Interior MA

Master's Program in Religion FAQs

Religion Emerges as a Vital Field for Globally Conscious Students

The Department of Religion at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, offers several graduate programs in Religious Studies.

1. M.A. in Religious Studies

The Religious Studies Master’s Degree at Rutgers provides an intensive immersion in the discipline. Working closely with a world-class faculty who specialize in Hinduism, Islamic Studies, Judaic and Christian Studies, Buddhist Studies, Chinese religion, and Religions in America, students in the M.A. program undertake advanced study and research in those areas. In addition, students will develop a critical understanding of the primary interpretive models, theories, and methodologies in the academic study of religion.

Students interested in the M.A. Program in Religious Studies are invited to review our faculty research and teaching interests , folder graduate course offerings , and degree requirements.

2. Certificate Programs

The department also offers a Graduate Certificate in Religious Studies. Students interested in pursuing a Graduate Certificate are invited to review our and faculty research and teaching interests , graduate course offerings, certificate requirements.

3. Dual Degree (4 plus 1) Program

Qualified religion majors at Rutgers can apply to the 4+1 B.A./M.A. program in Religion in their junior year. This program makes it possible to complete the M.A., which is normally a two-year program, in only one year after the B.A.  Students considering applying as well as those who are already in the 4+1 program are strongly advised to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies about how to work out the details of their coursework. As a general rule, a course cannot be counted toward both the B.A. and M.A. degrees. This means that students in the 4+1 program must plan their coursework for the B.A. and  M.A. separately. During the senior year, students in the 4+1 program will begin taking graduate courses toward the M.A. degree, but they must make sure that they will have satisfied all their undergraduate requirements by the end of the senior year so that they can graduate with the B.A. degree.