Religious Studies (MA)

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Length of program

Full-time: 24 months Part-time: 48 months

Mode of delivery

In person

Program consists of:

  • Thesis
  • Coursework
  • Co-op (optional)

Campus

Lethbridge

Intake

Summer, Fall and Spring

Program description

Students may pursue a Masters degree in Religious Studies in the following areas:
Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, or East Asian Religions, provided they closely align with the expertise of our departmental members. Our members might also supervise MAs in other areas aligned with their ongoing research projects. Please consult the profiles of the individual professors, or contact them directly for such distinctive areas of research. For instance, some faculty conduct research on Buddhism in the West, mysticism, near-death experiences, and modern nondual spirituality.

Typically, MA students are expected to have or obtain the equivalent of one year of study in a classical language related to their research area. The University of Lethbridge offers courses in Latin and Japanese, and occasionally in Greek and Hebrew. However, Chinese, Sanskrit, Arabic, and other such languages may have to be studied at other institutions.

Students develop their programs in consultation with their supervisors. Students complete between three and six graduate-level courses; course descriptions of courses offered at the University of Lethbridge are available in the course catalogue. You can also view the dynamic schedule on the Registrar's Office website to see what courses are being offered and when.

Finding a supervisor

​Students are required to secure a potential supervisor prior to submitting an application for this program.​ For further information please visit our Search Supervisors page.


In case of discrepancies between this page and the Graduate Studies Calendar and Course Catalogue, the Graduate Studies Calendar and Course Catalogue shall prevail.

Career pathways

There are numerous career options open to graduates. Some of these are in the areas of: Counseling, Human Resources, Civil Service, Religious Organizations, Humanitarian Aid, Museum Curation, Genealogy, or the Diplomatic Corps. Some find work as Artists, Demographers, Clergy, Archivists, Creative Writers, or work in Public Relations.

A Master of Arts in Religious Studies provides an excellent foundation for Law, Journalism or Education.