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Program Requirements
Note: University regulations apply to all students at Laurier. If there is any discrepancy between the program or progression requirements outlined on this page and those in the university's academic calendars, the academic calendars are the official sources of information. The information below is from the latest calendar, and you may be following progression requirements from an earlier calendar. Students are responsible for checking the appropriate calendar. Contact your academic advisor should you notice any discrepancies.
Undergraduate Programs
The Honours BA Religion and Culture program consists of 20.0 credits, of which no more than 7.0 credits may be at the 100 level. Of these, a minimum of 10.0 credits and a maximum of 12.0 credits must be from Religion and Culture courses, with 9.0 credits at the senior level. Up to 1.0 credit of senior language study may be counted toward the Additional Religion and Culture credits for this degree.
Program Requirements
- 1.0 credit of 100-level RE courses, including either RE100 or RE101 (taking both RE100 and RE101 is permitted);
- RE207;
- RE407*;
- Additional Religion and Culture credits to a minimum of 10.0 total, 9.0 of which must be senior (See Program Notes below).
Degree Program Electives
An additional 10.0 credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, only 6.0 of which can be at the 100 level and only 2.0 RE credits.
Program Notes
- The following courses may count as RE credits: AN322, AR337, GS222, GS232, GS325, ML201, MZ200, MZ201, MZ301, MZ338, MZ339, MZ377, PP209, PP220, SKRT 201, SKRT 202, SY311; and up to 1.0 credit of senior language study (non-English).
- Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
The Combined Honours BA Religion and Culture program consists of 20.0 credits, of which no more than 7.0 credits may be at the 100 level. Of these, 7.0 credits must be from Religion and Culture courses, with 6.0 credits at the senior level. Up to 1.0 credit of senior language study may be counted toward the Additional Religion and Culture credits for this degree.
Program Requirements
- 1.0 credit of 100-level RE courses, including either RE100 or RE101 (taking both RE100 and RE101 is permitted);
- RE207;
- RE407*;
- Additional Religion and Culture credits to a minimum of 6.0 total, 5.0 being senior (See Program Notes below).
Degree Program Electives
An additional 13.0 credits toward the degree total of 20.0 credits, which includes the second Honours BA major.
Program Notes
- The following courses may count as RE credits: AN322, AR337, GS222, GS232, GS325, ML201, MZ200, MZ201, MZ301, MZ338, MZ339, MZ377, PP209, PP220, SKRT 201, SKRT 202, SY311; and up to 1.0 credit of senior language study (non-English).
- Refer to the University Regulations chapter for progression and course regulations and the section regarding Regulations for All Honours Programs.
The Religion and Culture Minor consists of 3.0 Religion & Culture credits, including RE207 and at least 1.5 additional senior RE credits.
Program Notes
- Refer to Regulations Governing all Minors.
The Muslim Studies Option consists of a minimum of 4.0 credits. Students must complete the two required core courses (1.0 credit) and a minimum of 3.0 elective credits. In order to graduate, a GPA of 6.00 in the courses included in the Muslim Studies Option is required.
Required Core Courses (1.0 credit)
- MZ200: Introduction to Muslim Studies
- MZ201/RE213: Religious Heritage of Islam
Elective Courses (3.0 credits)
- AB101: Elementary Modern Standard Arabic I
- AB102: Elementary Modern Standard Arabic II
- AB201: Intermediate Arabic I
- GS221: Globalization and Cultures: The Cosmopolitan Village?
- GS222: Contemporary Western Societies: Globalization and Cultures
- GS325: Religion, Culture and Society
- GS422: Dialogue and Critique in an Age of Terror
- HI228: Survey of Modern Asian History
- HI265: Ten Moments that made the Middle East
- HI325: Imperialism, Race and the Post-Colonial Legacy
- HI368: The Ottoman Empire
- HI410*: Reading Seminar on The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
- ML300g: Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Medieval World
- MI201: Mediterranean Culture and Civilization I
- MI202: Mediterranean Culture and Civilization II
- MZ300: Special Topics in Muslim Studies
- PP220: Indian Philosophy
- PP261: Medieval Philosophy
- RE101: Religions of the Americas: Asian and Middle Eastern
- RE208: Roots of Western Religions
- RE227: Religions and Cultures of the Middle East
- RE338: Islamic Mysticism
- RE377: Gender and Islam
- SY416: Equity in Education
- WS307: Gender and Social Politics in Contemporary Muslim Societies
- WS308: Gender, Cinema and the Third World
Some elective courses may have prerequisites. While these prerequisites may be waivved by the program or department offering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.
Program Notes
- Muslim Studies strongly encourages the study of languages other than English as an integral part of studying Muslims in the modern world.
- Language courses may be taken at WLU, at other recognized universities in Canada, or abroad on a letter of permission and with the prior written consent of the Muslim Studies Program Co-ordinator. Language courses are courses that are not taught in English, and focus on grammar, verbal and written communication skills in a second language. Students are advised to seek advice from the Program Co-ordinator about different study possibilities.
- In addition, when choosing elective courses, note that some of these courses have prerequisites. Although these prerequisites may be waived by the program or department administering the course, it is the responsibility of the student to make such arrangements.
- Completion of the option requirements will result in a "Muslim Studies Option" designation on the student transcript.
The General BA with designation in Religion and Culture consists of 15.0 credits, of which no more than 7.0 may be at the junior level (100-level). Of these, 6.0 credits must be from Religion and Culture courses, with 5.0 credits at the senior level. Up to 1.0 credit of senior language study may be counted toward the Additional Religion and Culture credits for this degree.
Program Requirements
- 1.0 credit of 100-level RE courses, including either RE100 or RE101 (taking both RE100 and RE101 is permitted);
- RE207;
- Additional Religion and Culture credits to a minimum of 6.0 total, 5.0 being senior.
Program Notes
Program Regulations
- Program is a graduation-only option; it may be declared at the time of applying to graduate.
- Graduation requires a minimum overall GPA of 4.0 and a minimum GPA of 4.0 in Religion and Culture.
- A maximum of two Minors/Options may be declared.
- A minimum of 6.0 senior credits must be completed at Laurier.
Graduate Programs
All students in the MA in Global Justice, Religion and Culture begin with two semesters of coursework and then follow one of four options: the 12-month coursework only option, the 12-month MRP option, the 16-month Internship-plus-MRP option, or the 2-year (i.e., 16-month) thesis option. Students are initially admitted into the coursework-only or the coursework-plus-MRP option.
Internship: Students who wish to undertake an internship in their degree must first obtain agreement from a program faculty member to supervise their completion of RE697. Internships may be conducted in Canada or abroad, and will normally be related to students’ topic of research for RE697. Internships will normally be conducted during the Spring semester and lead to a 16-month MA program, with no funding offered during the second Fall Term, during which the student writes their internship-informed MRP.
To pursue the internship option, students must submit a cover letter providing information on the internship program under consideration and a resume to the Graduate Program Coordinator for approval by the end of the fourth week of the winter term. Students return after the internship to complete RE697 by the end of the Fall semester.
Required courses:
- RE693. This course provides a common grounding in influential methods and theories for the academic study of religious, cultural, and global studies. In case of a failing grade, the course can be repeated once.
- RE694. This course provides a critical introduction to the field of global justice and how it intersects with the study of religious beliefs and cultural identities by drawing on various theoretical and epistemological perspectives that seek to overcome the enduring problem of inequality.
- RE690. This course is taken over fall and winter semesters.
- Three other half-credit electives; of these, a maximum of one course may be taken outside the program.
Coursework-only students also complete:
Two additional electives offered by a Master's program within the Faculty of Arts at Wilfrid Laurier University.
MRP and Internship-MRP students also complete:
- RE698 (no internship; 12-month program) or
- RE697 (16-month program).
For both RE697 and RE698, students focus on an area of study chosen in consultation with their MRP supervisor. Students initially present their MRP proposal to their program cohort. Upon completion, students formally present their work to their MRP supervisor and a second reader (both will be Laurier faculty members), who will assess and grade the work. The assessment of the project includes both the written work and the presentation.
Thesis option students also complete:
- RE699, which includes the preparation of an acceptable thesis proposal, completion of a thesis, and passing an oral defence.
A student cannot register in RE699 until the proposal is formally accepted. Proposals must follow the departmentally approved guidelines. A proposal may be submitted any time after admission to the program. Thesis option acceptance is dependent upon the quality of the proposal and the department's assessment of a student's overall ability.
Students whose thesis work necessitates the use of a second language will be required to demonstrate competence in that language before the thesis proposal is accepted. Decisions about language requirements and how they shall be satisfied are made by the student's thesis committee, in consultation with the graduate program coordinator.
Coursework-only option students and MRP-option students normally take three terms (12 months) to complete their degree, while Internship-plus-MRP-option students normally take four terms (16 months). Thesis-option students normally take four terms (16 months).
A student's specific program, including course selections, must be approved by the graduate program coordinator.
The minimum degree requirements for the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in Religion, Culture and Society are as follows:
Course Requirements
The degree requires a minimum of four courses beyond the MA. Students are required to take RE740: Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion, Culture, and Society and RE750: Case Studies in Religion, Culture and Society, as well as two electives. Depending on a student's goals and admission assessment, additional course work may be required. Doctoral students must achieve at least a B in each course.
Language Requirement
Students must demonstrate knowledge of a second language relevant to the field and/or the dissertation. Whether this knowledge is reading or speaking knowledge (or both) depends on the nature of the proposed research. If the topic of the dissertation makes knowledge of a third language essential, the candidate must demonstrate competence in this language as well. Students must demonstrate language competency by the end of their third full year in the program.
Proposal
The proposal is a written document outlining the dissertation project. The proposal must be formally accepted by both the student's supervisory committee and the joint PhD committee before proceeding to the comprehensive examinations and dissertation project. Subsequent, substantive changes in the proposal must be approved by the supervisory committee and the program director.
Comprehensive Examinations
There are two examinations, each based on a bibliography constructed by faculty in consultation with the student. The purpose of the general exam is to ensure breadth and to assess competence in the study of religion, culture and society. The purpose of the field exam is to focus an area of specialization containing the dissertation project. The general exam is conducted by the joint committee; whereas the field exam is conducted by the student's supervisory committee. A candidate has only two opportunities to complete each of the examinations successfully. These examinations should take place by the end of the candidate's second year in the doctoral program. To be permitted to take the examinations at a later time, a candidate must petition the director for an extension. Extensions are normally granted only once and then, only for one term.
Dissertation Project
The dissertation project consists of three required, closely related parts: the dissertation, the public presentation, and the dissertation defense. Students must pass all three. Evaluations, carried out by the supervisory committee, take into consideration the mastery of both style and content.- The doctoral dissertation is an piece of research (approximately 50,000-90,000 words in length) aimed at making an original contribution to the study of religion. The dissertation must be crafted for publication as a book, although actual publication is not a degree requirement. This way of fulfilling the dissertation requirement is a distinctive feature of the program, and guidelines are available from the director.
- The public presentation is a second distinctive feature of the Laurier-Waterloo PhD in religious studies. The presentation must be accessible to the public, open to questioning and debate, and subject to faculty evaluation. This presentation may take various formats and must demonstrate the candidate's ability to make the results of research publicly intelligible and engaging for a diverse, educated but non-specialist audience. The public presentation is held in a venue and at a time different from that of the dissertation defense. Holding it in an off-campus location is preferable. Evaluation is on a pass/fail basis, and a pass is required to complete the degree. Evaluation of such presentations is by the supervisory committee on the basis of a set of criteria available from the program director. A candidate who fails may attempt the presentation only one additional time.
- The dissertation defense, which is distinct from the public presentation, is an oral review and evaluation of the dissertation. Prior to the defense, an examining committee is established. The regulations and procedures at the university in which the student is registered will govern both the dissertation and the examination formats.
Residence Requirements
The PhD is designed to take four years for completion. Students must enroll in the program full-time, be available for classes and regular on-campus consultation for at least the first two calendar years, and complete a minimum of six terms beyond the MA.
Students are expected to proceed through the program in a timely fashion. Normally, students must complete the course work and finish their proposal in the first year; comprehensive exams in the second year; and the dissertation project in the third and fourth years. The responsibilities of the supervisor and the supervisory committee notwithstanding, the candidate is responsible for ensuring that program requirements and deadlines are met in a timely fashion.