Research MA in Religious Studies - Utrecht University

Faculty of the Humanities Research Master Programme Religious Studies Bright minds, better future ■ Research-oriented programme with small-scale seminars and personal supervision ■ Choose your area of specialisation ■ Participate in research of leading scholars ■ Develop your own international network Welcome to the Research Master Religious Studies Are you interested in the vibrant world of religions? Do you want to study how sacred texts such as the Bible or the Koran have been formed and interpreted throughout the ages? Do you want to understand why religious images, buildings, clothes and everyday practices often provoke fierce debates or even violent conflicts? Do you want to contribute to a better understanding of religion in our world? RELIGIOUS STUDIES The Research Master in Religious Studies is an inspiring research-oriented programme that prepares you to participate in current debates of religious studies and to make your own contribution to the field. The programme combines a thorough grounding in the central themes and theories of the study of religion with ample opportunity for specialisation. You can choose and develop your specific expertise in one of the key research areas of our institute: ■ ■ Religious texts and interpretative practices: the study of religious traditions from the perspective of sacred texts; their interpretation and the religious rituals and practices associated with them; discussions about the authority of religious texts. Materiality and physicality of lived religion: the study of the use of the body and the senses in religious practices such as praying, dancing, fighting or fasting; the function of objects such as images, buildings, food, clothing, money within the context of religious practices and public controversies. Welcome to our vibrant community! In the early 21st century, religion appears to be a far more prominent and contested phenomenon than envisioned by theorists who understood modernity in terms of increasing secularization. Here in Utrecht we take part in rethinking the study of religion from a As a student of this programme you will be part of an international community of students, PhD researchers, postdocs and senior scholars working together at a leading research institute. Renowned scholars educate you in small-scale seminars, and actively involve you in their own research. multidisciplinary angle and against a broadened global horizon. Our staff members work on a broad set of exciting case studies, including commotions around blasphemy, contestations around religious architecture, the rise of religious reform movements, and new religious media. In my own work I explore the role of the body, sensations and emotions, and all sorts of artefacts and materials, by studying the politics and aesthetics of religious world-making. We are happy to welcome you into our vibrant research community. Birgit Meyer, Professor of Religious Studies In recent years, the study of Islam has been greatly enriched by impulses from the anthropological, sociological, political, and esthetic FACTS AND FIGURES Duration: 2 Years (120 EC) Part- or Full-Time Status: Full-Time study of religion. The Research Master Programme Religious Studies at Utrecht is a great forum for staff and students interested in Islamic Graduate School: Humanities Studies to combine text-based research with such novel, exciting Degree: Master's degree in: Kunst- & cultuurwetenschappen (research), methodologies and theories. In doing so we build on the expertise of Programme Religious Studies Start of Studies: 1 September Deadline for Application: Visit the website our staff in the study of early, classical, modern, and contemporary Islamic traditions, from the Koran and Hadith to Islamic jurisprudence, Language of Instruction: English theology, mysticism, philosophy, and the reform discourses of recent Website: www.uu.nl/masters/religious-studies times. If you want to delve deeply into the foundational texts and The Research Master’s programme in Religious Studies offers research-based training in the multidisciplinary and transnational study of religion as a dynamic historical and cultural phenomenon. practices of Islam and learn how to interpret them by applying up-to-date research approaches, Utrecht is the place for you! Christian Lange, Professor of Islamic Studies PROGRAMME OBJECTIVE During this Research Master’s programme you will acquire the knowledge and skills to develop and carry out high-quality research in various branches of Religious Studies. As a graduate of this programme you will have developed ■ A broad understanding of the entire field of Religious Studies. ■ Thorough knowledge and methodological skills in a specific subfield of your choosing. ■ The knowledge and skills to present research results verbally and in writing. ■ An international network of junior and senior scholars of Religious Studies. So many opportunities! The study equips you for further advanced research, for example in the form of a PhD, whether in Religious Studies or related disciplines such as Islamic Studies or Anthropology, or for a career in one of the many fields that require advanced research skills. Students in Religious Studies in Utrecht have many opportunities to study the fascinating world of religions. Leading scholars involve us in their research, for example on the use of sacred texts or on controversies about material expressions of religion such as clothing or pictures. My own interest concerns Shi’ite passion plays, the THIS PROGRAMME IN UTRECHT In this programme religion is approached as a human practice and a cultural, social, and historical phenomenon. Religion interacts with countless other practices as well as social and cultural phenomena (e.g. art, media, economy, morality, politics) and influences these. However, religion is itself transformed by these interactions. This is why this multidisciplinary programme has a strong emphasis on methodology: you learn to work with theories and methods from Anthropology, History, Philosophy, Comparative Literature and Media Studies. The programme focuses on Christianity and Islam, but also addresses Jewish and Buddhist traditions. A salient characteristic of this programme is that it offers you the possibility to systematically integrate approaches from Religious and Islamic Studies. If you wish to specialise in a subarea that demands a command of a source language (e.g. Arabic or Hebrew) you can deepen your knowledge of such languages by means of elective courses or tutorials. This Research Master is embedded within an internationally leading research institute that hosts many research projects and activities such as colloquia and international conferences. Your professors will help you to use this environment to develop your own international network. Muharram rituals, and how the history of early Shi’ism is interpreted and put to use in contemporary Muslim social and political contexts. The supervision by staff members encouraged me a lot and thanks to their huge international network I have the opportunity to do research for my master’s thesis at the Henry Martin Institute in Hyderabad, India. I really feel that I have become a scholar of religion! Sascha Stans, graduate student at Utrecht University UNU-88314-nl-NL-0815-1 Colophon: August 2015 published by Faculty of Humanities, Utrecht University. Photo's: Ivar Pel, Humprey Daniëls and others. Prinitng: ZuidamUithof. Although this brochure was made with the greatest care, no rights can be derived from its contents. CAREER PROSPECTS ENTRY REQUIREMENTS: After successful completion of the programme you are fully prepared to compete successfully for PhD positions in Religious Studies, Islamic Studies, or related disciplines. Your multidisciplinary training and the transnational approach of this programme also makes you equipped to pursue non-academic career paths requiring advanced research skills, e.g. in NGO’s dealing with religious and cultural diversity or cultural heritage, political organizations, media and publishing houses, or museums. To be admitted to this programme you need to have a Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) in the Humanities or in one of the Social Sciences. You need to have proven interest in Religious Studies, as well as a strong motivation to carry out academic research and the ambition to follow a programme that trains you to become a researcher. For further entry requirements and detailed information visit our website: www.uu.nl/masters/religious-studies Study Schedule Research Master Programme Religious Studies (Example) Year 1 First Semester (Sept-Jan) Second Semester (Feb-Jun) Theory and Method of Religious Studies Doing Research in Religious Studies II. Doing Research in Religious Studies I. Contested Religion: Media, Body, Senses The Humanities: Past, Present, Future Electives / Tutorials Electives / Tutorials Year 2 Study Abroad / Research Internship / Electives & Tutorials Thesis and Thesis Lab COLLABORATION This Research Master Programme closely collaborates with the University of Amsterdam and other universities in the Netherlands and abroad. More information www.uu.nl/masters/religious-studies www.uu.nl/masters