At University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, BA/BS in Religious Studies is offered as a bachelor's degree in Religious Studies programme. Tuition is CAD 729 per credit for local students.
This Bachelor of Arts program takes a non-theological approach to the critical study of religion, examining its history, its ideas and principles, and its function in societies past and present through a comparative and interdisciplinary lens. Core requirements include two introductory Religious Studies courses and a designated senior seminar, combined with a set minimum of senior-level units drawn from Religious Studies or approved cross-listed courses in other Arts departments; a smaller minor option is also available with its own mix of course levels. Sample topics include introductions to Western and Eastern religious traditions, classical theories of religion, the Qur'an, Zen and Chan Buddhism, and studies of the Hebrew Bible. The program is administered by the Department of History, Classics, and Religion on the University of Alberta's Edmonton campus. It suits students interested in analyzing religious ideas and institutions from a scholarly rather than devotional standpoint. Degree requirements are set by the University of Alberta Calendar edition matching each student's year of admission.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Direct entry from high school. Admission to the Faculty of Arts is competitive: applicants present 5 Grade 12 subjects, including English Language Arts 30-1 and four more from an approved list (one 30-level Fine Arts course, Biology 30, Chemistry 30, Aboriginal Studies 30, Social Studies 30-1, Mathematics 30-1/30-2/31, Physics 30, Science 30, Computer Science Advanced CTS, or a 30-level language other than English); only one Fine Arts subject may count. There is no fixed minimum average — the Faculty of Arts' three-year admission-average trend is low-to-mid 70s, but averages vary by year and meeting them does not guarantee a seat. No portfolio or audition is required for this major.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply directly to the University of Alberta, not through a provincial service: for Fall 2027 entry the application window opens 1 October 2026 and the deadline for most programmes is 1 March 2027, though several limited-enrolment programmes close earlier (Juris Doctor, 1 December 2026; Dental Hygiene, 1 November 2026) or later (Bachelor of Design and BFA programmes, 1 May 2027); Spring and Summer 2027 admission also opens 1 October 2026, while Winter intake is limited to a few programmes. International applicants use the identical published dates and online application; the university states no separate international closing date. The 1 March deadline is firm and late applications are not accepted, but admission decisions are then issued on a rolling basis, and offers made before 1 April must be accepted by 1 May 2027. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
