The Department of Religion at Rutgers University 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 Religions, and Religions in the Americas, 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 , graduate courses, 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 courses, and certificate requirements.
3. Dual Degree B.A./M.A. (4+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. in Religious Studies, which is normally a two-year program, in only one year after the B.A. Students considering applying to the the 4+1 program are advised to consult with the Director of Graduate Studies in their junior year or prior. 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. After completion of the B.A. degree and accumulating a minimum of 9 credits on their graduate transcript, qualifying graduate credits listed on the undergraduate transcript will be transferred to the graduate transcript. M.A. degree requirements, including limits on the number of 300- and 400-level courses that count as credit towards the M.A. degree, apply to 4+1 students.
