Master's degree programme in Study of Religion - Introduction
Religions around the world
All societies are familiar with the concept of religion. In some societies, religion was and is simply an expression of a shared culture. In other cultures, religion mainly manifests itself at certain critical times. It is only the believer, however, who is allowed the privilege of meeting the gods, which means that the study of religion can seem somewhat vague. It is nevertheless a fact that there are people who are believers and for whom religion influences who they marry and vote for, what they buy, who they wage war against and much more – and they can be studied.
At the Department of the Study of Religion, you learn about religions and religious phenomena, both past and present. You study the main religions in the world, past and new religions, as well as religious trends.
History, society and culture
As a student at the Department of the Study of Religion, you gain insight into the importance of individual religions and religious phenomena to mankind and society in general. You examine the way different religions have changed throughout history, and analyse their current form and role in society. Through the study of basic religious phenomena such as cults, sacrifices, rituals, myths and perceptions of God, you acquire in-depth knowledge of the characteristics common to all religions.
A wide range of methodologies
The study of religion is a comprehensive, humanistic degree programme. The aim is to provide you with insight into individual religions and religious phenomena, general knowledge of the humanistic, societal and philosophical aspects of religion, and general competence in academic and independent work with humanistic topics. The theoretical and methodological basis is historical, philosophical, sociological, anthropological, psychological and philological. As a result, you become able to work in interdisciplinary contexts and are qualified to describe and analyse issues such as the meeting between different religions and cultures.
The study of religion is primarily based on the reading of texts, but many students also carry out projects in the form of sociological surveys and fieldwork or undertake periods of practical training.
Admission requirements
You qualify for admission to the Master’s degree programme in the study of religion if you have completed a relevant Bachelor’s degree. If your Bachelor’s degree does not include the study of religion as a core subject or optional subject, you can be admitted on the basis of an individual application to the Board of Studies, stating the grounds for your application.
For further information, contact the student counsellors at the Department of the Study of Religion.