Portfolio Program
The Graduate Portfolio Program in the Study of Religion offers graduate students across the university the opportunity to draw on the rich expertise of the Religious Studies faculty while completing a Doctoral degree in their chosen field. Portfolios allow students with a wide range of academic interests and professional goals to enhance their professional development by incorporating into their graduate program a focused set of Religious Studies courses. Students' specializations can be thematic, chronological, or methodological, but they will build on the students' departmental coursework in order to provide new perspectives on their fields of study.
How to Apply
Students can enter the portfolio program at any point in their graduate work, but it is recommended that doctoral students finish the portfolio’s course requirements before entering candidacy.
The requirements for the Religious Studies Portfolio Program include 9 hours of PhD level graduate coursework in Religious Studies. To complete this coursework, students must take two required courses, RS 383M and RS 384D, and one additional graduate course in Religious Studies. Undergraduate or MA level courses will not be accepted for the portfolio program.
Students will also complete an independent paper that is presented at a research colloquium as part of the course requirements for RS 384D.
Required Courses:
R S 383M Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
This course introduces graduate students to the history of the discipline, discusses classical interpretative works in the field, and examines current theoretical and methodological developments.
R S 384D Doctoral Seminar in Religious Studies
This advanced seminar will introduce the students to the profession. It will assist them in framing a dissertation proposal, encourage them to place their own scholarship within a broader disciplinary context by considering contemporary theories in the study of religion, and it will help them understand pedagogical issues in teaching religious studies to undergraduates. The course will also address other issues related to the profession, including publication and seeking funding.
If you have any additional questions about the Graduate Portfolio Program in the Study of Religion or would like to speak with someone about the program, please contact:
Graduate Program Coordinator
Office: BUR 533