Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies - Christianity

Graduate students in this area can specialize in the study of modern (American Religion, African American religion, Pentecostalism, and Evangelicalism) and pre-modern (Syriac Christianity, late antique Christianity, Christianity in the Middle East, and Byzantine) Christianity. Our approach to Christian history and culture is informed by broad methodological and theoretical interests, including material culture, gender and sexuality, literary criticism, media and communication, and politics. The Graduate Group in Religious Studies at Penn brings together a range of domains of expertise. We specialize not just in geographical areas and historical religious traditions, but also in methods and approaches, including a reflexive approach to the category of religion itself, attention to material and visual culture, engagement with both classical manuscripts and contemporary media, and consideration of the role of religion against the backdrop of modernity and science, including considerations of politics, gender, and race. Rather than a formal track system, we encourage combinations of approaches, cultivating expertise that will prepare students for the academic job market while also developing research and communication skills applicable to a range of professional contexts. Our main areas of research and expertise, listed in alphabetical order, include:

Transcripts uploaded to the application
Letters of recommendation
Statement of purpose
GRE, where required. Check your graduate group for details on program requirements.
Demonstration of English proficiency, where required
Writing sample, where required

Applicants are asked in their application to indicate what fields of specialization they intend to pursue within Religious Studies. While the department strongly encourages creative work that synthesizes diverse approaches to the study of religion, applicants should indicate at least one, and no more than three, research areas when completing the graduate school application.