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Combined M.A. in Religious Studies/Ph.D. in International Relations

The combined M.A. in Religious Studies/Ph.D. in International Relations program allows qualified graduate students to pursue both degrees simultaneously.

Students must fulfill the requirements for both programs, and up to 36 credits completed as part of the M.A. in Religious Studies will be counted toward the 75 credit Ph.D. in International Relations.

Admission Requirements:

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for admission.

  1. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution for higher education (or equivalent);
  2. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for the last two years of undergraduate work and/or a GPA of 3.5 on any previous graduate work;
  3. Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores;
  4. Minimum 156 GRE verbal score or a minimum 3.5 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for the last two years of undergraduate work.
  5. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English and who have not obtained a degree from an English-speaking academic institution are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 90 on the internet-based TOEFL (equivalent to 575 on the paper-based version) is required.

Although admissions decisions typically are made in the spring, decisions for students who have not yet received their bachelor’s degree will be conditional, pending confirmation of the B.A. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission into the program.

All applications are subject to review by the members of the Department of Politics and International Relations and the Religious Studies Department.

Admission Procedures:

To be accepted into this program, students must submit an application to the Ph.D. in International Relations with a sub-plan for a M.A. in Religious Studies. This designation will appear in the menu of programs in the graduate application.

The application must be submitted by January 15 in the year in which they wish to begin their studies.

The following documents must be submitted and will be reviewed by the Admissions Committees from both units.

The following must be submitted as part of the on-line application:

  1. Online application and application fee;
  2. Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework; 3. Official GRE scores;
  3. Official TOEFL scores, if applicable;
  4. A statement of research interests, including reasons for seeking the M.A./Ph.D., future career goals, and a summary of scholarly preparation for this program;
  5. Three letters of reference from academic sources or others able to judge academic abilities and potential; and
  6. A curriculum vitae.

Masters of Arts in Religious Studies Degree Requirements (36 credits)

  • RLG 6935 Seminar in Sacred Sources 3
  • RLG 6013 Modern Analysis of Religion 3
  • RLG 5038 Advanced Fieldwork in Religious Studies 3

  • 12 credit hours of electives approved by the Graduate Program Director 12

  • RLG 6971 Thesis or 6 additional hours of elective credits 6
  • INR 5615 Research Design in International Relations 3
  • INR 5609 Contemporary Dynamics of International Relations 3
  • INR 6706 Political Economy of International Relations 3

Students who choose the thesis exit option must include at least one Politics and International Relations faculty member, though the majority must be from Religious Studies.

Doctor of Philosophy in International Relations Degree Requirements:

Students will begin study towards the Ph.D. in International Relations immediately following their satisfactory completion of M.A. in Religious Studies requirements. A minimum of 39 credits beyond the M.A. degree in Religious Studies will be necessary to satisfy the requirements of the Ph.D. Program in International Relations.

Degree Requirements beyond the M.A. in Religious Studies are the following:

9 Core Course credits:

  • GEO 6473 Space, Place and Identity 3
  • INR 6604 International Relations Theory I 3
  • INR 6608 Contemporary International Relations Theory 3

12 Major Field credits in either:

  1. Global Institutions and Issues,
  2. Comparative Area Studies,
  3. Foreign Policy and Security Studies, or
  4. International Law.

With advisor approval, these may include 3 credits taken in satisfaction of the requirements for the M.A. in Religious Studies.

9 Minor Field credits in either:

  1. a second field from the above major field list, or
  2. a field offered within another Ph.D. program at FIU (with approval of the Graduate Program Director), or
  3. a petition field (with approval of the Graduate Program Director).

With advisor approval, these may include 3 credits taken in satisfaction of the requirements for the M.A. in Religious Studies.

Elective Credits:

Elective credits necessary to bring total credits earned beyond the M.A. in Religious Studies to a minimum of 24.

Dissertation Credits:

15 credits of dissertation research.

Comprehensive Exams

After completing 60 hours of course work (or in the semester in which they expect to do so), students may take their written comprehensive examinations on the core sequence and in both of their fields. Students must sit for these examinations within 6 months of completing the minimum 60 hours of coursework unless granted an extension by the International Relations Graduate Program Director. Before advancing to candidacy, students must also demonstrate an ability to use a foreign language other than English for scholarly purposes.

Dissertation

Within 3 months of passing the comprehensive examinations, students should publicly present a dissertation proposal that is acceptable to a committee of at least four qualified scholars. Three members of the committee, including the dissertation supervisor, must be graduate faculty members of the Department of Politics and International Relations. One must be from outside the department, but inside FIU. Other members must be approved by the International Relations Graduate Program Director. To complete program requirements, Ph.D. degree candidates must enroll for a minimum of 15 dissertation credits and maintain enrollment for 3 credits every semester until the degree is awarded.

Combined M.A. in Religious Studies/Ph.D. in Global and Sociocultural Studies Degree Pathway

The combined Religious Studies M.A./Global and Sociocultural Studies Ph.D. pathway allows qualified graduate students to pursue both degrees at the same time. Students can develop an expertise in Religious Studies while progressing towards a Ph.D in one of the three majors in the Global and Sociocultural Studies Ph.D. geography, sociology, or anthropology. The dissertation may be directed by a qualified professor in either department

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for admission

  1. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution for higher education (or equivalent)
  2. Minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (or equivalent) for the last two years of undergraduate work and/or a GPA of 3.5 on any previous graduate work;
  3. Official Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores,
  4. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English and who have not obtained a degree from an English-speaking academic institution are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the internet based TOEFL (equivalent to 550 on the paper-based version) or a 6.5 overall on the IELTS is required.

Admission Procedures

To be accepted into this pathway, students must submit an application to the Ph.D. in Global and Sociocultural Studies with a sub-plan for a M.A. in Religious Studies. This designation will appear in the menu of programs in the graduate application. To be accepted into this pathway, students must submit an application by March 1 in the year in which they wish to begin their studies.

The following documents must be submitted and will be reviewed by the Admissions Committees from both units.

The following must be submitted as part of the on-line application:

  1. Online application and application fee;
  2. Official transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate coursework;
  3. Official GRE scores;
  4. Official TOEFL scores, if applicable;
  5. Statement of purpose explaining their interest for enrolling in both the M.A. Religious Studies program in the Department of Religious Studies and in the Ph.D. program in GSS. The statement of purpose must clearly address the applicant's academic and professional objectives for enrolling in both fields of inquiry. The statement of purpose must also indicate the intended major (anthropology, geography, or sociology) the applicant plans to select while engaged in the Ph.D. in GSS;
  6. Three letters of recommendation from university professors who are able to comment on the various aspects of the student's academic ability;
  7. A curriculum vitae; and
  8. Writing samples and other relevant professional work that may support their applications

Degree Requirements for M.A. in Religious Studies

The 36 credits earned for the M.A. in Religious Studies will count towards the 75 credits required for the Ph.D. in GSS.

Religious Studies Core (9 credits)

  • RLG 6935 Seminar in Sacred Sources 3
  • RLG 6013 Modern Analysis of Religion 3
  • RLG 5038 Advanced Fieldwork in Religious Studies 3

Courses Required for GSS Track (12 credits)

  • ISS 6346 Theory and Inquiry (Fall)
  • ISS 6306 Writing Research Proposals (Spring)
  • ISS 6305 Research Methods and Design (Spring)
  • ISS 6317 Social Research Quantitative Methods I (Fall)

Electives (9 or 12 credits depending on exit option)

9 or 12 credits or elective courses from within the Department of Religious Studies Department

Religious Studies MA Exit Options (6 or 3 credits)

Students may choose any of the exit options offered by the Religious Studies degree.

RLG 6971 Thesis (minimum 6 credits) See the Religious Studies program description for more information. The thesis is publicly defended and approved by a committee of three graduate faculty members

RLG XXXX (3 credits) Preparation of two directed research papers. Both papers require an oral presentation, defense and approval by a committee of three graduate faculty members;

RLG XXXX Internship and major research paper (3 credits). Supervised internship leading to a major research paper based upon the students work during the internship. The research paper requires an oral presentation and approval by a committee of three graduate faculty members.

SIPA Language Requirement

Students must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English according to the nature of their thesis or research paper/proposal and professional interests.

Application for Graduation from Religious Studies program

Students should apply for graduation for the Religious Studies degree as soon as they have completed all requirements for the degree including the exit option. Ordinarily, the M.A. will be conferred before the student advances to candidacy for the Ph.D. in GSS.

Matriculation to Ph.D. in GSS

All students must undergo a successful M.A. review upon completion of the Religious Studies Program requirements in order to continue toward the Ph.D. in GSS. The GSS Graduate Committee, along with an appointee from Religious Department conducts these reviews. The purpose of the M.A. review is to determine the ability of the student to do Ph.D. level work with the department's faculty. Among the information considered during the review are a students overall performance, grades in courses, and faculty recommendations.

Degree Requirements for Ph.D. in Global and Sociocultural Studies

The doctorate in Global and Sociocultural Studies requires a minimum of 75 credits beyond the baccalaureate including a dissertation based on original research. A maximum of 36 credits of the Religious Studies Master program will count toward the 75-credit minimum. Thus, a minimum of 39 credits must be earned beyond the M.A.

Major Requirements (33 credits)

All doctoral students will choose a major in Anthropology, Geography, or Sociology. The following distribution of coursework is required.

  1. Major theory (3)
  2. Additional methods (3)
  3. Major course electives (6 minimum)
  4. Exam and dissertation credits
    1. Doctoral Exam Preparation (6 maximum)
    2. Doctoral Dissertation (15 minimum)

General Electives (6 credits)

GSS and non-GSS Department electives.

Ph.D. General Examination

After successfully completing the common core requirements, the major’s course requirements, and electives, a student prepares for the Ph.D. General Exam by enrolling in a maximum of six credits of exam preparation for their major. In preparation for the exam, a student forms a dissertation committee according to the regulations published on the University Graduate School website. The Ph.D. General Exam addresses the student’s anticipated dissertation topic, and is conducted according to the University Graduate School Policies and Procedures Manual and the Department’s Ph.D., General Exam guidelines.

The Dissertation Proposal and Defense/Candidacy Exam

After passing the Ph.D. General Exam, a student works under the guidance of the dissertation committee to prepare a dissertation proposal and defend it orally before the committee. The chair of the dissertation committee must hold Dissertation Advisor Status from the University Graduate School. The proposal defense serves as the doctoral candidacy exam for the Ph.D. program in Global and Sociocultural Studies. Upon passing the proposal defense, a student is admitted to candidacy status.

The Dissertation and Dissertation Defense

After successfully defending a dissertation proposal, a student conducts the proposed research and completes a dissertation under the guidance of a dissertation committee. Only after successfully defending the dissertation proposal may a student register for dissertation hours (ANG 7980, GEO 7980, or SYA 7980). The Ph.D. program requires a student to be continuously enrolled in a minimum of 3 hours of Doctoral Dissertation each semester from the time of advancement to candidacy until the completion of the dissertation, including summers. Upon completion of the dissertation manuscript and authorization by the committee, a student defends the dissertation before the committee and the University community.