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Religion

MA in Religion

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The Master of Arts in Religion trains you in the knowledge and tools necessary to shape the study of religion in the 21st century and apply those tools to productive careers in or outside the academy.

The Master of Arts program in Religion offers a strong foundation in scholarly religious research, including but also transcending considerations of particular communities of belief and practice. Faculty-scholars conduct innovative research advancing the critical scholarly analysis of religious studies, history, philosophy, theology, archaeology, Near Eastern studies, peace studies, and more. The department trains graduate students using small classes and a flexible curriculum.

Program Highlights
  • Interdisciplinary concentrations are available to Religion students, including American Studies, Early Modern Studies, Hemispheric & Transnational Studies, Media Studies, and Museum Studies.
  • You can take courses and interact with faculty and students in other CGU departments and at The Claremont Colleges in such areas as Asian religions, African American religions, New Testament, women’s and gender studies, and U.S. history.
  • Thanks to CGU’s Los Angeles location, you will study in one of the most religiously and culturally diverse cities in country.
  • You will have access to the libraries of CGU and Claremont University Consortium which offer more than two million volumes – more than 250,000 in the field of religion alone.

Program at a Glance

UNITS
40 units

ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME*
2 years

*This estimate assumes full-time registration and pursuit of the degree. Actual completion times will vary and may be higher, depending on full- or part-time course registration, units transferred, and time to complete other degree requirements.

COURSES BEGIN
Fall | Spring

DEPARTMENT
Religion

DEGREE AWARDED
MA in Religion

Featured Courses

REL 414HC
Bishops & Orthodoxy

Investigates the politics of theology in the formation and evolution of orthodoxy through episcopal letters, canons of church councils, ordination liturgies, and biographies of famous bishops.

REL 362
Theories of Religion

Takes an in-depth survey of the major theories of religion as they are portrayed through some of their influential interpreters in the post-Enlightenment West.

REL 462
Religion in America: 1600-1865

Surveys major themes and issues in early American religious history, from Puritanism and Native American religion to growing religious diversity in the new nation.

REL 437
Women in the Books of Samuel

Offers close reading of the stories in the Books of Samuel examining the role and function of women.

REL 306
Egyptian Christianity & Monasticism Under Islamic Rule

Introduces the history and legacy of Christianity in Egypt under Islamic dynasties from the attitude of Muslim rulers toward the Copts and Egypt’s monastic heritage to the present day.

REL 323
The Origins & Influences of the Zoroastrian Tradition

Examines the background and beginnings of the Zoroastrian religion and its role in the three great Iranian Empires: Ancient Persian, Parthian, and Sasanian.

Areas of Concentration

Critical Comparative Scriptures

The concentration in Critical Comparative Scriptures undertakes in-depth examination of world religious texts to better understand how humans use scripture to shape the politics of religious discourse. You’ll analyze scripture from a range of disciplinary perspectives, from anthropology and psychology to social history and political theory, applying cross-cultural, interdisciplinary analysis to the study of religious texts to better understand their roles and interpretations across human history.

History of Christianity & Religions of North America

The History of Christianity & Religions of North America concentration lets students examine the long sweep of religions in the West through the prism of Christianity. Our classic historical approach to the study of religion enables students to put many religions in perspectives, focusing on Christian origins, Medieval and Reformation Christianity, and religion in North America.

Philosophy of Religion & Theology

The concentration in Philosophy of Religion & Theology focuses on classical issues in the field as well as recent theories and movements raised by profound philosophical and theological questions. You’ll receive a broad and pluralistic context for your study of religion to understand major issues, movements, and thinkers in philosophy of religion and theology.

 

Tracks of Study
Track of Study
Coptic Studies
The Coptic Studies curriculum provides a comprehensive survey of the religion’s influential history and current membership and is an invaluable contribution to such degree programs as the History of Christianity or Philosophy and Religious Theology. Courses include a Coptic literature seminar, “The Religious Heritage of Egypt,” “Coptic Art & Archaeology,” and “Christianity in Egypt: History & Culture.”
Track of Study
Mormon Studies
Mormonism is fully explored—in all its breadth and depth—in courses taught by a faculty that includes one of America’s leading Mormon scholars. In an atmosphere of inquiry that respects all faiths, our master’s and doctoral students pursue original research while enrolled in such degree programs as the History of Christianity and Religions of North America.
Track of Study
Zoroastrian Studies
Supported by our robust Zoroastrian Studies Council, the School of Religion established programming in Zoroastrian Studies so that master’s and doctoral students could explore the religion’s historical influence, impact, and customs. Courses examine the cosmology, eschatology, ethics, and rituals of this oldest of prophetic religions, as well as its relationship with other religions and philosophies.

Additional Program Requirements

Research Tools Requirement
Fulfilled by passing a foreign language translation exam administered by the School of Arts & Humanities. In some cases, with advisor approval, the Research Tool may be fulfilled by completing an approved research methods course. (Language is determined in consultation with the academic advisor.)

Research Paper
Thesis

Capstone Project
Your capstone project for this program, a substantial research paper dealing with religion and politics, allows you to demonstrate what you’ve learned and display your professional proficiency and readiness to step into the field.

 

Faculty & Research

Matthew Bowman profile image

Matthew Bowman

Associate Professor of Religion and History
Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies

Research Interests

Mormonism, new religious movements, evangelicalism, religion and American politics

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Nicola Denzey Lewis profile image

Nicola Denzey Lewis

Professor of Religion
Margo L. Goldsmith Chair in Women’s Studies in Religion

Research Interests

Social and Intellectual History of the Roman Empire, Gnosticism, Women’s Studies, Religion in the Roman Empire and Late Roman Empire, Late Antiquity

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Lori Anne Ferrell profile image

Lori Anne Ferrell

Dean, School of Arts & Humanities
Director, Early Modern Studies Program
Director, Kingsley & Kate Tufts Poetry Awards

Research Interests

English Renaissance and Reformation Literature; Early Modern British and European History; Reformation Studies, Protestantism, the Bible and English-language Culture; the Bible in America; William Shakespeare

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Gawdat Gabra profile image

Gawdat Gabra

Clinical Professor of Coptic Studies
Professor Emeritus

Research Interests

Religion, Coptic studies, Egyptian Christianity

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Ruqayya Y. Khan profile image

Ruqayya Y. Khan

Professor of Religion
Malas Chair of Islamic Studies

Research Interests

The Qur'an, Arabic literatures, progressive Islamic theologies, women in Islam, Islam and environmental ethics, Islam and the digital age, late antiquity and Islam, origins of Islam, cultures of Umayyad Damascus and Abbasid Baghdad

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Daniel Ramírez profile image

Daniel Ramírez

Associate Professor of Religion

Research Interests

American religious history; Latin American religious history; Religion, migration, and transnationalism; Religion in borderlands; Contemporary theories of religion

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Tammi J. Schneider profile image

Tammi J. Schneider

Danforth Professor of Religion
Chair, Religion Department

Research Interests

Ancient Near Eastern history, literature, archaeology, and religion;
Women in the Hebrew Bible

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Kevin Wolfe profile image

Kevin Wolfe

Assistant Professor of Religion
Horton Chair of Religion and Africana Studies

Research Interests

Religion and Critical Thought; Critical Philosophy of Race; Africana Religious and Political Thought; Religion, Ethics, and Politics; Moral Philosophy; Philosophy of Religion.

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Extended Faculty

Ahmed Alwishah

Pitzer College

Research Interests

Islamic philosophy, Medieval philosophy, Philosophy of religion, Islamic theology

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Myriam Chancy

Scripps College

Research Interests

African diaspora with specialization in its literature

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Stephen T. Davis

Claremont McKenna College

Research Interests

Analytic theology, Christian thought, Metaphysics, Philosophy of religion

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Lara Deeb

Scripps College

Research Interests

Politics of knowledge production, Gender and sexuality, Islam, Transnational feminism, The Middle East, especially Lebanon

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Erika Dyson

Harvey Mudd College

Research Interests

Activism and religion, American religious history, Church and state, Occult religions, Religion and science

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Oona Eisenstadt

Pomona College

Research Interests

Judaism and political theory

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Gastón Espinosa

Claremont McKenna College

Research Interests

American religion & politics; Latino religions; Latino religions & politics; Pentecostal, charismatic, & liberation movements; Religion and the American presidency; Religion in the United States

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Gary Gilbert

Claremont McKenna College

Research Interests

Bible, Christian-Jewish relations, Israel, Jesus, Jewish/Christian relations, Judaism, New Testament

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Zayn Kassam

Pomona College

Research Interests

Islamic studies, Religious studies, Women and Islam, Islamic philosophy and mysticism, Religion and the environment

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Philip Zuckerman

Pitzer College

Research Interests

Secularity, Atheism, Apostasy, and Scandinavian culture

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Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Interdisciplinary Concentrations

As a student in the School of Arts & Humanities, you have the option of completing one of five interdisciplinary concentrations.

American Studies

The American Studies concentration takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of United States culture, society, civilization, and identity through the curricular lenses of history, literature, critical theory, and more.

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Early Modern Studies

The Early Modern Studies concentration undertakes interdisciplinary examination of history, culture, politics, and society within the transitional and transformative period that stretched between Medieval and modern societies, marked especially by the advent of print, Christian confessional war, and the rise of the modern state.

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Hemispheric & Transnational Studies

A comparative analysis of culture in the Americas, the concentration in Hemispheric & Transnational Studies explores how scholarship on the Atlantic, borderlands, and diaspora have reshaped U.S. American Studies, Caribbean Studies, and Latin American Studies, emphasizing the topics of empire, race, religion, and revolution.

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Media Studies

Situated at the bustling intersection of cultural studies, new media, critical theory, and popular culture, the burgeoning field of Media Studies examines the creative and critical practices of media consumers, producers, artists, and scholars, focusing on questions of representation, power, technology, politics, and economy.

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Museum Studies

The Museum Studies concentration investigates the history and political role of museums in society, the interpretation and display of a wide variety of cultural productions, and topics of special concern to museums as cultural organizations, using a multidisciplinary, practice-based approach to understand the historical development of this evolving field.

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These concentrations are available for students pursuing the following degree programs:

Master’s Degrees

Doctoral Degrees

Request information about the Religion program

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Sean Buchanan

Assistant Director of Admissions
T: 909-607-7495 (Direct)
T: 909-607-7811 (Central Admissions)
E: sean.buchanan2@cgu.edu