McMaster University has been a leading centre for the scholarly study of religion for over 50 years
The Department of Religious Studies has three graduate fields of study (Asian, Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity, and Western) in which research is conducted on a range of topics and traditions, time periods and cultures, employing a wide variety of approaches: textual, ethnographic, historical, philosophical, theological, philological. While the faculty and areas of research expertise have changed over the years, the Department’s commitment to the open, critical, and multidisciplinary study of religion—past and present, East and West, theoretical and practical—remains the same.
As a member of Universities Canada, McMaster University has committed itself to seven principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (to read the full statement: https://www.univcan.ca/media-room/media-releases/universities-canada-principles-equity-diversity-inclusion/). McMaster’s Department of Religious Studies endorses these principles and aspires to be a supportive, equitable and inclusive environment for all students, staff, and faculty, believing that a diversity of backgrounds and viewpoints is integral to academic excellence. Consequently, the Department of Religious Studies has formed an Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee, which is tasked with identifying and addressing barriers within and beyond our department and programs. If you have any concern you would like to bring to the EDI Committee, please contact Dr. Shayne Clarke (chair of the committee, 2022–23: clarsha@mcmaster.ca) or Dr. Celia Rothenberg (chair of the department: relsch@mcmaster.ca).
The Department of Religious Studies encourages all applicants to our MA and PhD Programs to append a short statement (between one paragraph and one page) about their commitment to the principles of equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) to the end of their Statement of Interest. No applicant will be penalized for not including an EDI statement, and the statement will not be evaluated as part of the graduate admissions process or later. Applicants are encouraged to inform us of any concerns or barriers they may encounter either in the application process or beyond.
The Department of Religious Studies offers graduate work in the following areas and fields
Asian Field
- Buddhism
- East Asian Religions
Judaism and Christianity in Antiquity
- Early Judaism
- Early Christianity
Western Field
- Religion and Culture
- Religion and Politics
- Western Religious Thought
- Islamic Studies
There are currently about 30 graduate students enrolled in the department, and 12 professors active in graduate supervision.
Of the more than 40 students who have received the PhD since 1996, approximately 60% have moved on to hold full-time academic positions, and another 20% to part-time teaching.
PhD dissertation titles and supervisors
See a chronology of our program's PhD graduates, dissertation titles, and supervisors.
MA Thesis titles and supervisors
Our MA graduates have had tremendous success in getting into top-tier PhD programs and in pursuing non-academic careers.
Funding
Financial support from the university is available to full-time students on a competitive basis. The Plan for Graduate Education at McMaster sets the minimum guaranteed funding for doctoral students at $13,500 a year for four years, plus full-time tuition. In addition, McMaster's Department of Religious Studies offers numerous scholarships, teaching assistantships, external awards, travel scholarships, and bursaries.
Graduate Student Life
Life in the department, on campus, in the city
When we think of graduate school, we think of seminars, conducting research, sitting for exams, and writing a thesis or dissertation. Scholarly activities are only part of the total experience of being a grad student. See what McMaster University and the City of Hamilton have to offer.
Student Profiles
No one can tell you more about what it’s like to be a graduate student at McMaster than our recent graduates. Read what they have to say about their experience in the Religious Studies Department at McMaster and see where their education has taken them.