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Earn Your Master of Arts
in Religious Studies
from the Graduate Theological Union
in Berkeley, CA

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Discover the Future of Religious Scholarship with Our Religious Studies Master's Programs

Looking to make a real impact with your studies? At the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California, our Master of Arts in Religious Studies goes beyond the classroom, equipping you with the critical thinking skills, ethical frameworks, and compassionate values you need to create a more just and sustainable world.

It's a program designed for scholars, faith leaders, changemakers, and seekers of interreligious understanding. As a master's student, you will:

  • Complete 36 units over 1.5 years, with in-person and online options
  • Study major world faiths in an interreligious, collaborative setting
  • Choose a research thesis or practical portfolio to fit your career path
  • Apply your learning to create positive change in communities

At GTU, scholarship becomes meaningful action. Connect with us and get started on your religious studies master's program today.

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Your Master's Degree in Religion by the Numbers

13
Unique Degree Concentrations
10
Faith Traditions Available for Study
200+
Faculty Members Through the Consortium
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Explore Our Religious Studies Program Concentrations

You can shape your master's degree in religious studies by choosing from 13 concentrations that encompass the depth and range of global religious traditions. Each pathway lets you dive deep into an area that inspires you, while building skills you can carry into teaching, ministry, non-profit leadership, or community work. And if your passions don't fit neatly into one track, you can even design your own concentration, creating a program as one-of-a-kind as your calling.

Explore the religion master's program options below to see where your interests can take you at GTU:

  • Christian Studies
  • Eastern Orthodox Studies
  • Hindu and Yoga Studies
  • Islamic Studies
  • Swedenborgian Studies
  • Worship and Liturgy
  • Interreligious Studies
  • Interreligious Chaplaincy
  • Psychedelics and Religion
  • Arts and Religion
  • Theology and Natural Sciences
  • Self-Designed Concentration
  • Jewish Studies
Students in academic setting

A Flexible Religious Studies Degree Designed to Fit Your Life

Completing your Master of Arts in Religious Studies at GTU is both achievable and adaptable. With flexible timelines and learning formats, you can design a path that fits your life and goals:

  • 36 units to complete in as little as 1.5 years
  • Study full-time or part-time to accommodate your schedule
  • Flexible formats: in-person, hybrid, or fully online
  • Designed for accessibility, making it easier to balance work, family, and commitments while pursuing your master's in religion
Scholarship opportunities

Showcase Your Learning with a Capstone Thesis or Portfolio

As a student in the Master of Arts in Religion program, you'll be able to shape your capstone project around what matters most to your academic and professional aspirations. You'll choose between these options:

The Research Thesis: Ideal if you're drawn to deep, original scholarship. This path lets you engage in rigorous research, critically explore a topic that inspires you, and make a contribution to academic conversations in religion and theology.

The Practical Portfolio: If you prefer applying what you've learned in tangible ways, you can build a portfolio of projects or research that demonstrates how you translate theory into practice in ministry, nonprofit work, or community engagement.

Students collaborating

Make an Impact in Health Care, Nonprofits, Government, and Beyond

GTU graduates have gone on to do good work in health care, ministry and chaplaincy, teaching, nonprofit leadership and administration, government, publishing, and more. Over the past three years, 93% of our MA in Religion graduates have achieved professional placement, demonstrating that this degree doesn't just open doors—it leads to results. Whether you aspire to academia, faith-based leadership, or a role in the nonprofit sector, a master's degree in religious studies helps you step confidently into a meaningful path.

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Access More Perspectives and Possibilities with the Consortium Model

Since 1962, GTU has been a consortium of independent theological schools, centers, and affiliates all committed to working together. Rather than being one theological school, our consortium means access to a whole network of faculty, traditions, and resources across many institutions. With the support of your advisor, you'll choose from 700+ courses. So your Master of Arts in Religious Studies is enriched by diverse perspectives and deeper opportunities.