Master of Theology and Religious Studies

Contents

Study programme

An individual student’s programme consists of 60 credits. Before the start of the academic year, each student is invited to select a major area of specialization. They are asked to follow all three courses and one seminar (16 credits) offered within their major.

Students are also required to write a thesis (16 credits) of thirty to fifty pages (15,000- 25,000 words), under the direction of a staff member of one of the research departments. The thesis must deal with a subject in the field of Religious Studies or Theology and is to be chosen in the field of the major. The text may be written in English, French, Dutch or German. Students choose a promoter/supervisor and a topic for their thesis on the basis of a list of research topics (updated every summer) and by contacting potential promoters/supervisors during the first weeks of the academic year.

Each academic year, the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies organizes a Thesis Writing Seminar to assist students with some of the practicalities involved in the preparation of their thesis. Usually, the selection of the two elective courses (8 credits) is also related to the student’s research focus.

Although two-thirds of the programme (40 credits), as explained above, are dedicated to specialized research, it remains an important policy of the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies to encourage the students to continue to focus on the other domains of Theology and Religious Studies.

Upon the successful completion of their studies, they will obtain the degree of Master of Theology and Religious Studies, rather than a degree specialising exclusively in theological ethics or biblical studies, for example. For this reason, students include one course from each of the remaining five majors (20 credits) in their individual study programme.