College of Arts and Sciences

Religious Studies Department

Program Director : Dr. Erik Larson

Department’s Phone Number : (305) 348-3518
Department’s FAX Number : (305) 348-3605

For More Information, go to

• Program's web site
• College of Arts and Sciences web site

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Brief Description of the Program:

        FIU's M.A. in Religious Studies in designed to give students maximum flexibility in pursuing their research interests, while providing a firm foundation in both the general academic study of religion and the student's area of specialization. The M.A. is a 36-credit-hour program: 6 hours of core seminars, 12 hours of "track" courses, 12 hours of electives, and 6 hours of thesis.

A thesis is optional, but is strongly advised for students who do, or who might want later, to pursue doctoral studies. For those who decide not to write a thesis, six credits of coursework replace the thesis. The thesis is done in the same general area as the track. Students typically decide on a thesis topic by the end of the first or beginning of the second year of study, and in the first semester of the second year procure the agreement of a full-time faculty member to direct the thesis. The student and the thesis director will then recruit a committee of at least three faculty members, the majority of whom must be members of the Religious Studies Department. The thesis must be defended before this committee in a public oral examination. Thesis students may take either six hours of thesis credit or three hours of thesis and three hours of research seminar.

Recent Thesis Topics

• A comparison of some sectarian millenial movements in Buddhism, Christianity, and Hinduism
• A study of Islamic traveloguist Al-Beruni's theory of religion in relation to Jewish calendars
• Transcultural possession in Mahikari
• An examination of the treatment of menstruation in scripture and in early Christianity
• The retention of Africanisms in African-American religions
• A refutation of a current hypothesis about the origins of the Qumran community.

Core Courses

       Two core seminars are required of all MA students. The first is the "Seminar in Sacred Sources" (REL 6935), which is offered every year. It will introduce students to sacred texts and oral histories and myths from several religious traditions, using a common theme each semester. Students will become familiar with interpreting sacred texts (hermeneutics) and with various analytical approaches from a number of different departmental faculty.

       The second core seminar, "Modern Analysis of Religion" (REL 6013) is also offered every year. It introduces both classic writings about religion and the broad interdisciplinary nature of religious studies. Students will be introduced to the variety of disciplinary and ideological approaches that characterize the field, including historical, anthropological, philosophical, theological, sociological and psychological methods and feminist theory and cultural studies, among others. The M.A. must be completed within 6 years of admission.

        The program is meant to be undertaken on a full-time basis and completed in 24 to 30 months, but it also accommodates part-time students. About half the students currently in the program study part-time. Evening offerings are limited, however, and often begin at 5:00 p.m.

Application Requirements:

• All applicants for graduate studies at FIU must have a B.A. or B.S., or the equivalent from a non-U.S. institution.
• They must also take the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) with 550 or above score the verbal section.
• One or more undergraduate courses may be required as prerequisites.
• Admissions decisions will be based on the applicant's complete dossier, but the minimal standard is either a undergrad GPA of 3.5 or score of over 550 on the verbal section of the GRE or an M.A. in the Humanities or related area.
• A small number of students who do not meet these requirements can be admitted if they pass a departmentally administered writing test and have either a score of 475 on verbal section of GRE or a GPA of 3.0.

Additional Requirements for International Students:

• Non-native English speakers must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
• The minimum TOEFL score is 550. (The Department expects new admission standards to be in place by fall 2003.)