Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (History, Classics, and Religion)

Program Requirements

Students are required to complete a minimum of 7 units and a thesis.

Required Courses (7 units)

RELIG 575 (3 units) – Contemporary Theories of Religion
One 3-unit graduate course in the student’s area of specialization as determined by the supervisory committee.
RELIG 675 (1 units) Graduate Seminar. Each PhD student will present a research paper in this seminar one time prior to candidacy, usually during the second year in the program. All PhD students in residency are expected to attend it on an ongoing basis. The Seminar’s aim is to provide a regular opportunity for graduate students to submit their research to peer review and discussion.
Additional courses (up to a maximum of 15 units in addition to the required courses above) will be determined by the supervisory committee in consultation with the student.
Language courses may be required (see Language Requirement below). Language courses will not normally count as graduate credits for the program.
Courses may include Religious Studies (RELIG) courses, courses offered by other departments and programs with Religious Studies content or courses offered by other departments and programs with a theoretical or intellectual bearing on the student’s particular area of research.

Thesis

Registration in 900-level THES. All doctoral candidates must prepare and defend a thesis of high calibre on an approved topic.

Candidacy Examination

Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, the path to candidacy may take different forms. It may include, for example, written examinations on different aspects of the discipline, a series of position papers, or a long thesis proposal.
The candidacy examination will be scheduled once the qualifying requirements are complete, usually before or during the third year of registration in the degree program. The examination will be based on a thesis proposal of not more than thirty pages plus bibliography. The student must demonstrate appropriate mastery of the scholarly fields and research skills relevant to the preparation of the dissertation.
A provisional path to the candidacy examination is to be determined by the supervisory committee in consultation with the student, and submitted to the Graduate Coordinator for review and approval before April 30 of the first year of registration.

Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate reading competency in at least one language other than English, including any language(s) relevant to their specialized research, as determined by the supervisory committee in consultation with the student, and submitted for review and approval to the Graduate Coordinator. This competency may be demonstrated by completing an appropriate level of courses in a particular language with a grade of B+ or better, or by passing a suitable language examination, such as those administered by some Arts departments.
The specific requirement for each language may differ depending on the language and its role in the student’s intended research. Students should discuss this matter with the supervisory committee early in their program. A written summary of the language requirements for each student and how they will be met must be submitted to the Graduate Coordinator for review and approval before April 30 of the first year of registration. Normally all language requirements are to be met prior to the candidacy examination.

Residence Requirement

The minimum period of residence is two academic years of full-time attendance at the University of Alberta.

Length of Program

The time required to complete the PhD will vary according to the candidate’s background and progress; however a minimum of four years should be expected.

The maximum time to complete the PhD program as set by the Faculty of Graduate & Postdoctoral Studies is six years.