At University of Calgary in Calgary, Canada, PhD in Religious Studies is offered as a doctorate in Religious Studies programme. The programme runs for 4 years. Tuition for international students is CAD 2,859 per semester (CAD 1,225 per semester for local students).
Also offered as: Master's Degree
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Religious Studies
Duration: 4 years
Local tuition: CAD 1,225 / semester
International tuition: CAD 2,859 / semester
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This is a Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies at the University of Calgary, a thesis-based doctoral program delivered through classroom instruction on campus. Students complete a minimum of five courses covering Western religions, Eastern religions, and the nature of religion through advanced critical discourse, applying anthropological, sociological, historical, philological and philosophical methods, with specialization available in Western Religions, Eastern Religions, or Nature of Religion. Before the candidacy examination, students must demonstrate reading knowledge of at least two languages other than English. The program culminates in an original thesis defended in an open oral examination. Applicants are expected to hold a degree comparable to the university's own Religious Studies MA. As a doctoral program, the emphasis is on independent, supervised research across religious traditions rather than coursework alone. It suits students who have completed a thesis-based master's in religious studies and want to pursue advanced, language-supported research, whether toward an academic career or roles in teaching, chaplaincy or related fields that draw on comparative religious expertise.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.50 / 4.0
Admission Requirements: Admission requires a degree comparable to the University of Calgary's Religious Studies MA, plus a minimum GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale over the past two years of full-time study. Candidates must demonstrate reading knowledge of at least two languages other than English before the candidacy examination. The programme page defers English-language proficiency to the Faculty of Graduate Studies' general requirement, published in the UCalgary Graduate Calendar: IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, TOEFL iBT 86 with no section below 20, or Duolingo English Test 125 with no sub-score below 105. Applicants must submit a sample of written work (e.g. a recent research essay) and two reference letters; no standardized admission test or interview is required.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:For Fall 2027 entry, the University of Calgary opens undergraduate applications for domestic applicants on 1 October 2026 and for international applicants on 15 August 2026, both closing on the same firm application deadline of 1 March 2027, with supporting documents due by 15 March 2027 and offers accepted by 1 May 2027. International applicants follow the identical March 1 deadline; the university publishes no separate, later international closing date. Applications are not accepted on a rolling basis after the deadline for most direct-entry programmes, though a small number of programmes (e.g. Nursing) run further selection rounds into the summer while space remains. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
