PHD, Religion

Degree Program Summary:

The Department of Religion offers a program leading to the Doctor of Philosophy in Religion. The aim of The PhD degree is to understand religion in its historical, theoretical, and applied dimensions. Given this broad objective, the PhD program in Religion aims to train scholars of religion to achieve an academic degree with concentrations in one of two broad tracks: Religion in a Global Society and Religion in the Americas, within which they will receive more specialized training in particular religions or fields of Religious Studies. A major intent of the program is to prepare individuals to become scholarly researchers and educators in religious studies who can compete successfully for positions in quality institutions of higher education. Yet individuals who are pursuing careers related to Religion other than in the academy will also find the degree useful. The program’s emphasis on global and a variety among religion(s) in the Americas will help to prepare tomorrow’s workforce for the global economy.

Religion has historically been and continues to be one of the major concerns of human societies. The Department of Religion’s PhD in Religion will clearly assist the University of Georgia as it strives to further the education of the citizens of Georgia, the nation, and the world and serve their needs. As noted in the mission statement of the 2020 Strategic Plan, the university is committed to preparing “the University community and the state for full participation in the global society of the twenty-first century. Through its programs and practices, it seeks to foster the understanding of and respect for cultural differences necessary for an enlightened and educated citizenry.” Because Religion is a crucial element of most of the world’s cultures and their worldviews, the Ph.D. in Religion–by training scholars to understand both America’s and the world’s religions–will enhance our students’ abilities to understand and respect the increasingly diverse cultures not only of their fellow Georgians and Americans but of the various societies throughout the world.