THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Degree Types: PhD

The Doctoral Program in Religious Studies focuses on the history, anthropology, theory, methodological research and applications of the field within each of seven areas of concentration:

• American Religions
• Buddhists Studies
• Classical Judaism
• Hinduism
• Latin American Religion
• Modern Islam
• Religion, Law, and Politics

The program is highly flexible and profoundly interdisciplinary. All students take courses both within and outside the department, most choose at least one dissertation adviser from another department, and many students take one qualifying examination in another discipline. This flexibility allows for rigorous projects grounded in Religious Studies but influenced by other disciplines in the humanities and social sciences. The program is intended to give both a scholarly training in the discipline and a careful training in academic teaching, a focus of the program. Northwestern University is one of America’s premier academic programs in Religion. Our nationally recognized faculty takes leadership in national policy debates and international scholarship at the highest level, and trains our students for this leadership role.

Students in this program are also encouraged to participate in TGS's Interdisciplinary Cluster Initiative and in the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching. The Clusters offer a strong set of colleagues in areas of specific interest and many students get certificates within the cluster. For more information on finding a second intellectual "home" outside the Department, please visit the Interdisciplinary Clusters page. Additional funding is sometimes available through clusters, in addition to our robust support package, the most substantial of any graduate program in the country.  Each student is assigned to a leading expert in their field, and works closely with this faculty member throughout their Ph.D program.

For more information on applying to the Department of Religious Studies, please see the Religious Studies Applications page.

Additional resources:

• Department website
• Program handbook(s)

Degree Requirements

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.

Master's

The Department of Religion does not admit students to a terminal master of arts program. However, PhD students in good standing are awarded the MA after they have met the following criteria:

• 5 quarters of residency
• successful completion of the two-quarter Religion research paper (RELIGION 570-1 Research Seminar, RELIGION 570-2 Research Seminar)
• 11 other courses graded ABC/NC

Note: Students whose second department's curriculum makes RELIGION 570-1 Research Seminar, RELIGION 570-2 Research Seminar impossible may petition for an oral examination in lieu of paper but must have a total of 13 ABC/NC courses.

PhD

Total Units Required: 16

* including introductory graduate sequence during the first year

Course List

Course	Title
Core Courses
RELIGION 481-1 & RELIGION 481-2	Classical Theories of Religion and Contemporary Theories of Religion
RELIGION 482-0	Themes in Comparative Religion
RELIGION 570-1 & RELIGION 570-2	Research Seminar and Research Seminar
Additional Courses
11 additional courses in Religion and/or affiliated disciplines

Other PhD Degree Requirements

• Language examination: demonstration of proficiency in at least one foreign language; more may be necessary for a particular area
• Examinations: upon completion of coursework, written and oral comprehensive examinations
• Research/Projects: as required by dissertation
• PhD Dissertation: based on original, independent research
• Final Evaluation: oral defense of dissertation