Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion

Research Master: Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion (Leuven)

Theology students today are faced with the momentous task of contributing to modern culture. This requires a thorough and interdisciplinary academic training. With this in mind, the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies insists on developing well-rounded and highly trained scholars with critical minds. The two-year Research Master equips students to function as experts in Church and society and prepares them for further research specifically oriented towards the Doctoral Programme in Theology.

What is the Research Master: Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and Religious Studies all about?

The Research Master: Master of Advanced Studies in Theology and Religion offers you a broad perspective on what theology and religious studies are all about. After graduation, you will have obtained a broad yet profound theoretical foundation in the great European traditions of thought and you will be able to move with ease as a dialogue partner in diverse theological fields.

Guided by the Faculty's world-renowned faculty members, whose individual areas of expertise span the breadth and depth of theology, you will learn to give shape to your own independence, and transform it into a project with the potential to lead into doctoral studies. And rest assured: research at Leuven is second to none. Just ask Jansenius, Erasmus, or Louis Janssens – names from Leuven’s rich and ongoing history that spring to life in the Faculty’s peerless library, containing countless priceless volumes and ancient manuscripts. At Leuven, your research is sharpened by the newest digital tools, and bolstered by subscriptions to a rich variety of international journals, ranging from the mainstream to the cutting edge of today’s theology. The Faculty also confers on qualified students the degrees of Sacrae Theologiae Baccalaureus (S.T.B.) and Licentiatus (S.T.L.) in combination with the Research Master.

Structure

The 120-credits programme comprises the following:

• Courses (60 credits): you take six courses of the truncus communis (24 credits), one inter disciplinary course (4 credits), three courses from three different majors outside your specialization major (12 credits), and five electives (20 credits).
• A research master's thesis (32 credits): you will have two years to write a thesis in which you present the results of your study of an original research topic. The thesis must provide a structured and coherent survey of the issue while including an evaluation of research already undertaken and demonstrating evidence of an awareness of problems related to the topic.
• A major (28 credits): you take seven major courses (28 credits). The major can be selected from the research areas on offer at the faculty: biblical studies, systematic theology and the study of religions, theological and comparative ethics, history of church and theology, pastoral and empirical theology. 

International experience

The research master’s programme attracts students from all over the world, which adds a valuable intercultural element to your experience. The Faculty currently has students from more than sixty countries and thus from virtually every part of the globe. We also encourage students to participate in exchange programmes that allow them to spend a semester abroad. The Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies has 68 agreements in 23 different countries within the framework of the Erasmus+ programme.

Faculty

The programme is offered by the Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies, which from its founding in 1432 has built a rich history and tradition. The Faculty focuses on training students and researchers in scientifically-based, and methodological reflection and application, where theology and religious studies mutually enrich one another. All of the Faculty’s programmes are taught in both Dutch and English and are open to students of every nationality. The Faculty currently has students from more than sixty countries and thus from virtually every part of the globe.

More information on the programme page