis on human rights and social concerns.

SRS 5110 Sacred Plant Medicines and Spirituality (3 units)

The study of sacred plants (ayahuasca, peyote, etc.) from an interdisciplinary perspective. An historical and socio-cultural overview of shamanism, ritual, and religion. A balance between academic and practitioner knowledge will be promoted.

SRS 5115 Seminar in Religious Studies (3 units)

An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS 5116 Current Approaches to the Study of Religion (3 units)

The methodological terrain of the current study of religion: the history, theoretical and methodological contributions, and influence of various approaches.

SRS 5305 Religion and Society in Cross-Cultural Analysis (3 units)

Comparative sociological analysis of the relations between religion and society in different cultures and regions.

SRS 5320 Religion and Anthropology: Selected Topics (3 units)

Major theories and debates in anthropological analyses of religion and the associated methodology of ethnography.

SRS 5502 Religions africaines (3 crédits)

Étude des religions et cultures africaines dans leurs dimensions politiques, économiques, conflictuelles et identitaires, depuis les réalités ancestrales et les cultes traditionnels jusqu'au foisonnement des spiritualités contemporaines.

Volet : Séminaire

SRS 5520 Religion et anthropologie : Thèmes choisis (3 crédits)

Théories et débats à la base des analyses anthropologiques du religieux, et de la méthodologie ethnographique dont elles sont inséparables.

SRS 5901 Histoire des sciences des religions / History of Religious Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)

Analyse historique des théories et des approches méthodologiques de l'étude de la religion; développement institutionnel des sciences des religions. / Analysis of theories and methodological approaches in the historical study of religion; the institutional development of religious studies.

Volet / Course Component: Séminaire / Seminar

SRS 5902 Religious text and Narratives / Religious text and Narratives (3 crédits / 3 units)

Approches actuelles dans l'étude des textes et récits religieux. Études d'aspects tels que l'oralité, l'intertextualité, l'expression, la réception et l'idéologie. / Current approaches to the study of religious texts and narratives, exploring such aspects as orality, intertextuality, performance, reception, and ideology.

SRS 5903 Religious Rites and Symbols / Religious Rites and Symbols (3 crédits / 3 units)

Approches actuelles dans l'étude des rites et symboles religieux. Étude de la dynamique du symbolisme, de la corporalité, de la communauté, de l'expression et de l'identité. / Current approaches to the study of religious rites and symbols, exploring the dynamics of symbolism, embodiment, performance, community, and identity.

SRS 5915 Séminaire en sciences des religions / Seminar in Religious Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)

Introduction approfondie à l'étude savante du religieux. / An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS 5918 Religion, art et culture / Religion, Art and Culture (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de la représentation du religieux dans les arts (arts visuels, musique, théâtre, littérature, cinéma) ou de la contribution des arts à la religion. / An examination of the representation of religion in the arts (visual art, music, drama, literature, and film) or of the contribution of the arts to religion.

SRS 5920 Approches actuelles dans l'étude de la religion / Current Approaches to the Study of Religion (3 crédits / 3 units)

Le domaine méthodologique de l'étude contemporaine de la religion, y compris l'historicité, les contributions théoriques ou méthodologiques et l'influence de diverses approches. / The methodological terrain of the current study of religion: the history, theoretical and methodological contributions, and influence of various approaches.

SRS 5923 Les déesses et les femmes dans le mythe et le symbole / Goddesses and Women in Myth and Symbol (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude des théoriciens actuels qui fondent leur analyse critique de l'idéologie et de la culture sur les représentations féminines dans l'imagerie religieuse. / An examination of the work of current theorists who make use of female representations in religious imagery for the purpose of critical analysis of ideology and culture.

SRS 5924 Le judaïsme du second temple / Second Temple Judaism (3 crédits / 3 units)

Questions essentielles et développements récents dans l'étude du judaïsme du Second Temple. / Central questions and recent developments in the study of Judaism in the period of the Second Temple.

SRS 5925 Origines du christianisme / Origins of Christianity (3 crédits / 3 units)

Questions actuelles et développements récents dans l'étude des origines du Christianisme. / Current questions and recent developments in the study of the origins of Christianity.

SRS 5926 Religion dans l'antiquité tardive / Religion in Late Antiquity (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de la religion dans le monde méditerranéen de l'Antiquité tardive, en particulier des questions de transformation religieuse, de discours, de conflit, de pluralisme et d'identité. / An examination of religion in the Mediterranean world in Late Antiquity, with particular attention to religious transformation, discourse, conflict, pluralism, and identity.

SRS 5927 Traditions chamaniques / Shamanic Traditions (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude anthropologique des visions du monde chamanique et des religions utilisant la transe, ainsi que des pratiques rituelles, thérapeutiques ou artistiques qui y sont associées. / Anthropological study of shamanic worldviews and trance-based religions, and the associated ritual, therapeutic and artistic practices they inform.

SRS 5928 Projet de thèse / Thesis Proposal (3 crédits / 3 units)

La planification et réalisation d'une thèse : définition d'un cadre théorique, formulation de la problématique, mise au point de la méthodologie, détermination des hypothèses et de l'argumentation, préparation d'une description détaillée du projet de thèse, présentation du projet dans un colloque, évaluation et approbation déontologiques, planification et exécution de la recherche et de la rédaction. / The planning and implementation of a thesis: establishing a theoretical framework, formulating the question, refining the methodology, defining the hypotheses and lines of argumentation, preparing a detailed description of the thesis project, presenting the project in a colloquium, obtaining ethics approval, planning and carrying out the research and writing.

Préalables : SRS 5115 / SRS 5915 or SRS 8115 / SRS 8915 . Réservé aux étudiants inscrits à un programme avec thèse. / Prerequisites: SRS 5115 / SRS 5915 or SRS 8115 / SRS 8915 . Restricted to students registered in a program with thesis.

SRS 5999 Mémoire / Research Paper (6 crédits / 6 units)

Volet / Course Component: Recherche / Research

SRS 6100 Religion and Law (3 units)

An examination of the ways in which law defines and regulates religion, focusing especially on the treatment of minority religious groups and the concept of religious diversity.

SRS 6101 Religion and Human Rights (3 units)

An examination of the intersection of human rights regimes and the ways in which they define and delimit religion in the context of current issues.

SRS 6900 Étude comparative du religieux / Comparative Study of Religion (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude comparative d'un thème ou d'un aspect du religieux tel qu'il se manifeste dans diverses cultures. / A comparative study of a theme or aspect of religion as manifested in diverse cultures.

SRS 6905 Religion et société / Religion & Society (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de diverses perspectives méthodologiques et théoriques s'appliquant à la dynamique entre religion et société. / An examination of the dynamic between religion and society through a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives.

SRS 6906 Religion et psychologie / Religion and Psychology (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de théories psychologiques actuelles telles que la psychologie critique, la psychologie des profondeurs et la psychologie de l'ego, et de leur rapport aux sciences des religions. / An examination of current psychological theories, such as critical psychology, depth psychology, and ego psychology, as they relate to topics in religious studies.

SRS 6907 Thèmes choisis en christianisme / Selected Topic in Christianity (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude d'un sujet particulier concernant le christianisme, circonscrit dans un cadre temporel, géographique ou thématique. / Examination of a specific topic in Christianity, defined temporally, geographically or thematically.

SRS 6913 Thèmes choisis en histoire des religions au Canada / Selected Topics in the History of Religions in Canada (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude approfondie des aspects particuliers de l'histoire des religions dans un contexte canadien. / An in-depth examination of particular aspects of the history of religions in a Canadian context.

SRS 6915 Systèmes religieux des Amérindiens et des Inuit / Amerindian and Inuit Religions (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de l'expression et de la conceptualisation de la religion chez les Amérindiens et les Inuits. / An examination of the expression and conceptualization of religion in Amerindian and Inuit cultures.

SRS 6920 Les religions dans le contexte mondial / Religions in a Global Context (3 crédits / 3 units)

Analyse critique des formes, des concepts et du contenu des religions dans le contexte mondial; théories et débats actuels en sciences des religions. / Critical examination of the forms, concepts, and content of religions in a global context; current theories and discussions in religious studies.

SRS 6921 La religion dans le Canada d'aujourd'hui / Religion in Contemporary Canada (3 crédits / 3 units)

La religion au Canada depuis la Deuxième Guerre mondiale; analyses sociologiques, anthropologiques ou historiques. / Religion in Canada since the Second World War; sociological, anthropological or historical analyses.

SRS 6922 Thèmes choisis en judaïsme / Topic Judaism (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude approfondie d'un sujet particulier relevant du judaïsme, depuis les traditions rabbiniques jusqu'à la vie des juifs d'aujourd'hui. / A close examination of a specific topic in Judaism from Rabbinic traditions to contemporary Jewish life.

SRS 6923 Religions de l'Asie / Religions Asia (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude d'un ou plusieurs systèmes religieux de l'Asie, à partir de théories et méthodes actuelles en sciences des religions, telles que les approches interprétivistes, matérialistes, phénoménologiques, historiques, philosophiques, ethnographiques, poststructurales, postcoloniales, etc. / An exploration of one or more religious systems of Asia, using current theoretical and methodological approaches in religious studies (e.g., interpretivist, materialist, phenomenological, historical, philosophical, ethnographic, poststructural, postcolonial, etc.).

SRS 6924 La religion dans la pensée féministe actuelle / Religion and Current Feminist Thought (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude de l'influence des théories féministes actuelles sur les méthodes et théories en sciences des religions. / An examination of the influence of current feminist theory on methods and theories in religious studies.

SRS 6925 Genre et religion / Gender and Religion (3 crédits / 3 units)

Étude des débats entourant la notion de genre comme catégorie d'analyse dans les sciences des religions. / An examination of developments within religious studies pertaining to the use of gender as a category of analysis.

SRS 6980 Étude dirigée I / Directed Studies I (3 crédits / 3 units)

Permission du Département est requise. / Permission of the Department is required.

SRS 7080 Étude dirigée / Directed Study II (6 crédits / 6 units)

SRS 7988 Recension des écrits - M.A. / Literature Review (3 crédits / 3 units)

Vue d'ensemble de la littérature savante du champ d'études dans lequel se situe le mémoire ou la thèse de maîtrise. Rapport écrit à évaluer par le professeur qui l'a dirigé plus un autre professeur. Évalué S (satisfaisant) ou NS (non satisfaisant). / Review of the scholarly literature in the field of study in which the master's research paper or thesis is situated. Paper to be evaluated by the professor who supervised it and another professor. Evaluated S (Satisfactory) / NS (Not satisfactory).

Préalable : SRS 5115 ou SRS 5915 . / Prerequisite: SRS 5115 or SRS 5915 .

SRS 8015 Séminaire en sciences religieuses (PhD) / Seminar in Religious Studies (PhD) (6 crédits / 6 units)

Volet / Course Component: Cours magistral / Lecture

SRS 8016 Travaux dirigés II / Supervised Research II (6 crédits / 6 units)

SRS 8115 Seminar in Religious Studies (3 units)

SRS 8915 Séminaire en sciences des religions / Seminar in Religious Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)

SRS 8916 Travaux diriges I / Supervised Research (3 crédits / 3 units)

SRS 8928 Projet de thèse / Thesis Proposal (3 crédits / 3 units)

Préalables ou concomitants: SRS 8115 ou SRS 8915 . Réservé aux étudiants inscrits à un programme avec thèse. / Prerequisites or corequisites: SRS 8115 or SRS 8915 . Restricted to students registered in a program with thesis.

SRS 9998 Examen de synthèse (Ph.D.) / Comprehensive Examination (PhD)

CDN 6520 Séminaire sur la francophonie canadienne (3 crédits)

Séminaire sur des thèmes se rapportant à la francophonie canadienne, particulièrement les francophones vivant en situation minoritaire.

CDN 6910 Séminaire en études canadiennes / Seminar in Canadian Studies (3 crédits / 3 units)

Séminaire interdisciplinaire bilingue sur des sujets se rapportant au Canada. Les thèmes seront choisis en consultation avec les unités participantes, en tenant compte du nombre d'étudiants, de l'orientation de leur recherches et celles des unités participantes. / Bilingual interdisciplinary seminar on issues related to the study of Canada. Tipics to be selected in consultation with participating units, taking into consideration the number of students, their research interests and those of the participating units.

Undergraduate Studies

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PhD in Religious Studies

Religious diversity in north america.

Drawing on the combined resources of the Department of Religion and Culture at Wilfrid Laurier University and the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Waterloo, the joint Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religious Studies offers a concentration in religious diversity of North America.

Learn about Doaa's experience in the Religious Studies PhD program, as well as her research on how graduates of Islamic schools within Canada are able to integrate into society. 

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Religious studies.

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The study of society, culture and religion is one of the most comprehensive ways of understanding humankind and human visions of reality. How do religions motivate people in a range of activities, both to create and destroy? In what ways do the world’s religions inform the arts, politics, and personal and social ethics? How do traditions relate to the range of human experience and spirituality in both the past and the present in different parts of the globe? These are a few of the core questions you’ll ask as a student in Religious Studies.

The Department of Religious Studies encourages all applicants to our MA and PhD programs to append a short statement, between one paragraph and one page, about their commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to the end of their Statement of Interest. No applicant will be penalized for not including an EDI statement, and the statement will not be evaluated as part of the graduate admissions process or later. Applicants are encouraged to inform us of any concerns or barriers they may encounter either in the application process or beyond.

Key Areas of Graduate Studies

Religion & The Human Condition Discover religious thinkers and examine how they have grappled with the important philosophical, ethical, and political questions posed by various religions.

Religions in Historical Perspective Understand the diverse religious practices and ideas that have developed from antiquity to the present.

Culture & Contemporary Society Explore the various ways in which religion impacts our contemporary world, both locally and globally.

Texts & Tradition Learn how authoritative religious texts have been composed, understood, interpreted, and reinterpreted by their communities.

MA Religious Studies

PhD Religious Studies

Graduate Diploma (PhD) in Gender & Social Justice

GRADUATE SUPERVISORS

Find a graduate supervisor in your area of interest.

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Philosophy of Religion

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Long one of the School of Religious Studies’ principal disciplinary foci, McGill’s program in Philosophy of Religion is anchored by the John W. McConnell Chair in Philosophy of Religion. The Chair was established when the unit itself was founded as a Faculty of Divinity, in 1948. It has afforded the philosophy of religion a central position in the study of religion at McGill. Professors James Sutherland Thomson (Theology, Glasgow) and Joseph C. McClelland (Theology, Edinburgh), the first holders of the Chair, were also Deans of the Faculty, before Maurice Boutin (Theology, Munich) held the Chair from 1991-2010. The Chair has long been dedicated to the investigation of historical and systematic relations between European philosophies and Theology.

Garth Green , John W. McConnell Professor of Philosophy of Religion; Director of School of Religious Studies Jim Kanaris ,  CAS Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion George di Giovanni , Affiliate Member School of Religious Studies, Emeritus Professor, Department of Philosophy

The Philosophy of Religion program is led currently by two members of the School of Religious Studies: Professors Garth Green (John W. McConnell Professor of Philosophy of Religion) and Jim Kanaris (CAS Associate Professor of Philosophy of Religion). Professor Green focuses on medieval philosophical theology, particularly Christian neo-Platonism, on German Idealism, particularly Kant and Fichte, and on French Phenomenology. Professor Kanaris focuses on the relation between contemporary, post-phenomenological philosophy and theory of religion.

Two contributing members of the Department of Philosophy are actively involved in several graduate co-supervisions: Professor George di Giovanni (an Affiliate Faculty Member of Religious Studies) and Professor Philip Buckley , as are members from within the School of Religious Studies itself.

Strategic Partnership Initiative

• Graduate Students
• Recently completed Supervisory Projects

Philosophy of Religion at SRS offers a uniquely wide range of introductory and advanced undergraduate courses that address traditional topics in the field while cultivating forms of philosophizing germane to religious studies. Courses range from the 300-student Introduction to the Study of Religions (RELG 207), which traces the history of philosophy and theory of religion, to the more discipline-specific, 50-student "Introduction to the Philosophy of Religion" (RELG 341), to advanced courses in Phenomenology of Religion (RELG 351; RELG 555), Religion, Philosophy, Modernity (RELG 380), and Theories of Religion (RELG 456), amongst others. The principal focus of our program is a large and dynamic graduate community. All graduate students are enrolled in coursework in the theory and philosophy of religion. Graduate seminars include, for example, Professor Green’s Modern Philosophy of Religion (RELG 641) Contemporary Philosophy of Religion (RELG 642), as well as Professor Kanaris' Currents in Philosophy of Religion (RELG 535). The program also offers seminars from contributing faculty and associate members. Further, all doctoral students take Professor Kanaris’ required seminar, Meaning and Interpretation (RELG 745), to engage the methodological controversies surrounding the history and concept of religion.

In 2014 and 2015, formal partnership agreements with Louvain (Belgium) and with Padova (Italy) were signed: in 2017, another partnership with Strasbourg (France) was finalized. These partnerships afford graduate students access to an international network of leading institutions and scholars in the field, as well as unparalleled research, publication, and professional development opportunities. It is intended that these partnerships will effect a new model of graduate formation in the field. Funded by both internal and external grants, McGill students at both the MA and the PhD levels have participated already in seminars, research exchanges, conferences, and translation and publication projects with colleagues in our partner institutions.

Program Initiatives

In 2015, with the help of a SSHRC Connections Grant, Professor Green co-hosted (with Professor Jean Grondin, Université de Montréal) the International Conference of the Société Francophone de Philosophie de la Religion, entitled Religion et Vérité: Tâches et défis d’une philosophie de la religion à l’âge post-séculier. Podcasts of keynote addresses by Charles Taylor and Jean Greisch are available here and here . The proceedings will be published in 2017 as Religion et vérité: La philosophie de la religion à l’âge séculier (Garth Green and Jean Grondin, eds. (Presses Universitaires de Strasbourg, Collection "Philosophie de la religion," 2017). In 2013, with the help of a SSHRC Research Grant, Professor Kanaris hosted an international conference on the future of philosophy of religion. The proceedings have been published by the State University of New York Press as Reconfigurations of Philosophy of Religion: A Possible Future (2018). In 2010, he also hosted a conference in honor of School of Religious Studies emeritus professor Maurice Boutin. The proceedings were published in 2013 by Brill entitled Polyphonic Thinking and the Divine . SRS also saw two visiting Professorships in the field of Philosophy of Religion, including Prof. Douglas Hedley (2018) and Prof. Sean McGrath (2019). The School of Religious Studies will be hosting the Canadian Society for Philosophy of Religion conference in May 2021.

Graduate Students

Graduate Students meet and present their work regularly in the student-run Philosophisches Seminar that includes both graduate students and faculty members. Current advanced graduate students include the following:

Recently Completed Supervisory Projects

Phd doctor of philosophy.

Jacob Benjamins (M.A., 2014); “ Metaphor and Phenomenology of Religion: Paul Ricoeur's Hermeneutics and the Inter-Animation of Discourses .”

Anne-Marie de Vreede (M.A., 2019);" The nature of consciousness in Fichte's philosophy of religion (1804-1806): a blessed life as the vocation of humankind. "

Matthew Nini (M.A., 2015; SSHRC M.A. Fellow); “ Analogy as the Foundation of a Transcendental Thomism in the works of Joseph Maréchal.”

Adam Smith (M.A., 2019); " Michel Henry's ontology of corpore-l self-knowledge: an interpretation of Philosophie et phénoménologie du c orps"

Elvira Vitouchanskaia (M.A., 2014; FQRSC M.A. Fellow); “ The Transcendental Idea of ‘Religion’: Kant and Fichte.”

Wawrzyniec Jack Prus (M.A., 2016); “ Materializing Religion: The New Materialism in Religious Studies.”

Post Doctoral

James Bryson (SSHRC Post-Doctoral Fellow), “ Franz von Baader's Philosophy of Religion: A Neo-Platonic Response to Hegelian Idealism.” (2013-2015)

Roberto Formisano (European Union-Marie Curie Post-Doctoral Fellow); “ Kant et Michel Henry: Une phénoménologie transcendantale. ” (2014-15)

Marina Pisano  (PhD, Philosophy, University of Cagliari), Globusdoc Graduate Research Trainee, “ What   is Passed Over in Silence in Michel Henry’s Philosophy”.  (2019-2020)

Department and University Information

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• Tuition and Funding

Tuition fees are posted annually on the Student Accounts website . Fees are listed by program and year of entry.

The University of Toronto offers to all incoming SGS doctoral students a guaranteed funding package for 5 years of academic study, contingent upon the maintenance of good academic standing. This financial package includes the following:

• All tuition and student fees for the first 5 years
• University health insurance (UHIP) for international students
• A living stipend currently at $20,000 for the first 5 years

This funding package is marginally adjusted annually by the University, in light of cost of living, tuition, and budgetary considerations. 

Within the University’s funding program, financial packages for doctoral students are typically put together from three sources:

University of Toronto Doctoral Fellowship

• Teaching Assistantships or Course Instructorships (and may include Research Assistantships)
• External fellowships and scholarships

Additional information on funding can be found on three A&S webpages: 

How Graduate Funding Works in A&S ,

The A&S Base Funding Package  

Years of Funding and Base Funding Levels by Graduate Unit

The Department awards this University fellowship to doctoral students without large awards in their first five years of study

Teaching/Research Assistantships

Teaching Assistants work closely with professors in connection with undergraduate instruction in the Department. Their duties usually involve grading papers and examinations, and in some cases leading weekly tutorial sections. In the Department, Teaching Assistantships (normally of between 140-170 hours) are included in the funding package during years 1 to 5 for students without an external award (such as SSHRC/OGS).  For students with an external award, TA income is on top of their funding package.  

 It is expected that students will TA for RLG100Y/280Y at least once. Available positions are publicized starting in June, and doctoral students are asked to make their preferences known by completing the new TA Application Form online.

Under the University funding policy, if the Department offers a TAship to a student, and the student elects to decline the offer, the student’s funding will be reduced by the amount of the TAship. Under current union agreements, a student who is appointed to one TAship will receive five additional TAships of the same value or higher in successive years, providing the student is still enrolled in graduate study.

The Department makes every effort to curtail TA responsibilities during the first year of study, and to this end a reduced number of TA hours are sometimes offered to first year students. One major pedagogical objective of the Department is to prepare students for future academic careers in religious studies programs, and towards that end we try to ensure that each of our students is afforded at least one year experience as a Teaching Assistant in the World Religions course, RLG 100/280Y.

Research Assistantships

Departmental Faculty members occasionally make available research assistantships which students are encouraged to inquire about and apply for.

Course Instructors

Each year the Department for the Study of Religion has a few openings available for contracted undergraduate teaching. The undergraduate and graduate programmes of the Department work together to offer these appointments, whenever possible, to our recent doctoral graduates as well as to advanced doctoral students who have attained PhD candidacy. These positions are posted in the Department in the Spring.

External Funding

All eligible doctoral students in the funded cohort are required to apply each year for competitive external fellowships , most notably the Ontario Graduate Scholarship and, for those eligible, the doctoral fellowship of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Each Fall, the Committee creates ranked lists of all the applicants for doctoral fellowships awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.  Ontario Graduate Scholarships are ranked in the spring. These rankings serve throughout the year as a guide for all decisions about individual funding and awards that lie within the jurisdiction of the Department. Rankings reflect the Committee’s assessment of student records based on academic merit.

The Department offers workshops on grant-writing in September of each year, and the University also offers a range of very helpful grant-writing workshops. See the U of T writing website .

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Doctoral Fellowships (SSHRC and CGSD)

Canadian students and landed immigrants are eligible to apply for these awards, worth about $20,000 (or $35,000 for CGSD), funded by the Government of Canada. Application packets are available by September on the SSHRC web site at www.sshrc.ca   .  Applicants from outside the University of Toronto should apply through their home departments, or directly to SSHRC in Ottawa.

Ontario Graduate Scholarships (OGS)

The Government of Ontario offers a number of these scholarships each year, currently worth $15,000. Most of the awards are reserved for Canadian citizens or landed immigrants who are residents of Ontario, although a small number are awarded to students from other provinces and from outside Canada. Information is available at www.sgs.utoronto.ca/currentstudents/Pages/Ontario-Graduate-Scholarship.aspx

Connaught Fellowships

These highly prized fellowships are awarded by the School of Graduate Studies to selected incoming international students with outstanding records who have applied for graduate study. Candidates are nominated by the Department and selected in an SGS competition. There is no separate application for these awards.  The value of the award is $10,000 on top of base funding and is renewable for 5 years.

Mary H. Beatty Fellowships

These distinctions are awarded by SGS to incoming graduate students who have been selected for a SSHRC award. There is no separate application for this award.

Molly Spitzer Scholarship

The Molly Spitzer Scholarship is normally awarded annually by the Department to a Department student whose principal subject of study is Judaism. The value of this award is the annual income of the fund, currently about $2,000. 

Jackman Humanities Institute Graduate Fellows

The Jackman Humanities Institute offers substantial fellowships for a limited number of Ph.D. candidates registered in the Faculty of Arts and Science who are in the final stages of their doctoral program and completing their doctoral dissertation. Each year, up to two graduate students may be nominated from each department or academic unit.

Other Funding

Doctoral completion award.

The DCA will be run as a competition and will be available for doctoral students in the first year beyond the funded cohort. Both domestic and international students are eligible to apply and should submit their application to the Graduate Administrator by the appropriate deadline. The value of the award is determined by available funds.  Eligiblity details are distributed each fall to 5th year students.  

Students who meet the eligibility requirements may apply for Work-Study positions offered by the Department or by individual professors. In recent years some Research Assistantships have been available under Work-Study. Notices are posted at the Department as well as on the website of the University’s Career Centre .

School of Graduate Studies Emergency Grant Program

SGS offers grants based on financial need arising from unforeseen circumstances. The SGS Committee is particularly inclined to assist students who are nearing completion of their doctoral thesis. Grants are not normally available for the first year of study. Information is available at SGS and application is made through them.

SGS Travel Grants

The SGS research travel grant is available to help fund travel for doctoral students for whom travel is essential for the completion of their research and doctoral program. Travel to conferences is not eligible within this grant.  Not all projects are funded and the funding awarded may not cover the entire amount requested by the applicant.  The deadline is generally late April and application is made directly to SGS.

Department Travel Grants

The Department has a small trust fund that provides modest grants to graduate students who present papers at academic conferences. Application is made prior to the conference through the Chair of the Department for the Study of Religion. 

A&S Language Study Abroad grants

Arts & Science has established a fund to enable graduate students to study a language necessary for their research, and which is not regularly taught at the U of T. Students are awarded travel, accommodation, and tuition costs for study at an appropriate institution. Since the total amount available is limited, the grants to individual graduate students will be awarded by a competitive process run by the Dean's Advisory Committee on Languages.

Junior Fellowships and Donships

Several of the colleges affiliated with the University of Toronto offer positions as Junior Fellows and Dons, for which Centre students have been particularly successful. Interested students should inquire at Massey, Trinity, Victoria, St. Michael’s, Wycliffe, New, Innis, and University colleges.

For additional information about financial support, see the Award Explorer at the School of Graduate Studies.

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FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

Religious studies.

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About Religious Studies

In Canada’s multicultural society and in the context of an increasingly interconnected world, it is crucial to have an understanding of different religions and cultures.

Our programs engage with the complex and exciting questions that animate the intersection of society, culture and religion.

Message from the Chair

Discover more about our Society, Culture & Religion undergraduate programs.

Undergraduate Courses & Course Outlines

View undergraduate courses and course outlines to find assignments, due dates and more.

Learn about our research focus and find out more about our Religious Studies graduate programs.

Graduate Courses & Descriptions

View our current graduate courses and course descriptions.

STUDENT ADVISING & SUPPORT

Connect with one of our academic advisors and find the resources you need to help you on your academic journey.

February 14, 2023

Apply now for our new one-year MA program

The Department of Religious Studies is now accepting applications for our brand new one-year MA program for the Fall 2023 intake. Students can now apply to the brand new one-year Masters program (MRP) in Religious Studies. Offering the option of a one-year MA will allow students to pursue studies within Religious Studies beyond the BA, […]

April 8, 2024

‘The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood’: eclipse and apocalypse in religious texts

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November 08, 2023 12:00 pm

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