Combined BA/MA in Religious Studies Degree Pathway

To be considered for admission to the combined bachelor's/master's degree pathway, students must have completed at least 75 credits in the bachelor's degree program at FIU and meet the admissions criteria for the graduate degree program to which they are applying. Students need only apply once to the combined degree pathway; the application is submitted to Graduate Admissions typically before the student starts the last 30 credits of the bachelor's degree pathway. A student admitted to the combined degree pathway will be considered to have undergraduate status until the student applies for graduation from their bachelor's degree program. Upon conferral of the bachelor's degree, the student will be granted graduate status and be eligible for graduate assistantships. Only 5000-level or higher courses, and no more than the number of credits specified by the program catalog, may be applied toward both degrees.

Admission Requirements

• Current enrollment in the Bachelor's Degree program in Religious Studies, or any humanities major that allows at least 12 hours of electives.
• Current GPA must be 3.4 or higher.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• Approval of the Graduate Committee.
• Submission of acceptable writing sample, complete with bibliography, to Turnitin.com.

Requirements

Completed BA at FIU including,

• REL 4931 — Religious Studies Seminar

  or

• REL 4030 — Methods in the Study of Religion

At least two of the following three core courses:

• RLG 5038 — Advanced Fieldwork in Religious Studies
• RLG 6935 — Seminar in Sacred Texts
• RLG 6013 — Modern Analysis of Religion

Three or six additional hours of graduate credit in Religious Studies (for majors, graduate level enrollment in three or six hours of Focus Courses) must also be taken as Graduate courses. The total number of graduate hours taken concurrently with the BA should be 12 credit hours.

Required for the MA

The remaining core course (if not already taken).

• A four-course track, either in one religious tradition, or one theme across religious traditions, approved by the Graduate Director.
• Six credits of electives selected from the Religious Studies Graduate Course Offerings.
• Six hours of thesis or six additional hours from the Religious Studies Graduate Course Offerings.

All courses must be completed with a grade of "B" or above.