Religion PhD
Program
This degree is offered conjointly with the Département des sciences religieuses of the Université du Québec à Montréal and the Faculté de théologie et de sciences religieuses of the Université Laval. The two main areas of concentration are: Religion and Judaic Studies. A student chooses to register in one of the three universities based on the match between faculty expertise and the student's specialization and is subject to that university's regulations. Each student is graduated by the university of their registration. The joint degree provides a context for collaboration between the three departments, with some exchange of faculty for teaching and direction. There are two required doctoral seminars, one of which is common to students at all three universities in alternate years.
The doctoral program in Religion at Concordia places strong emphasis on research, critical analysis, and original contributions to the discipline. The field within the study of religions and cultures upon which a student may choose to focus can be selected from among those researched by our faculty members, including the study of Buddhism, Hindu traditions, Christianity, Judaism, Islam, New Religious Movements, and secularisms, over various historical periods and geographic regions. The program emphasizes ethnography, historiography, post- and decolonial studies, literary analysis, and feminist and queer theory. Individually tailored supervision, as well as opportunities for professional development and training are offered.
Admission Requirements
- MA in Religion, or equivalent, with high standing from a recognized university.
- Proficiency in English. Applicants whose primary language is not English must demonstrate that their knowledge of English is sufficient to pursue graduate studies in their chosen field. Please refer to the English language proficiency page for further information on requirements and exemptions.
Additional Admission Requirements
The Department will consider the application of students to the PhD program for entry without completion of the master's degree if the following requirements are met:
- the student has completed 18 credits of graduate level course work in Religion with high standing;
- the student is recommended by full-time members of the faculty of the Department of Religions and Cultures;
- the student has acquired a breadth of knowledge in the study of Religion through course work or scholarly or professional experience;
- the student has demonstrated their ability to do independent graduate-level research in religious studies, and has demonstrated the ability to produce an original analysis of their research (in the form of research papers, conference papers, or publications);
- the student has a well-formed and focused research plan that will serve as a basis for their doctoral research.
Transfer Credits. See Transfer Credits in Graduate Admissions section.
Degree Requirements
Fully-qualified candidates are required to complete a minimum of 90 credits.
Please see the Religions and Cultures Courses page for course descriptions.
Religion PhD (90 credits)
| 6 | credits:
|
| 12 | credits of Directed Reading Courses, offered according to the resources of the department and the needs of the students, chosen from the following lists: Topics in Judaic Studies (PhD) Topics in Religions and Cultures (PhD) Note: Some of the courses at the Master of Arts level are open to PhD candidates, with the requirement of additional work and higher standards of performance. |
| 15 | credits:
|
| 3 | credits: |
| 54 | credits: |
Topics in Judaic Studies (PhD)
Topics in Religions and Cultures (PhD)
Additional Degree Requirements
Doctoral Seminars. All candidates must register for RELI 893 and RELI 894 in their first or second or equivalent year of study.
Courses. A student is required to register for a minimum of 12 credits of directed reading. These courses are offered according to the resources of the department and the needs of the students. They are grouped into Topics in Judaic Studies (PhD) and Topics in Religions and Cultures (PhD). Some of the courses at the Master of Arts level are open to PhD candidates, with the requirement of additional work and higher standards of performance.
Language Requirement. Students must achieve an acceptable command of the classical and/or modern languages appropriate to their area of specialization. Specific requirements in terms of numbers of years of study and examinations or other demonstrations of competence are established in consultation with the Graduate Program Director and the thesis supervisor. Students are also expected to be proficient in the language or languages of the primary sources relevant to their thesis research.Academic Regulations
- Academic Standing. Please refer to the Academic Standing section of the Calendar for a detailed review of the Academic Regulations.
- Residence. The minimum period of residence is two years (6 terms) of full-time graduate study beyond the master’s degree, or the equivalent in part time study, or three years (9 terms) of full-time graduate study beyond the bachelor’s degree.
- Time Limit. Please refer to the Academic Regulations page for further details regarding the Time Limits.
- Graduation Requirement. In order to graduate, students must have satisfied all degree requirements and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.00.