Calendar 2006/2007

Location

Social Sciences Building, Room 1301

Faculty number

(403) 220-6988

Fax

(403) 210-0801

E-mail address

rels@ucalgary.ca

Web page URL

http://www.ucalgary.ca/ rels/

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Master of Arts (MA)

The three study streams at the graduate level are Eastern Religions, Nature of Religion, and Western Religions. Feasibility of programs within these streams depends on available research resources and faculty expertise.

Students in the Departments of Religious Studies, Political Science, History and the Centre for Military And Strategic Studies may choose an interdisciplinary specialization in Israel Studies. For further information on the Israel Studies (Interdisciplinary) specialization, see the separate listing in this Calendar.

Research is supported in the following areas:

Eastern Religions- Buddhist Studies; east Asian Religions; modern Hinduism

Nature of Religion- Comparative religion; African religions; new religious movements; science and religion; women and religion; philosophy and religion; hermeneutics; theory and method in the study of religion

Western Religions- Ancient Israel; Hebrew Bible; Bible, myth, and literature; second temple Judaism; rabbinic Judaism; early Christianity; Islam and Jewish philosophy; medieval Jewish-Islamic studies; Radical Protestant groups (Anabaptism, German Pietism)

In addition to the Faculty requirements, the Department requires:

Master of Arts

(a)An admission grade point average of 3.3 or higher on a four-point scale and a minimum of six full-course equivalents in Religious Studies (or their equivalents), usually including at least one full-course equivalent from each of the three streams (Eastern, Western, Nature), as determined by the graduate committee

(b)A reading knowledge of a modern language other than English, or of a classical language appropriate to the thesis research. The language requirement should be met before admission to the Master's program.

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)A degree comparable to the University of Calgary Religious Studies Master of Arts with a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a four-point scale

Students with an Honours Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies, a grade point average of 3.7 or higher, and evidence of competence in the required languages may be admitted directly into the doctoral program or may be considered for transfer to the doctoral program after the first year of the Master's program. Such applicants must include a substantial piece of written work, and a detailed statement (10 pages) of the purpose, field, and course of study to be pursued in the program.

Deadlines for the submission of complete applications:

7 January for September admission

Applicants must make advanced credit requests when applying for admission. Credit will not be given for course work taken as part of another completed degree/diploma or for courses taken to bring the grade point average to a required level for admission. Graduate course work completed prior to admission and not counted toward satisfying the undergraduate degree requirements will be assessed by the Graduate Committee to determine course work requirements.

In addition to Faculty requirements, the Department normally requires:

Note: the Departmental Graduate Committee will determine the exact number and kinds of courses in each student's program.

Master of Arts (Thesis)

(a)Two full-course equivalents. In addition to individualized requirements set at the time of admission, each candidate is expected to include at least one half-course in each of the two Master's specialization streams other than the one in which the thesis is written.

(b)A thesis proposal to be presented to the Graduate Studies Committee for evaluation and approval before the second annual registration.

Doctor of Philosophy

(a)For students with an Master of Arts in Religious Studies, four half-courses:

Religious Studies 701 - Studies in Western Religions

Religious Studies 703 - Studies in Eastern Religions

Religious Studies 705 - Studies in the Nature of Religion

Religious Studies 707 - Topics in the Study of Religion

(b)For students with a BA Honours or for students transferring from the Master's program, seven half-courses:

Religious Studies 601 - Studies in Western Religions

Religious Studies 603 - Studies in Eastern Religions

Religious Studies 605 - Studies in the Nature of Religion

Religious Studies 701 - Studies in Western Religions

Religious Studies 703 - Studies in Eastern Religions

Religious Studies 705 - Studies in the Nature of Religion

Religious Studies 707 - Topics in the Study of Religion

Language Requirements

Before the written candidacy examination, doctoral students must demonstrate a reading knowledge of at least two languages other than English. At the discretion of the Department and upon recommendation of the graduate coordinator, competency in additional languages may be required. The foreign language requirement may be satisfied in two ways:

(a)Successful completion (final grade of B or higher), at some stage of the student's university program of at least two full-course equivalents in a first language other than English, and one full-course equivalent in a second language; or

(b)Successful completion (grade of B or higher) of a language examination administered by the Department of Religious Studies or by another department on behalf of the Department of Religious Studies. When the test is administered by member(s) of another department, it will consist of a passage(s) selected by the supervisor and/or any requirements that the other department may deem necessary. The test will be graded by the examiner(s) of the other department.When members of the Department of Religious Studies administer the test, the examination questions will be determined, administered, and graded by two members of the Department (one of whom normally will be the supervisor) who have expertise in the language under consideration. In the event that a second person with expertise in the required language is not available, the Department Head may seek an expert from outside of the department.

Credit for undergraduate courses will be given only if pertinent to a specific program of study.

Expected completion time for full-time students is two years in a thesis Master's program and four years in a doctoral program. Maximum completion time is four years in a thesis Master's program, and six years in a course-based Master's or doctoral program.

The departmental graduate committee makes interim supervisory assignments when applicants are recommended for admission to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. A regular supervisor assignment must be made by the beginning of the second registration year.

The doctoral candidacy examination includes two written components and one oral component. Each three-hour written candidacy examination will focus on one aspect of doctoral research in Religious Studies:

Examination A - theory and method in the study of religion

Examination B - religious beliefs and practices in context

The written examinations will be based on a bibliography established by the candidate in consultation with the examining committee, and must be taken no later than 26 months after admission to the program. The oral examination will be based on the bibliography, the written examinations, and on the thesis proposal.

Final thesis oral examinations are open.

The thesis proposal must be approved by each member of the supervisory committee, acknowledged with individual signature and date on the front cover, and by the Department Graduate Studies Committee,no later than 16 months after admission to the program with a completed Master's degree. The proposal should be no more than 20 pages in length, and must be approved before the student is allowed to take the candidacy examination.

An approved thesis proposal is the basis for consensus on a candidate's research program. When, as often happens in the course of a research project, the research focus or methodology shifts markedly:

1.The candidate shall forward a letter to the supervisory committee to document the reason for the shift. The student shall also compose an addendum, to be appended to the previously approved proposal, detailing the new direction and supplying any necessary additions to the approved proposal's bibliography;

2.The supervisor, on behalf of the supervisory committee, will reply to the revised proposal indicating acceptability and/or required revisions.

Students should be aware that such shifts may entail revision of the supervisory committee structure.

None

Financial assistance may be available to qualified students. For information on awards, see the Awards and Financial Assistance section of this calendar.

Students applying for scholarships must submit their applications to the Department by 7 January.

None

Current faculty research areas can be found at http://www.ucalgary.ca/RELS/people.html

RELS 601, 603, 605, 681, 683, 685, 701, 703, 705, 707