Welcome to the Department of Religious Studies

McMaster’s Department of Religious Studies offers a vibrant range of courses at every level. We pride ourselves on working closely with each of our students, graduate and undergraduate, offering them our insight, experience, and knowledge as they pursue their interests and goals.

Our undergraduate program, Society, Culture and Religion, allows students the opportunity to tailor their degrees to their interests while working under the guidance of our faculty. Our courses examine topics such as religion and sports, cults, apocalypse, magic, Bollywood, and the relationship of science to religion. Many of our undergraduate majors planned to take just a course or two with us, but found they were too intrigued to stop!

Our graduate program, one of the oldest in Canada, offers both one and two year MA degrees as well as the PhD. Faculty specialize in a range of traditions, including Buddhism, Christianity, East Asian religions, Islam, and Judaism. We are also multidisciplinary, drawing on fields of study including anthropology, history, ethics, philosophy, and health studies, as well as a range of research methodologies. Our graduates go on to successful careers both within and outside of academia.

Get in touch with us! We would be delighted to hear from you.

Celia E. Rothenberg, Associate Professor and Chair