The MA Religious Studies at Leiden University is designed to equip students with the tools and knowledge required for studying, interpreting, and analysing religion as a diverse (human) phenomenon. With its world-class scholars and access to exceptional research collections, the programme offers the opportunity to explore a broad spectrum of religions and their manifestations from a comparative, multidisciplinary perspective.
Why study Religious Studies?
Religion permeates our world and remains highly influential across all domains of human society, including politics, culture, and economics. Religion also plays a critical role in everyday life as it provides meaning, motivation, and social support for billions of people. Despite trends of secularisation in some areas, on a global level religious identification is actually growing and a majority of people around the world continue to be affiliated with religious organisations and communities. It is not a stretch to claim that no matter the region, the issue, or the historical period, knowledge of religion is essential for understanding the world.
Why study Religious Studies at Leiden University?
This one-year MA programme offers you the best of Leiden University, from outstanding and dedicated lecturers to its library’s famous collections. The programme relies heavily on the research of staff members who bring together expertise in specific religions with a comparative approach that draws on a variety of humanistic and social scientific disciplines. Our generalist approach towards the study of religion focuses on skills, tools, methods, and theories, with students being taught how to collect data using a wide range of qualitative and quantitative methods and how to analyse and apply concepts and theories to real-world empirical findings. By the end of the programme, you will be equipped with everything needed to critically analyse complex situations around the globe and tackle problems in society at large.
We also offer a two-year variant of our programme, called MA Religie en Levensbeschouwing (MA Religion and Worldview). This variant is specifically targeted at the educational sector and is taught in both English and Dutch.
Career prospects
Create a world of opportunities with a master's degree from Leiden University.
Our graduates have pursued successful careers in research and in the public, private and non-profit sectors as editors, journalists, policy advisors, counsellors or teachers of religion or philosophy.
Positions of our graduates include
Expected April 2024
More details
Start date
Expected September 2024
Leiden University
Rapenburg 70,
LEIDEN,
Zuid-Holland,
2311, Netherlands
The Faculty Board may, on request, grant admission to applicants who can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Faculty Board that they possess a level of knowledge, understanding and skills equal to that of holders of a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university in Religious Studies.
The bachelor’s degree should be in the field of humanities or social sciences.
You should have:
If you have a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university in Humanities or Social Sciences, and have successfully completed the minor ‘Religion in a changing World’, you are considered to have fulfilled these requirements.
In order to successfully participate in this programme, you must be proficient in English. The following requirements apply:
*There may be different IELTS requirements depending on your chosen course.
