Frequently Asked Questions Does the Department of Religion offer a Master's Degree only program? No, there is no separate Master's Degree program for the Department of Religion. Successful completion of the General Examination entitles a student to the M.A. degree for which a student must apply. If the faculty recommends that a student not attempt to submit a dissertation, the M.A. becomes a terminal degree, though in most cases students are permitted to move directly to the Dissertation. I already possess a Master's Degree. Can I go directly into the Ph.D. Program? No. The Department of Religion only offers a Ph.D. program. A Master’s Degree is granted after the student passes the general examination (students must apply) which then leads the student into the rest of the Ph.D. program. The PhD program is a five-year full time program. Is the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) required when applying to the Religion department? No, the GRE is not accepted. Do I need TOEFL Scores to apply as an international student? TOEFL scores are required for some international students. For a detailed overview please review the guidelines on the Graduate School's webpage. Is a writing sample required when applying to the Religion department? Yes. We do require a 9,000 word maximum writing sample relevant to the subfield area of interest. What is the application deadline for the 2025-26 academic year? The deadline to apply for the upcoming academic year 2025-26 is January 2nd, 2025, 11:59pm.No exceptions to this deadline can be granted. Prospective Students Graduate Admissions InformationInformation SessionPre-Doctoral Fellowship InitiativeProspective PhD Preview (P3)Finance and FellowshipHousingFAQs Graduate Academic Fields Graduate Program Current Students Prospective Students
