MA/MS in Religious studies

This master's programme trains specialists in non-confessional religious studies to apply knowledge of historical and contemporary religious traditions from different world regions and their interactions with culture, politics, media, migration, and gender. Core subjects include the theoretical approaches and research methods of religious studies, two courses on the history of religions, religious texts and their exegesis, the philosophy and psychology of religion, religious institutions and communities, magic, esotericism, and alternative religiosity, and rituals as a means of transmitting religious knowledge, completed with a master's thesis. Elective courses cover modernity and religious change, religion and the state, religion and art, and the relationship between nature, environmentalism, and religion. Learning outcomes include independently formulating and researching a problem concerning historical or contemporary religious phenomena, critically assessing the interactions between religious and non-religious spheres of society, and clearly communicating research findings to specialists and the public. Graduates can work as lecturers, educators, analysts, or specialists at state and municipal institutions and NGOs.