نظرة عامة على البرنامج

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Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MA)

The Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies offers a unique interdisciplinary Master's program that allows students to specialize in the history and texts of Judaism and Christianity through the completion of coursework and a thesis. Students choose from a broad range of coursework in the archaeology and material culture, religion and mythology, literature and ancient languages, and history and cultures of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East from the Bronze Age to Late Antiquity. In the second year of the program, students write a thesis under the supervision of a faculty member.

What makes the program unique?

The MA in Religious Studies is the only program in Canada to offer students the opportunity to focus on the early religious traditions of the Mediterranean and Middle East. MA students engage in a broad range of coursework and pursue multi-disciplinary research on the material culture, religious beliefs, languages and histories of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. We have four full-time faculty specializing in Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish studies, and early Christianity and New Testament Studies. Our other faculty in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies are interdisciplinary researchers whose work regularly engages with religion and myth, including the archaeology of Roman religion and Greek mythology.

Quick Facts

• Faculty: Faculty of Arts
• Academic Unit: Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies
• Specialization: Religious Studies
• Mode of delivery: In person at UBC Vancouver
• Program Components: Coursework + Thesis required
• Tuition (First Year):
  • Domestic: $5,626.02
  • International: $9,883.98

Admission Information & Requirements

1) Check Eligibility

Minimum Academic Requirements

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

• TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
  • Overall score requirement: 100
  • Reading: 22
  • Writing: 21
  • Speaking: 21
  • Listening: 22
• IELTS: International English Language Testing System
  • Overall score requirement: 7.0
  • Reading: 6.5
  • Writing: 6.5
  • Speaking: 6.5
  • Listening: 6.5

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

• The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Course Requirements

It is highly recommended that students have completed the equivalent of two years' of study (intermediate level) in one of Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, or Latin prior to commencing the program.

2) Meet Deadlines

• Program Name: Master of Arts in Religious Studies (MA)
• Intake: September 2026
• Canadian Applicant Deadline: 18 December 2025
• International Applicant Deadline: 18 December 2025

3) Prepare Application

Transcripts

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of reference

Applicants have to submit 3 references to apply to this graduate program. Please review our general information on reference letters, including the types of references (e.g. academic, professional) that you may be asked for and how the references will be collected.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Research Information

Research Focus

Our research strengths in Religious Studies include Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish studies, and early Christian history and literature. Many of our faculty are interested in historiography, receptions of the ancient world, and digital approaches to the past. Additionally, our faculty have expertise in a large range of ancient languages and we offer rigorous training in Ancient Greek, Latin, Biblical Hebrew, and Classical Arabic as well as introductory courses in Akkadian, Middle Egyptian, and Coptic.

Program Components

MA students complete coursework and a thesis. Students with deficiencies in ancient language study also complete undergraduate courses in Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Latin, and/or ancient Near Eastern languages (Akkadian, Coptic, Middle Egyptian). Students must demonstrate proficiency in one of French, German, Italian, or Spanish, usually through a translation exam or additional coursework.

Facilities

Our students have access to work space in the Graduate Reading Room with exclusive access to a library of ancient texts and seminal scholarship relating to Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies and a computer lab for research and teaching equipped with eight powerful desktop PC computers with dual monitors and a variety of software packages (including ArcGIS, Adobe Creative Suite and Agisoft Photoscan) as well as a 3D printer.

Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

• Fees:
  • Application Fee: $118.50 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $168.25 (International)
  • Tuition per year: $5,626.02 (Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat), $9,883.98 (International)
• Other Fees and Costs:
  • Student Fees (yearly): $1,144.10 (approx.)
  • Costs of living: Estimate your costs of living with our interactive tool in order to start developing a financial plan for your graduate studies.

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

All of our Master's students are funded. A typical minimum funding package for MA students is around $22,000 (domestic) or $25,000 per year for 20 months from a combination of Teaching Assistantships and fellowships. Most students receive additional funding from external scholarship competitions and Research Assistantship opportunities in the department, with the most successful students receiving over $30,000 per year. In addition, the Department provides support for student travel and research abroad.

Career Options

Our MA students have gone on to study at outstanding universities such as McGill, University of Toronto, Yale, UC-Berkeley, Stanford, and Oxford. Others have had career success in the public and private sectors as teachers, university administrators, translators, creative professionals, bankers, and more.

Alumni on Success

• Elisabeth Schrottner: Ministry Apprentice at West Point Grey Baptist Church

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

• Applications: 6 (2023), 9 (2022), 5 (2021), 2 (2020), 5 (2019)
• Offers: 1 (2023), 3 (2022), 0 (2021), 0 (2020), 1 (2019)
• New Enrolment: 0 (2023), 0 (2022), 0 (2021), 0 (2020), 0 (2019)
• Total Enrolment: 1 (2023), 2 (2022), 1 (2021), 1 (2020), 2 (2019)

Research Supervisors

• Bablitz, Leanne (Roman history, Roman law, Roman courtrooms, Roman social history and law, Roman topography, Roman legal procedure)
• Cooper, Elisabeth (Archaeology of greater Mesopotamia)
• Daniels, Megan (Archaeology of Greece and the broader eastern Mediterranean; Late Bronze Age to Hellenistic Period; Ancient religion, sanctuaries, votive objects; Cross-cultural interaction; Ancient economies and trade; Divine kingship; Digital/data science approaches to the ancient world, particularly ancient religion; Migration and mobility across Eurasia; Phoenician culture; Ceramic analysis; Archaeology of Greece and the broader eastern Mediterranean, Late Bronze Age to Hellenistic Period, Ancient religion, sanctuaries, votive objects, Cross-cultural interaction, Ancient economies and trade, Divine kingship, Digital/data science approaches to the ancient world, particularly ancient religion, Migration and mobility across Eurasia, Phoenician culture, Ceramic analysis)
• De Angelis, Franco (Ancient Greek world history, environment, urbanism, development of societies, colonization, economics, ancient literature)
• Fisher, Kevin (Archeological Data Analysis; Archeological Excavation Methods and Techniques; architecture; built environments; digital archaeology; Dynamics of Social Transformations; Mediterranean archaeology; Near Eastern archaeology; power; Social Life / Societal Life; social interaction; Urban Spaces and Urbanity; urbanism; Archeological Data Analysis, Archeological Excavation Methods and Techniques, Architecture, Built environments, Digital archaeology, Dynamics of Social Transformations, Mediterranean archaeology, Near Eastern archaeology, Power, Social Life / Societal Life, Social interaction, Urban Spaces and Urbanity, Urbanism)
• Gardner, Gregg (Judaism, Rabbinic Literature, Rabbinic Judaism, Mishnah, Talmud, Jewish Studies, Jewish Law, Jewish Ethics, Charity, Jewish Ethics, Archaeology of Israel, Archaeology and Hebrew Bible, Archaeology of Jerusalem)
• Griffin, Michael (Greek philosophy, Ancient philosophy, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Proclus, Neoplatonism, Ancient logic)
• Huemoeller, Katharine (Ancient law (in theory and in practice); Documentary texts; gender and sexuality; Non-urban life in antiquity; Roman social history; Slavery (ancient and comparative); Ancient law (in theory and in practice), Documentary texts, Gender and sexuality, Non-urban life in antiquity, Roman social history, Slavery (ancient and comparative))
• Marshall, Toph (Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Performance and Theatrical Productions; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis, Performance and Theatrical Productions)
• McCarty, Matthew (Roman archaeology; Roman history; Africa; Europe; postcolonialism; Marginalized peoples; Religion; Roman archaeology, Roman history, Africa, Europe, Postcolonialism, Marginalized peoples, Religion)
• McElduff, Siobhan (Ancient and modern translation, history of the book)
• Milstein, Sara (biblical and cuneiform law; Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Studies; History of Major Eras, Great Civilisations or Geographical Corpuses; literary history of the Bible; Literary or Artistic Works Analysis; Mesopotamian literature; Near Eastern scribal culture; Religious Contexts; Biblical and cuneiform law, Hebrew Bible and Near Eastern Studies, History of Major Eras, Great Civilisations or Geographical Corpuses, Literary history of the Bible, Literary or Artistic Works Analysis, Mesopotamian literature, Near Eastern scribal culture, Religious Contexts)
• Philbrick, Rachel (Latin poetry; Greek poetry; genre; Textual authority and credibility; Intertextuality; Latin poetry, Greek poetry, Genre, Textual authority and credibility, Intertextuality)
• Schneider, Thomas (Egyptian history and phonoly)
• Soon, Isaac (Early Christianity and New Testament; Early Christianity and New Testament)
• Yoo, Philip (Religion and religious studies; Hebrew Bible; Second Temple Judaism; Religion and religious studies, Hebrew Bible, Second Temple Judaism)
• Yoon, Florence (heralds and the representation of the absent; anonymity and naming, particularly in Greek Tragedy; props and silent characters in Greek drama)

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Repentance as tragic virtue: structure, genre, and theme in the Greek Life of Adam and Eve

Related Programs

Same specialization

• Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD)

Same Academic Unit

• Doctor of Philosophy in Classics (PhD)
• Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies (PhD)
• Master of Arts in Ancient Culture, Religion and Ethnicity (MA)
• Master of Arts in Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology (MA)
• Master of Arts in Classics (MA)

Further Information

Specialization

Religious Studies

The following areas of concentration are offered in the Master's program: Biblical Studies; Christian Thought and Institutions; History of Religions; Islamic Studies; and Judaic Studies. The Ph.D. program at present provides training in Early Judaism, Christian Origins, and Religions of the Late Antique Mediterranean.

Faculty

Faculty of Arts

Academic Unit

Department of Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies

Program Identifier

VGMMAA-VC

Classification

Humanities and the arts » History, archaeology and related studies » Religion and religious studies