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Religion & American Politics

MA in Religion & American Politics

This program is not currently accepting applications.

We recommend the MA in Politics with electives in Religion and/or the MA in Religion with electives in Politics.

The Master of Arts in Religion & American Politics investigates religion’s role in the public sphere through rigorous interdisciplinary scholarship, offering a nuanced understanding of two important realms in American culture.

Offered jointly by CGU’s Department of Religion and Department of Politics & Policy, this interdisciplinary Master of Arts program seeks to understand religion’s influence on American politics from the perspectives of both religious studies and political science. You’ll undertake scholarship in research methods, religion, and politics, collaborating across disciplines with leading faculty-scholars at CGU and The Claremont Colleges. This in-depth education track of study increases your professional marketability by providing a visionary understanding of two of the most important realms in American and global culture.

Program Highlights
  • You can take courses and interact with faculty and students in other CGU departments and across The Claremont Colleges.
  • Thanks to CGU’s Los Angeles location, you will study in one of the most religiously and culturally diverse cities in the 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

  • 48 units

    required units

  • MA in Religion & American Politics

    degree awarded

  • In Person

    modality

  • Spring, Fall

    program start

  • 2 years | full time*

    estimated completion time

Where You Can Find Our Alumni

Faculty

  • Portrait of Jean Schroedel

    Jean Reith Schroedel

    Professor Emerita of Political Science
    Former Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy

    Research Interests

    Native American voting rights, American political development, women and politics, religion and politics, and congressional policy-making

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  • Portrait of Tammi Schneider

    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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  • Portrait of Mark Blitz

    Mark Blitz

    Fletcher Jones Professor of Political Philosophy
    Field Chair, Political Philosophy
    Director, Salvatori Center for the Study of Individual Freedom

    Research Interests

    Political science, Philosophy, American politics

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  • Robert Klitgaard Portrait

    Robert Klitgaard

    University Professor

    Research Interests

    Public Policy, Economic Strategy, Institutional Reform, Corruption

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  • Portrait of Jacek Kugler

    Jacek Kugler

    Elisabeth Helm Rosecrans Professor of International Relations

    Research Interests

    Causes and Consequences of War, Political Performance, Power Transition

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  • Heather Campbell

    Heather E. Campbell

    Thornton F. Bradshaw Professor of Public Policy
    Director, Division of Politics & Economics

    Research Interests

    Public Policy, Urban Environmental Policy, Environmental Justice

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  • Ruqayya Khan

    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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  • Portrait of Melissa Rogers

    Melissa Rogers

    Associate Professor, Politics & Policy
    Co-Director, Inequality and Policy Research Center
    Field Chair, Comparative Politics
    Field Chair, American Politics

    Research Interests

    Comparative Politics, Political Economy, Economic Inequality

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  • Portrait of Nicola Denzey Lewis

    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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  • Portrait of Daniel Ramirez

    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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Curriculum

Core courses (16 units)
Introduction to Religion and Politics
American Politics and Institutions
Classical Theories and History of Religious Studies
Religion in America 1865 – Present OR
Religion in America to 1865

Other required courses are identified as required (8 units) and advanced tools (4 units).

Required Tools
Introduction to Statistical Analysis
Theory & Methods in the Study of Religion

Advanced Tools – one of the following
Multivariate Regression Analysis
Legal Research Methods
Survey Research
Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research
Or another tools course approved by the advisor

Transdisciplinary Studies Course (4 units)
One TNDY course chosen in consultation with your advisor

Electives (12 units)
At least ONE relevant course from Religion
At least ONE relevant course from Political Science
Or from other disciplines as approved by advisor

Thesis Course (4 units)
During this course, which should be taken during or after the last semester of coursework, the student will write a master’s thesis synthesizing knowledge from both Religion and Politics. This thesis will be presented in an open defense.

Application Guidelines

University Requirements
Application Fee

Undergraduate/graduate

Applicants must submit a sealed, official transcript from every undergraduate and graduate institution that has granted the applicant a degree. Electronic transcripts sent to admissions@cgu.edu are also accepted. For undergraduate coursework, applicants are required to submit proof of a completed bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. Unofficial copies of transcripts are accepted for review purposes, but official copies will be required upon admission.

Applicants currently earning a degree that will be completed prior to attending CGU are required to submit a transcript showing work in progress for evaluation purposes. Once the degree has been granted, a final official transcript documenting the degree conferred must be submitted to CGU.

International applicants are advised to review the International Transcript Guidelines for additional information on submitting international transcripts.
Official Transcripts

Required (international applicants only)

A valid score on one of the following examinations TOEFL, IELTS, Pearson PTE, Duolingo English Test is required of all non-native English-speaking applicants. The examination is not required for the following applicants:

  • Citizens or permanent residents of countries where English is the sole official language of instruction, e.g., Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Canada (except Quebec), England, Ghana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Uganda, and Wales (see the CGU Bulletin for a complete list of accepted countries).
  • Applicants who hold an undergraduate or advanced degree, or will have earned such a degree prior to enrolling at CGU, from an institution in the US or in countries where English is the sole official language of instruction (see above).
  • Applicants who have successfully completed an academic English pre-master’s or intensive graduate bridge program from a nationally recognized, regionally accredited four-year college or university in the United States in the last two years, with submitted evidence of successful completion, and subject to curriculum approval.
  • CGU allows for an English proficiency waiver if the applicant has received, or will receive prior to enrollment at CGU, an undergraduate or advanced degree from an institution where English is one of the primary languages of instruction for the majority of courses in the student’s program. To receive the waiver, documentation must be provided by the applicant to show that English is the language of instruction at their university/college.

CGU’s school code for the TOEFL exam is 4053.

International applicants are encouraged to visit our International Applicants page for more information, including score requirements.
Resume

Applicants must submit an up-to-date copy of their resume.
Program Requirements
Statement of Purpose

Please submit a 2-3 page statement of purpose that details your academic and/or professional achievements, your specific areas of research interest within your desired field of study, why you are a strong candidate for graduate studies at CGU, and your career goals.
Letter of Recommendation

3 letters required

When filling out the online application, please enter references acquainted with your potential for success who will submit a written recommendation on your behalf. In most academic departments, references from faculty members who can speak to your academic ability are preferred; applicants with substantial work experience may request professional references. Please do not enter family members as references.

You will be required to input information for your recommenders (whether they are submitting online or not) in the “Recommendations” section of the online application. Please follow the directions in this section carefully before clicking on “Recommendation Provider List” to input the names and contact information for each recommender. You will have an opportunity to indicate if the reference writer will be submitting online. These reference writers will receive an email from CGU with instructions on submitting an online recommendation.

Recommenders who are indicated as offline will not receive an email from CGU with instructions to submit. These reference writers can submit via traditional mail and should use the supplemental New Student Recommendation Form. Recommenders can also email their letter of recommendation to the Office of Admissions at admissions@cgu.edu.

Download the Recommendation Form
Standardized Test Scores

GRE (optional)

Applicants who have taken the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test are invited to submit scores but are not required to do so.

Applicants who feel that their Grade Point Averages do not adequately represent their ability to succeed in a graduate program may find it helpful to submit GRE scores for consideration.

CGU’s school code:
ETS (GRE and TOEFL) 4053

Key Dates and Deadlines

CGU operates on a priority deadline cycle and applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit complete applications by the priority dates in order to assure maximum consideration for both admission and fellowships.

Spring 2024
Priority Deadline – November 1, 2023
Final Deadline (International) – November 15, 2023
Final Deadline (Domestic) – December 1, 2023
Classes begin – January 16, 2024

Fall 2024
Priority Deadline – February 1, 2024
Final Deadline (International) – July 5, 2024
Final Deadline (Domestic) – August 1, 2024
Classes begin – August 26, 2024

Review General Guidelines

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