Religious Studies

Master of Arts
Doctor of Philosophy

For More Information

Campus address: Burdine Hall (BUR) 530, phone (512) 232-7737; campus mail code: A3700

Mailing address: The University of Texas at Austin, Graduate Program, Department of Religious Studies, 2505 University Avenue Stop A3700, Austin TX 78712

URL: http://liberalarts.utexas.edu/rs/graduate/

Facilities for Graduate Work

Graduate students in religious studies have access to significant collections of research materials in a number of fields. The Perry-Castañeda Library houses nearly two hundred thousand volumes cataloged under categories pertaining to religious studies. The University Libraries also have extensive microfilm and microfiche holdings of document collections and provide access to important online collections of source materials. University Libraries’ substantial holdings in history, classics, sociology, anthropology, Asian studies, and Middle Eastern studies are invaluable to students studying religion. Special collections in the Harry Ransom Center, the Benson Latin American Collection, and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History also offer opportunities for research.

Areas of Study

Students develop specialization in areas of concentration that are defined geographically, historically, or in some cases, methodologically. In all areas of concentration, students study the development of and interactions between religious phenomena in their particular cultural and historical contexts, and they use relevant theories and methodologies to understand these phenomena. Students define their major, supporting, and thematic fields within their area(s) of concentration.

Students take a set of required courses established by each of these concentrations and fields in order to develop the research and interpretative skills necessary for original research and to learn the contextual knowledge necessary for understanding religion within a particular geographical and chronological framework.

The four areas of concentration are Religion in the Ancient Mediterranean, Religion in the Americas, Religion and Society, and Religions in History.

Graduate Studies Committee

The following faculty members served on the Graduate Studies Committee (GSC) in the spring 2020 semester.

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GSC list updated fall 2020 based on spring 2020 appointments.

Robert H Abzug Hina Azam Marion Enid Bodian Joel P Brereton Virginia Garrard Burnett Matthew J Butler Jonathan Crosson Donald R Davis Jr Alison K Frazier Oliver Freiberger Steven J Friesen Karl Galinsky

Jennifer Graber Courtney Handman Jonathan Kaplan A Azfar Moin Martha G Newman Jonathan Wyn Schofer Chad Eugene Seales Geoffrey Smith Denise A Spellberg John W Traphagan Bruce Wells L M White