A candidate for the MA degree will be required to spend at least one calendar year in full-time graduate study or the equivalent in part-time study. There are three routes to the MA: the one-year major research paper route, the two-year thesis route, the two-year project route. In consultation with a supervisor, an MA student must choose among these options by January 30 of their first year as a graduate student.

The application deadline for September intake is January 14.

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1-Year Master of Arts

Master of Arts with Major Research Paper (MRP)

The MRP route entails the following requirements:

• Completion of RELIG ST 701 Issues in the Study of Religions;
• Completion of five half-courses with at least a B- standing;
• Completion of a Major Research Paper (between 7,500 and 10,000 words). Guidelines for fulfilling this requirement are specified in the Departmental Handbook.

2-Year Master of Arts

Master of Arts with Project

The project route entails the following requirements:

• The completion of RELIG ST 701 Issues in the Study of Religions;
• Completion of six half courses as defined above;
• The candidate must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English appropriate to work on the project. Guidelines for fulfilling this requirement are specified in the Departmental Handbook.
• Supervisors may recommend additional language training;
• Completion of a project and the passing of an oral or written examination on the substance of the project. A “project” is defined by the faculty members of a departmental field. Normally a project will cover broad areas of learning. Projects will permit students to move into new areas, to read large and unfamiliar bodies of texts, and to deal comprehensively with large questions in central areas of concern.

Master of Arts with Thesis

The thesis route entails the following requirements:

• The completion of RELIG ST 701 Issues in the Study of Religions;
• A minimum of six half-courses must be completed with at least B- standing, four half courses must be at the graduate level and must be taken in the major area of study; the other two half courses must be in the minor area of study; three of these courses should be in an area of concentration.
• The candidate must demonstrate a reading knowledge of a language other than English which is most useful in the area in which the thesis is written. Guidelines for fulfilling this requirement are specified in the Departmental Handbook. Additional languages may be required; Supervisors may recommend additional language training;
• A thesis must be completed; the thesis should show an ability to deal with first-hand material on a limited problem in Religious Studies; the thesis must be defended in an oral examination; all MA degree candidates who have completed their oral defence must submit their revised thesis to both the Department and the School of Graduate Studies by the deadline dates specified for the second convocation following their defence. (Note: Text-critical studies or translation with commentary are acceptable, with the approval of the advisory/supervisory committee, as the functional equivalent of a thesis.)

The application portal opens in late September and closes on January 14. Learn more about the graduate studies application process and how to apply.

The normal minimum requirement for admission to MA study is graduation with B+ standing (in the final two years) in an Honours program or equivalent in Religious Studies, or in a related discipline with significant emphasis on the study of religion. Related disciplines include Anthropology, Sociology, History, Philosophy, Theology, Political Science, Classics, and Near Eastern, South Asian, and East Asian studies. Graduates with preparation in related fields may be required to take a certain amount of undergraduate work in Religious Studies.

Admission is competitive; applicants who meet minimum requirements are not guaranteed admission.

All applications for admission must be completed online. Please visit the School of Graduate Studies website for detailed how to apply information:

The following items are required before your online application will be considered complete:

• Statement of Interest. Please include in your statement of interest (500-700 words) a description of your intended area of research, as well as information on your academic background and proficiency in foreign languages, detailing the relevant courses you have taken, levels at which they were taken, and the grades that you received for them
• Two academic references
• Official Transcripts
• English Language Proficiency
• Writing Sample (an essay or thesis chapter)

• See all awards and funding on the School of Graduate Studies website.
• The Freeman Family Foundation Bursary: a bursary for McMaster University students to study for a summer, semester, or academic year at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
• BDK Canada Graduate Scholarship: a scholarship for graduate students in Buddhist Studies to spend a year in Japan.