The Comparative Religion Program at the University of Washington is one of several interdisciplinary programs in the Jackson School of International Studies which leads to a Master of Arts in International Studies. Developed out of the study of a wide spectrum of cultural traditions in the area studies programs of the Jackson School, the program's focus is highly international and trans-cultural.
The faculty of the Comparative Religion Program, which includes appointments in the Jackson School as well as several other units of the University (please refer to faculty list on attached page), covers the world's major religious traditions. The University's Language and Literature/Civilization programs, particularly in areas represented by the regional programs within the Jackson School, offer unusually deep resources for students and faculty interested in the comparative study of religion.
Although there is no doctoral program in religion at the University of Washington, this Master's program provides a particularly strong foundation for those students headed toward Ph.D. programs in religion at other institutions. For those interested in Ph.D. work in religion only at the University of Washington, doctoral-level study is available through such departments or programs as Anthropology, Asian Languages and Literature, the Graduate School Interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Near and Middle Eastern Studies, History, and Sociology. For details, interested students should contact those units directly.
-James Wellman Jr., Chair
Admission
Requirements
Applicants must meet the basic Graduate School requirements which include a 3.00 grade point average for the last 90 quarter (60 semester) credits, a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution, and test results from the general Graduate Record Exam (GRE). Applicants must also meet all application requirements and deadlines set by the Jackson School and described in its application guidelines. Meeting minimum standards, however, does not ensure admission. The Comparative Religion faculty reserve the right to determine in each case whether an applicant has sufficient language preparation and background in the study of religion for acceptance into the program.
Degree
Requirements
All students must complete at least 36 credits in addition to fulfilling the language requirement. Generally this program is completed within two years.
Language
The
program places a very high priority on the acquisition of
language skills, particularly for students who aim eventually
for graduate study at the Ph.D. level.
Students must complete
the third year of a language appropriate for utilizing primary sources in
the chosen concentration as well as develop a first-year reading knowledge
of a secondary foreign language necessary for reviewing published research
in the chosen area (e.g., German, French). Students who enter the
program already having significant training in their chosen
primary language will be in the best position to complete the
degree within a two-year timeframe. Less preparation prior
to entry may lengthen the time to completion.
Required Coursework:
Historical Relations Between
Religious Traditions Elective
Selected from courses on the history of regions where two or more
religious traditions have come into contact with one another.
RELIG 510/Colloquium in Comparative
Religion (1 credit each quarter)
Colloquium. Introduction to faculty research and to major methods and
disciplines in the study of religion. Introduction to major methods and
disciplines in the study of religion. Students organize and contribute
to the series with participation by UW faculty members and visiting
guest speakers.
Required each quarter of enrollment in the graduate program. Credit/no credit only.
Students submit either one or two research papers to a supervisory committee, which also oversees both a written and oral exam.