Students may choose one of the following tracks for an MA in Religion: 

(1) General - Students work in 3 areas of the study of religion.  

(2) Specialized - Students choose to specialize in one of the following programs: comparative scriptures; Hebrew Bible; history of Christianity and religions of North America; Islamic studies; Jewish studies; New Testament; philosophy of religion and theology; theology, ethics, and culture; and women’s studies in religion.

The SOR also offers an MA in Islamic Studies and an MA in Women’s Studies in Religion.  The specific requirements for those degrees are discussed below.  

Unit Requirements.  Both the general and specialized MA degree programs require a minimum of 48 semester units of credit.  Up to 10 units may be transferred from an accredited graduate institution, in courses relevant to the student’s program, for which a grade of “B” or better was earned.  Students may submit a “Transfer of Credit” form (obtainable from the SOR office) after they have completed 12 CGU units.

Students in the general MA program must complete a minimum of 12 units in three different areas.  Students in the specialized MA program are required to register for a minimum of 28 units of credit in their area of specialization and a minimum of 8 units of credit in an area or areas outside of their specialization.  Students in both programs may register for up to six units of REL 399, Thesis Research.  Language instruction taken to meet the Secondary Research Language Requirement (German, French, or Spanish in consultation with area faculty) does not count toward the required 48 units.  However, students may count up to 12 units of courses in a primary resource language toward the required minimum of 28 units of credit in their area of specialization.

MA students admitted in the SOR doctoral program will receive credit for 24 units toward their 72-unit doctoral degree.  In very rare cases students may be allowed, at the discretion of the area faculty, to count more than 24 units of their MA toward their 72-unit doctoral degree.  However, no MA thesis units may be counted toward the PhD.

Required Courses. All students must take REL 363, Major Interpreters in the Study of Religion.  In addition to this required course on methodological issues, each area of specialization offers courses that address methodological issues.

Primary Source Language Requirement. Specialized MA degree programs in comparative scriptures, Islamic studies, and Jewish studies, require the completion of courses in a primary source language (see specializations below).  Other specialized degree programs may, at the discretion of the area faculty, require a primary source language depending upon the nature of a student’s research plan.  Students may take a test upon admission to determine their level of language competency.

Secondary Research Language Requirement. All students must have a reading knowledge of one of the following: German or French.  In some cases, and at the discretion of the area faculty, students may be allowed to substitute another language (e.g. Spanish) for French or German.  The secondary research language requirement is met by passing a two-hour exam given by the SOR at the beginning of each semester and at the beginning of the summer.  The exam simulates a research situation: the student translates a selected passage from a previously known list of books with the aid of a dictionary.  A nominal fee is charged at the time of the exam in order to pay for the first examiner. Language workshops in French and German are offered in the summer.

Thesis. An MA thesis is to be prepared in consultation with the student’s advisor or advisory committee (advisor and second reader) and is normally 60-85 pages in length.  All theses require a second reader.  Guidelines for preparing the thesis are available from the SOR Office.  All theses must conform in format and style to the CGU guidelines.  A copy of the signed title page is to be submitted to the SOR Office upon completion.  Two copies of the thesis are submitted to the registrar for deposit in Honnold Library.

Time Limit. The institutional time limit for completing the MA degree is five calendar years from initial registration regardless of the student’s course load per semester.  A student may petition for an extension of time.  Extensions in the MA program are normally for one year.

Program Outline/Final Approval/Fees. During the semester in which the student expects to have met all requirements for the degree, the Master’s Program Outline and Final Approval of Master’s Degree Form must be completed.  Students should check the Academic Calendar for degree deadlines (including those for payment of fees and filing the Intent to Receive a Degree Form with the Office of Registration).

Descriptions, Courses, and Language Requirements for Specialized MA Programs

General. The general MA degree program in religion is designed to give students a strong foundation in the scholarly study of religion through courses and research in three major areas of the study of religion.  Students may choose 3 areas from the following: comparative scriptures; history of Christianity and religions of North America; Islamic studies; Jewish studies; philosophy of religion and theology; theology, ethics and culture; and women’s studies in religion.  There is no primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for PhD studies in religion for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.  This MA degree program provides the greatest breadth of preparation for researching and teaching in the field of religion and religious studies.

Hebrew Bible. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in Hebrew Bible is designed to give students a strong foundation in ancient near eastern studies; exegesis, theology, and hermeneutics of the Hebrew Bible; and early Judaism.  All students must pass an intermediate course in Biblical Hebrew to meet the primary language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for PhD studies in Hebrew Bible, for PhD studies in comparative textual studies and other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

Comparative Scriptures. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in comparative scriptures is designed to give students a strong foundation in the scholarly study of scriptures and their histories, including the Hebrew Bible and the ancient near east, the New Testament and early Christianity, and the Qur’an and early Islam.  This foundation is given through courses and research in the following areas: biblical Hebrew, Greek, Arabic, and other ancient languages; the history of the ancient near East, the exegesis, theology, and hermeneutics of the Hebrew Bible, and early Judaism; the diversification of early Christianity, ascetic and world-renunciation pieties and ideologies, women’s traditions and forms of pieties, Gnostic Christianities, Greek epic and Gospel traditions; early Islam, the traditions of commentaries on the Qur’an, and Contemporary interpretations of the Qur’an; the history, politics, and comparative phenomenology of scriptures in society and culture and histories of cultural (especially sub-altern) representations of biblical rhetoric and piety.  All students must pass an intermediate course in biblical Hebrew, biblical Greek, or Arabic to meet the primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for a PhD in Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and Qur’anic Studies, for PhD studies in comparative textual studies and other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

History of Christianity and Religions of North America. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in the history of Christianity and religions of North America is designed to give students a strong foundation in the scholarly study of either or both the history of Christianity or/and religion in North America.  This foundation is given through courses and research in the following areas: early christianity, Medieval/Reformation Christianity, Reformation/early modern Christianity, modern Christianity, American history, American religion and theories and methods of historical research.  Some students may need to pass a course in a primary source language depending upon their area of research.  The degree will provide preparation for PhD in history of Christianity or religions of North America, for PhD studies in other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

Islamic Studies. The specialized MA degree program in Islamic studies is designed to give students a strong foundation in Islamic studies through the study of Arabic and courses on the Qur’an and hadith studies, Islamic law, theology, gender, history (classical, medieval, and modern), philosophy and mysticism, and modern developments in the Muslim world.  All students must pass a course in intermediate Arabic to meet the primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for a PhD in Islamic studies, for PhD studies in other areas of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

Jewish Studies. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in Jewish studies is designed to give students a strong foundation in Jewish Studies through the study of modern Hebrew and courses in history of Judaism, Hebrew Bible, ancient Judaism, Jewish-Christian relations, Israeli-Arab relations, Holocaust studies, American Jewish experience, Jewish community life, Hebrew literature and film, modern Jewish thought, and Jewish mysticism.  All students must pass a course in intermediate modern Hebrew to meet the primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for a PhD in Jewish studies, for PhD studies in other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

New Testament. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in New Testament is designed to give students a strong foundation in the diversification of early Christianity; ascetic and world-renunciation pieties and ideologies; women’s traditions and forms of pieties; Gnostic Christianities; Greek epic and Gospel traditions; history, politics, and comparative phenomenology of Scriptures in society and culture; and histories of cultural (especially sub-altern) representations of biblical rhetoric and piety.  All students must pass an intermediate course in Biblical Greek to meet the primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for PhD studies in New Testament, for PhD studies in New Testament, for PhD studies in comparative textual studies and other areas of the study in religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

Theology, Ethics, and Culture. The specialized MA degree program with a concentration in theology, ethics, and culture is designed to give students a strong foundation in the study of ethics and its relation to theological and/or cultural contexts.  This foundation is provided through a rich variety of courses in philosophical, theological and social ethics.  There is no primary source language requirement.  The degree will provide preparation for a PhD in theology, ethics, and culture, for PhD studies in other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.

Women’s Studies in Religion.  The specialized MA in women’s studies in religion is designed to give students a strong foundation in feminist scholarship in religion.  The program allows students great flexibility in designing their course of study while the core courses introduce students to the important methodologies in these fields.  Students may also elect to do internships in agencies dealing with women or women’s issues through the MA in applied women’s studies as part of their MA studies.  The degree will provide preparation for a PhD in women’s studies in religion, for PhD studies in other areas of the study of religion, for PhD studies outside of religion, and for a wide range of work and service in religious communities.