Nov 23, 2024  
2019-2020 Graduate Catalog 
    
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2019-2020 Graduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Religious Studies, M.A.

Admission Requirements

The deadline for completed applications is January 5. The requirements for admission to the M.A. degree program in religious studies are as follows:

  1. The B.A. degree or its equivalent from an accredited institution.
  2. A cumulative grade point average of 3.000 or above on a 4.000 scale.
  3. A satisfactory score on the GRE general graduate school admission test, ordinarily including a combined score of 310 or greater on the verbal and quantitative sections.
  4. Sufficient previous study in religion or related areas to be able to satisfy the requirements of the degree program.
  5. When English is not the applicant’s native language, a satisfactory TOEFL English language proficiency test score also is required. Internet-based version: 79-80 or better (preferably 100 or above); or paper-based version: 550 or better (preferably 600 or above).

Degree Requirements

Required Courses

Satisfactory completion of 30 credit hours of approved graduate coursework, including the four courses of the core seminar in religious studies, each of which is taught during the four terms of the student’s two years of coursework:

Reading Competence

Demonstrating, by examination, a reading competence in an approved language other than English, relevant to the field of study.

Master’s Thesis

Satisfactory completion of a master’s thesis.

Concentration

The student is encouraged to develop an area of concentration in his or her 18 credit hours of undesignated coursework. A maximum of six credit hours may be taken in independent study courses. Concentrations in areas of scholarship represented primarily in the Department of Religious Studies in Dedman College are especially welcome. Students whose main interests are in areas represented in the typical theological curriculum are advised to consider the Master of Theological Studies degree in Perkins School of Theology  as an alternative to the M.A. degree in the Graduate Program in Religious Studies.