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Religious Studies (PhD)

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Programs of study leading to the degrees of Master of Arts (MA) in Religious Studies and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Studies are offered.

Objectives and Methods

The orientation of the Department of Classics and Religious Studies (sector: Religious Studies) is that of the "Science of Religions" or Religionswissenschaft. Thus, the study of the religious phenomenon is pursued through teaching and research in the same manner and on the same level as any other category of facts accessible to human experience and observation.

The disciplines that play a role in the study of religions are primarily of a historical, sociological, psychological and anthropological nature. Moreover, in the modern context, such a study must take into account the plurality of religious traditions and expressions in society and examine the relationships among them.

In light of the above, the Department of Classics and Religious Studies (sector: religious studies) takes a multidisciplinary approach to the study of religious phenomena using the perspectives of historical, sociological, psychological, anthropological and literary studies to arrive at a comprehensive understanding of people as religious beings. Research on the meaning of religious phenomena is accomplished through analysis and comparison of the various means of religious expression, both in the past and present. No tradition is considered normative.

Areas of Research

The doctoral program in Religious Studies focuses on religions in Canada, including Amerindian and Inuit traditions, on religions in a comparative cultural context as well as religions in the Graeco-Roman World. The comparative cultural approach provides an opportunity to explore religious phenomena across different religious traditions expressly within their specific cultural contexts. The program favours the methods of anthropology, history, psychology and sociology.The comparative cultural approach focuses on religions in the Roman Empire and in the contemporary period.

The Department offers a collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the PhD level. For more information on this program, see ”Admission”.

The programs are governed by the general regulations of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (FGPS).

Search all research fields for members of the teaching staff

The professors included in the list below are members of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. This means that they are authorized to supervise or co-supervise theses. A complete list of the faculty and staff members associated with the program can be found at http://www.cla-srs.uottawa.ca




ANDERSON, Emma, Associate Professor
European-Aboriginal religious contact in colonial Canada; North American religious history; aboriginal religions; post-Tridentine French catholicism; marian apparitions; religion in contemporary Canada

BEAMAN, Lori, Full Professor
Religion in Canadian society; social and cultural theory; critical legal studies

BEYER, Peter, Full Professor
Sociology of religion; religion and globalization; religion in contemporary Canada; religion and immigration

BURGESS, Richard, Full Professor
Late Roman chronicles; editing texts; late Roman history and historiography; late Roman coinage, especially fifth century Western

BUSSIÈRES, Marie-Pierre, Associate Professor
Late Antique and Christian latin literature

CÔTÉ, Dominique, Associate Professor
Christian apocryphal literature; second sophistic; Greek mythology; magic in the Greco-Roman world

DE BRUYN, Theodore, Associate Professor
Christianity in late Antiquity; ritual and religious identity; religion and health

DIJKSTRA, Jitse, Associate Professor
Egypt in late Antiquity; coptic; papyrology and epigraphy; archaeology

GARDAZ, Michel, Associate Professor
Method and theory in the study of religion; history of the study of religion; Islam in Central Asia; orientalism

GOLDENBERG, Naomi, Full Professor
Psychoanalysis; women and religion; cultural studies

GREATREX, Geoffrey, Associate Professor
Late Antiquity; Romano-Persian relations; the reign of the Emperor Justinian

GUEDON, Marie-Françoise, Associate Professor
Anthropologie du religieux - chamanisme; peuples autochtones; études interculturelles

MARGOLIS, Rebecca, Associate Professor
Canadian Yiddish culture; Yiddish language and literature; Canadian Jewish history

PIOVANELLI, Pierluigi, Full Professor
Jewish and Christian apocryphal texts; Jewish apocalypticism; historical Jesus; Ethiopian Christianity

PUMMER, Reinhard, Emeritus Professor

RAAB, Kelley, Assistant Professor
Religion and psychiatry; psychology of religion; women and religion

REINHARTZ, Adele, Full Professor
Early Christianity and Judaism; Gospel of John; Bible and film; Jewish-Christian relations; feminist biblical criticism

SCHLAPBACH, Karin, Associate Professor
Later ancient literature; later ancient performance culture; post-classical philosophy

SIOUI, Georges, Full Professor
Metahistory and history of Aboriginal peoples; Aboriginal philosophy and spirituality; Aboriginal/Indigenous education; Canadian studies

VALLELY, Anne, Associate Professor
Jainism; religion and nature; death and transcendence, contemporary Judaism

Candidates must have a Master of Arts in Religious Studies or the equivalent, and must meet the requirements of the FGPS. When they apply, candidates must indicate their preferred area of research, consult a full-time professor of the department whom they hope to have as a supervisor, and submit a two-page statement of their doctoral research project.

Official applications should be submitted by the deadlines listed on the website of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies. Applications received after a deadline will be considered only if positions are available.

All applicants must be able to understand speak and write either English or French proficiently . Applicants whose first language is neither English nor French must provide proof of proficiency in one or the other. The list of acceptable tests is indicated in the “Admission” section of the general regulations of the FGPS.

In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, assignments, examinations, research papers and theses can be produced in either English or French.

Collaborative Program in Canadian Studies at the Doctoral Level

The doctoral program in Religious Studies participates in the collaborative program in Canadian Studies at the doctoral level. This program has been established for students wishing to enrich their training in religious studies by including an interdisciplinary component in Canadian studies. The Seminar in Canadian Studies (CDN6910) fits into the departmental course requirements and does not add to the number of courses required for the doctorate in religious studies.

For further details, please consult the Canadian Studies website of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.

Transfer from MA to PhD

Students enrolled in the MA program may be allowed to transfer to the PhD program without being required to write a master’s thesis provided they meet the following conditions:

  • Hold an honours BA in Religious Studies with a minimum average of 8.0 (A-) in the last eight relevant courses of the undergraduate transcript and a minimum of 9.0 (A) in four of these eight courses, or hold a master’s degree in a field other than religious studies;
  • Have completed the mandatory MA course SRS5915/5115 and three other MA courses with a minimum grade of A- in two courses and a minimum grade of A in two courses;
  • Have completed a 40-page research paper (SRS5999);
  • Provide a written recommendation in support of the transfer from the supervisor of the research paper and from the Graduate Studies Committee;
  • Provide an agreement on the part of a faculty member of the Religious Studies program to supervise the student's doctoral thesis.

The transfer must be completed by the end of the fourth session following initial registration in the master’s program. Please note that the minimal admission average requirements for the doctoral program must also be met. Following transfer, all of the usual requirements of the PhD must be met: a total of 30 credits of graduate coursework (MA and PhD combined); the comprehensive exam (SRS9998); and, the thesis (SRS9989).

The doctoral program consists of 18 credits in courses and directed studies, a comprehensive examination, and the writing and defence of a thesis.

The 18 credits in courses comprise:

    SRS8115 SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
    or
    SRS8915 SÉMINAIRE EN SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS / SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)

    SRS5928 PROJET DE THÈSE / THESIS PROPOSAL (3cr.)

    four graduate courses or directed studies in religious studies (12cr.)

For students in the collaborative program in Canadian Studies, the 18 credits in courses comprise:

    SRS8115 SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
    or
    SRS8915 SÉMINAIRE EN SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS / SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)

    SRS5928 PROJET DE THÈSE / THESIS PROPOSAL (3cr.)

    CDN6910 SÉMINAIRE EN ÉTUDES CANADIENNES / SEMINAR IN CANADIAN STUDIES (3cr.)
    or
    CDN6520 SÉMINAIRE SUR LA FRANCOPHONIE CANADIENNE (3cr.)

  • three graduate courses or directed studies in religious studies (9cr.)
  • Students who have completed a master’s degree with thesis or the equivalent in terms of research and writing may substitute a three-credit course or directed study for SRS5928.
  • The Graduate Studies Committee may require additional courses from the student depending on the nature of the research.
  • Comprehensive examination
  • Students must successfully complete a comprehensive examination in which they demonstrate their knowledge of the general and the specific fields of research to which the doctoral thesis is related. Instructions regarding the examination can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies in the department.

    After consulting with the research supervisor, the student shall submit a comprehensive examination proposal to the Committee of Studies for approval at least two months before the proposed examination date. After approving the plan, the Committee shall designate two examiners in addition to the research supervisor, taking into account the suggestions of the student, and set the examination date. The department shall forward a written confirmation of the examination date to the student one month in advance. Any student who decides to withdraw must advise the department in writing at least two weeks prior to the date scheduled for the examination.

  • Thesis
  • After consultation with their research supervisor, students must submit their thesis topic to the Committee of Studies for approval.

    Before the end of the second year of studies, the thesis project must be presented for examination and discussion at a colloquium attended by professors and students of the department. After the colloquium, the project must be submitted to the Committee of Studies for approval. Instructions regarding the colloquium and the thesis project can be obtained from the Director of Graduate Studies in the department.

    For additional information on deadlines and on the writing, submission, examination, and revision of the thesis, please consult the general regulations of the Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies as well as the guide Preparing a Thesis or a Research Paper.

  • Colloquium
  • Participation in the department's regular research colloquia is compulsory for all registered graduate students.

    Minimum Standards

    The passing grade in all courses is C+. Students who fail two courses (equivalent to 6 credits), the thesis proposal, or whose research progress is deemed unsatisfactory are required to withdraw.

    Residence

    Doctoral students must register for a minimum of six full-time sessions.

    Duration of the Program

    Students are expected to fulfill all requirements within four years. The maximum time permitted is six years from the date of initial registration in the program, or seven years in the case of the students transferring from the master’s to the doctorate.

    Courses Taken Outside the Department

    Subject to the approval of the director of graduate studies, students registered in a graduate program may receive credit for two graduate courses (equivalent to six credits) taken outside the department.

SRS5101 SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM (3cr.)
Central questions and recent developments in the study of Judaism in the period of the Second Temple.

SRS5102 PSYCHOANALYSIS AND RELIGION (3cr.)
Psychoanalytic thought relating to religion since the work of Sigmund Freud; therapeutic traditions and theories derived from the writings of Melanie Klein, D.W. Winnicott, W.R.D. Fairbairn and Jacques Lacan.

SRS5103 FREUD, JUNG AND RELIGION (3cr.)
An examination of Sigmund Freud’s and Carl Jung’s writings pertaining to religion and mythology.

SRS5107 ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY (3cr.)
Current questions and recent developments in the study of the origins of Christianity.

SRS5115 SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS5116 CURRENT APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF RELIGION (3cr.)
The methodological terrain of the current study of religion: the history, theoretical and methodological contributions, and influence of various approaches.

SRS5305 RELIGION AND SOCIETY IN CROSS-CULTURAL ANALYSIS (3cr.)
Comparative sociological analysis of the relations between religion and society in different cultures and regions.

SRS5320 RELIGION AND ANTHROPOLOGY - SELECTED TOPICS (3cr.)
Major theories and debates in anthropological analyses of religion and the associated methodology of ethnography.

SRS5502 RELIGIONS AFRICAINES (3cr.)
Étude des religions et cultures africaines dans leurs dimensions politiques, économiques, conflictuelles et identitaires, depuis les réalités ancestrales et les cultes traditionnels jusqu’au foisonnement des spiritualités contemporaines.

SRS5520 RELIGION ET ANTHROPOLOGIE - THÈMES CHOISIS (3cr.)
Théories et débats à la base des analyses anthropologiques du religieux, et de la méthodologie ethnographique dont elles sont inséparables.

SRS5901 HISTOIRE DES SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS / HISTORY OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
Analyse historique des théories et des approches méthodologiques de l’étude de la religion; développement institutionnel des sciences des religions. / Analysis of theories and methodological approaches in the historical study of religion; the institutional development of religious studies.

SRS5902 TEXTES ET RÉCITS RELIGIEUX / RELIGIOUS TEXTS AND NARRATIVES (3cr.)
Approches actuelles dans l’étude des textes et récits religieux. Études d’aspects tels que l’oralité, l’intertextualité, l’expression, laréception et l’idéologie. / Current approaches to the study of religious texts and narratives, exploring such aspects as orality, intertextuality, performance, reception, and ideology.

SRS5903 RITES ET SYMBOLES RELIGIEUX / RELIGIOUS RITES AND SYMBOLS (3cr.)
Approches actuelles dans l’étude des rites et symboles religieux. Étude de la dynamique du symbolisme, de la corporalité, de la communauté, de l’expression et de l’identité. / Current approaches to the study of religious rites and symbols, exploring the dynamics of symbolism, embodiment, performance, community, and identity.

SRS5915 SÉMINAIRE EN SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS / SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
Introduction approfondie à l’étude savante du religieux. / An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS5918 RELIGION, ART ET CULTURE / RELIGION, ART AND CULTURE (3cr.)
Étude de la représentation du religieux dans les arts (arts visuels, musique, théâtre, littérature, cinéma) ou de la contribution des arts à la religion. / An examination of the representation of religion in the arts ( visual art, music, drama, literature, and film) or of the contribution of the arts to religion.

SRS5920 APPROCHES ACTUELLES DANS L’ÉTUDE DE LA RELIGION / CURRENT APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF RELIGION (3cr.)
Le domaine méthodologique de l’étude contemporaine de la religion, y compris l’historicité, les contributions théoriques ou méthodologiques et l’influence de diverses approches. / The methodological terrain of the current study of religion: the history, theoretical and methodological contributions, and influence of various approaches.

SRS5923 LES DÉESSES ET LES FEMMES DANS LE MYTHE ET LE SYMBOLE / GODDESSES AND WOMEN IN MYTH AND SYMBOL (3cr.)
Étude des théoriciens actuels qui fondent leur analyse critique de l’idéologie et de la culture sur les représentations féminines dans l’imagerie religieuse. / An examination of the work of current theorists who make use of female representations in religious imagery for the purpose of critical analysis of ideology and culture.

SRS5924 LE JUDAÏSME DU SECOND TEMPLE / SECOND TEMPLE JUDAISM (3cr.)
Questions essentielles et développements récents dans l’étude du judaïsme du Second Temple. / Central questions and recent developments in the study of Judaism in the period of the Second Temple.

SRS5925 ORIGINES DU CHRISTIANISME / ORIGINS OF CHRISTIANITY (3cr.)
Questions actuelles et développements récents dans l’étude des origines du Christianisme. / Current questions and recent developments in the study of the origins of Christianity.

SRS5926 RELIGION DANS L’ANTIQUITÉ TARDIVE / RELIGION IN LATE ANTIQUITY (3cr.)
Étude de la religion dans le monde méditerranéen de l’Antiquité tardive, en particulier des questions de transformation religieuse, de discours, de conflit, de pluralisme et d’identité. / An examination of religion in the Mediterranean world in Late Antiquity, with particular attention to religious transformation, discourse, conflict, pluralism, and identity.

SRS5927 TRADITIONS CHAMANIQUES / SHAMANIC TRADITIONS (3cr.)
Étude anthropologique des visions du monde chamanique et des religions utilisant la transe, ainsi que des pratiques rituelles, thérapeutiques ou artistiques qui y sont associées. / Anthropological study of shamanic worldviews and trance-based religions, and the associated ritual, therapeutic and artistic practices they inform.

SRS5928 PROJET DE THÈSE / THESIS PROPOSAL (3cr.)
La planification et réalisation d’une thèse : définition d’un cadre théorique, formulation de la problématique, mise au point de la méthodologie, détermination des hypothèses et de l’argumentation, préparation d’une description détaillée du projet de thèse, présentation du projet dans un colloque, évaluation et approbation déontologiques, planification et exécution de la recherche et de la rédaction. Réservé aux étudiants inscrits à un programme avec thèse. Préalables: SRS5115/SRS5915 ou SRS8115/SRS8915. / The planning and implementation of a thesis: establishing a theoretical framework, formulating the question, refining the methodology, defining the hypotheses and lines of argumentation, preparing a detailed description of the thesis project, presenting the project in a colloquium, obtaining ethics approval, planning and carrying out the research and writing. Restricted to students registered in a program with thesis. Prerequisites: SRS5115/SRS5915 or SRS8115/SRS8915.

SRS5999 MÉMOIRE / RESEARCH PAPER (6cr.)

SRS6100 RELIGION AND LAW (3cr.)
An examination of the ways in which law defines and regulates religion, focusing especially on the treatment of minority religious groups and the concept of religious diversity.

SRS6101 RELIGION AND HUMAN RIGHTS (3cr.)
An examination of the intersection of human rights regimes and the ways in which they define and delimit religion in the context of current issues.

SRS6900 ÉTUDE COMPARATIVE DU RELIGIEUX / COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RELIGION (3cr.)
Étude comparative d’un thème ou d’un aspect du religieux tel qu’il se manifeste dans diverses cultures. / A comparative study of a theme or aspect of religion as manifested in diverse cultures.

SRS6905 RELIGION ET SOCIÉTÉ / RELIGION AND SOCIETY (3cr.)
Étude de diverses perspectives méthodologiques et théoriques s’appliquant à la dynamique entre religion et société. / An examination of the dynamic between religion and society through a variety of theoretical and methodological perspectives.

SRS6906 RELIGION ET PSYCHOLOGIE / RELIGION AND PSYCHOLOGY (3cr.)
Étude de théories psychologiques actuelles telles que la psychologie critique, la psychologie des profondeurs et la psychologie de l’ego, et de leur rapport aux sciences des religions. / An examination of current psychological theories, such as critical psychology, depth psychology, and ego psychology, as they relate to topics in religious studies.

SRS6907 THÈMES CHOISIS EN CHRISTIANISME / SELECTED TOPICS IN CHRISTIANITY (3cr.)
Étude d’un sujet particulier concernant le christianisme, circonscrit dans un cadre temporel, géographique ou thématique. / Examination of a specific topic in Christianity, defined temporally, geographically or thematically.

SRS6913 THÈMES CHOISIS EN HISTOIRE DES RELIGIONS AU CANADA / SELECTED TOPICS IN THE HISTORY OF RELIGIONS IN CANADA (3cr.)
Étude approfondie des aspects particuliers de l’histoire des religions dans un contexte canadien. / An in-depth examination of particular aspects of the history of religions in a Canadian context.

SRS6915 SYSTÈMES RELIGIEUX DES AMÉRINDIENS ET DES INUIT / AMERINDIAN AND INUIT RELIGIOUS SYSTEMS (3cr.)
Étude de l’expression et de la conceptualisation de la religion chez les Amérindiens et les Inuits. / An examination of the expression and conceptualization of religion in Amerindian and Inuit cultures.

SRS6920 LES RELIGIONS DANS LE CONTEXTE MONDIAL / RELIGIONS IN A GLOBAL CONTEXT (3cr.)
Analyse critique des formes, des concepts et du contenu des religions dans le contexte mondial; théories et débats actuels en sciences des religions. / Critical examination of the forms, concepts, and content of religions in a global context; current theories and discussions in religious studies.

SRS6921 LA RELIGION DANS LE CANADA D’AUJOURD’HUI / RELIGION IN CONTEMPORARY CANADA (3cr.)
La religion au Canada depuis la Deuxième Guerre mondiale; analyses sociologiques, anthropologiques ou historiques. / Religion in Canada since the Second World War; sociological, anthropological or historical analyses.

SRS6922 THÈMES CHOISIS EN JUDAÏSME / SELECTED TOPICS IN JUDAISM (3cr.)
Étude approfondie d’un sujet particulier relevant du judaïsme, depuis les traditions rabbiniques jusqu’à la vie des juifs d’aujourd’hui. / A close examination of a specific topic in Judaism from Rabbinic traditions to contemporary Jewish life.

SRS6923 RELIGIONS DE L’ASIE / RELIGIONS OF ASIA (3cr.)
Étude d’un ou plusieurs systèmes religieux de l’Asie, à partir de théories et méthodes actuelles en sciences des religions, telles que les approches interprétivistes, matérialistes, phénoménologiques, historiques, philosophiques, ethnographiques, poststructurales, postcoloniales, etc. / An exploration of one or more religious systems of Asia, using current theoretical and methodological approaches in religious studies (e.g., interpretivist, materialist, phenomenological, historical, philosophical, ethnographic, poststructural, postcolonial, etc.).

SRS6924 LA RELIGION DANS LA PENSÉE FÉMINISTE ACTUELLE / RELIGION AND CURRENT FEMINIST THOUGHT (3cr.)
Étude de l’influence des théories féministes actuelles sur les méthodes et théories en sciences des religions. / An examination of the influence of current feminist theory on methods and theories in religious studies.

SRS6925 GENRE ET RELIGION / GENDER AND RELIGION (3cr.)
Étude des débats entourant la notion de genre comme catégorie d’analyse dans les sciences des religions. / An examination of developments within religious studies pertaining to the use of gender as a category of analysis.

SRS6980 ÉTUDES DIRIGÉES I / DIRECTED STUDY I (3cr.)

SRS7080 ÉTUDES DIRIGÉES II / DIRECTED STUDY II (6cr.)

SRS7988 RECENSION DES ÉCRITS - M.A. / LITERATURE REVIEW - MA (3cr.)
Vue d'ensemble de la littérature savante du champ d’études dans lequel se situe le mémoire ou la thèse de maîtrise. Rapport écrit à évaluer par le professeur qui l'a dirigé plus un autre professeur. Évalué S/NS. Prérequis: SRS5115/SRS5915. / Review of the scholarly literature in the field of study in which the master's research paper or thesis is situated. Paper to be evaluated by the professor who supervised it and another professor. Evaluated S/NS. Prerequisite: SRS5115/SRS5915.

SRS7989 THÈSE DE MAÎTRISE / MA THESIS

SRS8016 TRAVAUX DIRIGÉS II / SUPERVISED RESEARCH II (6cr.)

SRS8115 SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS8915 SÉMINAIRE EN SCIENCES DES RELIGIONS / SEMINAR IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES (3cr.)
Introduction approfondie à l’étude savante du religieux. / An orientation to the study of religion at an advanced level.

SRS8916 TRAVAUX DIRIGÉS I / SUPERVISED RESEARCH I (3cr.)

SRS9989 THÈSE DE DOCTORAT / PhD THESIS

SRS9998 EXAMEN DE SYNTHÈSE (Ph.D.) / COMPREHENSIVE EXAMINATION (PhD)

Academic Unit Coordinates
Office of Graduate Studies, Faculty of Arts, c/o Graduate Programs-Classics and Religious Studies
55 Laurier Avenue East, Room 8159
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1N 6N5
Tel: 613-562-5439
Fax: 613-562-5340
gradclas@uOttawa.ca
http://www.cla-srs.uottawa.ca
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