Graduate Programs

Department of Comparative Religion

Graduate Programs

The Master of Arts in Comparative Religion is designed to provide students with a strong foundation of knowledge of religious traditions, the principal classical works in the field of Comparative Religion, and the central issues of theory and method that underlie the discipline of the study of religion.

Master of Arts in Comparative Religion

Admission Requirements

Students must satisfy all the criteria in the Graduate College Catalog. In addition, the Department of Comparative Religion will require:

A statement of 500 words discussing the reasons for wishing to undertake the proposed program of study in comparative religion, the religion or religions the student wishes to study, and the language study the student wishes to pursue.
An academic writing sample of 10-15 pages.
Two letters of reference from persons in a position to asses the student's qualifications for master's level study. Return completed reference forms to:
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Comparative Religion
1903 West Michigan Ave.
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo, MI 49009-5320
GRE examination results (WMU institution code: R1902). International students must submit TOEFL scores of 600 or above.
Deadlines are February 15 if you wish to be considered for financial aid and July 1 if you do not.
Awarding of graduate assistantships is based upon the qualifications of each applicant and dependent upon the availability of funding. A separate application is not required. Applicants will be notified about admission and graduate assistantships via letter by March 15.
To begin the process, apply online.
Admission checklist.

Program Requirements

Option 1

Does not require the preparation of a thesis nor does it require reading proficiency in a foreign language. Students pursuing option 1 must:

• complete a total of at least 33 hours of course work, including 12 hours of required core courses and 21 hours of electives chosen from approved courses; and
• complete comprehensive examinations.

Departmental Reading Lists for M.A. Exams:

Theory and Method (required for all students in the M.A. degree)
Religions of Japan
Religions of America
Religions of China
Islam
Early and Medieval Christianity
Critical Theory

Complete comprehensive examinations.

There are two exams required for the M.A. degree in Comparative Religion. The first is a Theory and Method exam. The second is an area exam on one of the following traditions/regions: Religions of Japan, Religions of America, Religions of China, Islam, Early and Medieval Christianity, Critical Theory. Each student must be examined by two faculty members from Comparative Religion. Thus, the professor with whom you take the theory exam must be different from the faculty member with whom you take the area exam.

The exams are to be taken on separate days within the same week M-F, not to be scheduled back-to-back.
Each exam is an in-class, closed book, 4 hour exam, with two to four questions.
To schedule an exam students must consult with their examining professors no later than the end of the semester prior to taking the exam (i.e., end of fall for a spring exam, end of summer II for a fall exam, exams will be given in summer I or summer II only in exceptional cases). It is preferable to have this consultation at the beginning of the academic year prior to the date of the exam (i.e. early fall for a late spring exam, early spring for a late fall exam).
Exams must be completed no later than two weeks before the last day of classes in the semester of expected graduation.
Students will have a follow-up interview with the examining faculty to receive feedback about the results of their exams as well as their overall program performance within ten days of the final exam. Students will receive an assessment of pass with distinction, pass, or fail according to the results of their exam. If a student should fail an exam the examining faculty may determine whether the student may be offered a one-time re-examination.

Option 2

Requires a thesis. Students pursuing Option 2 must:

complete a total of at least 27 hours of course work, including 12 hours of required core courses and 15 hours of electives chosen from approved courses;
prepare a Master's thesis (six hours) under the direction of a thesis advisor;
demonstrate reading proficiency in one foreign language relevant to their research area; and
defend the Master's thesis in oral examination.

Course Requirements

33 semester hours of course work consisting of Core and Elective courses.

Core Courses: (required of all students)
REL 6000 - Classics I
REL 6100 - Theory and Method I
REL 6150 - Survey of Religions of the World
REL 6200 - Advanced Seminar in Comparative Religion

Elective Courses (15 hours, thesis option; 21 hours, non-thesis option)
Electives may be drawn from the following courses: REL 5000, 5100, 5200, 5300, 5980, 7100, and 7120.

Cognate Courses
Approved cognate courses may be drawn from related disciplines such as Anthropology, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, English, History and Art History in consultation with the student's advisor.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance in the form of graduate assistantships is available on a competitive basis. These awards normally include waiver of non-resident tuition. The department also awards a number of graduate scholarships and tuition grants.

The Graduate College offers Graduate college Fellowships, available on a competitive basis, as well as Thurgood Marshall Assistantships, available on a competitive basis for students from minority groups. Contact the Graduate College at (269) 387-8212.

Information about student loans and other federal, state, and University need-based financial aid programs may be obtained from the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, (269)387-6000.

Housing

Information about on-campus housing may be obtained from the Residence Hall Facilities Office at (269) 387-4735 or 1-800-545-6006, or from the Campus Apartments Office at (269) 387-2175.

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