{"id":164,"date":"2023-01-31T18:21:03","date_gmt":"2023-01-31T18:21:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/religion\/?page_id=164"},"modified":"2026-08-06T21:39:27","modified_gmt":"2026-08-06T21:39:27","slug":"graduate-study","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/religion\/graduate-study\/","title":{"rendered":"Graduate Study"},"content":{"rendered":"\n \n \n \n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
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Our doctoral program offers instruction in methods and theories along with specialized training in one of three tracks of graduate study:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n
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\n \n \n Asia Pacific Religions\n\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n \n \n
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Trains students in the foundational texts, histories, worldviews, socio-political and cultural impact of religions in the pre-modern and modern Asia Pacific. These religious traditions include Hinduism, Buddhism, and other religious movements in the region as well as their global manifestations.<\/p>\n

Mandatory courses for students in the Asia Pacific Religions track include REL 545<\/strong>, 645<\/strong>, and a one course from the 652<\/strong>\/653<\/strong>\/654<\/strong>\/655<\/strong> series.<\/p>\n

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\n \n \n Christian Studies\n\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n \n \n
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Trains students in the vast global range of historical and contemporary Christian traditions often grouped together homogeneously as Christianity. Rather than focusing exclusively on textual and intellectual traditions, this track integrates the social, cultural and material dimensions of religion in its study of plural Christianities, and challenges students to frame their research in transnational and transhistorical terms as a matter of course.<\/p>\n

Mandatory courses include REL 535<\/strong>, 635<\/strong>, and 651<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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\n \n \n Global Islam\n\n <\/a>\n <\/h3>\n \n \n
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Trains students in the \u201cglobal\u201d dimensions of the Islamic tradition, from the traditional confines of the Middle East, Africa and South and Southeast Asia to include Islam, Islamic thought, Muslim culture and Muslim communities in the modern Western world.\u00a0 In addition to the acquisition of traditional skills for the study of religious texts, doctrine, and spiritual life of believers, students will learn how Muslims negotiate concrete spaces and contexts they inhabit in the modern world.<\/p>\n

Mandatory courses for students in the Global Islam track include 525<\/strong>, 625<\/strong>, and 650<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Visit Program Site<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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In addition to instruction within the department of Religion, students are encouraged to pursue interdisciplinary study in related disciplines. Students may also take advantage of our faculty’s participation in the many research centers and institutes\u00a0<\/a><\/strong>at USC, which sponsor lectures, seminars, and fellowships.<\/p>\n

We support all of our doctoral students with a five-year funding package (typically a combination of fellowship and teaching assistantship.)\u00a0 Students in our program gain professional training and mentoring aimed at employment as well as scholarly credentials.<\/p>\n

For information about our doctoral degree program and its requirements, click here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

To learn how to apply to the Religion PhD program, click here<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Religion also offers Graduate Certificates<\/a>\u00a0for doctoral students in other disciplines.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n For More Information\n <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n \n
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Staff Graduate Advisor<\/h3>\n \n Brian Eckert<\/strong>\r\n

\r\n\r\nbrianeck@usc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\r\n<\/span>\n \n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n \n

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Director of Graduate Studies<\/h3>\n \n Prof. Max Strassfeld<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nstrassfe@usc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/span>\n \n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n <\/div><\/div>\n\n\n \n \n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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\n Contact Us\n <\/h2>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n
\n\n \n \n \n\n Donate to the School of Religion \n <\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n \n \n
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Chair
\n<\/strong>Cavan Concannon
\nconcanno@usc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Academic Program Manager
\n<\/strong>Angie Guerrero
\nangiegue@usc.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n \n

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USC School of Religion<\/strong><\/p>\n

825 Bloom Walk, ACB 130
\nLos Angeles, CA 90089
\nreligion@usc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n \n

\n\n \n \n
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Director of Undergraduate Studies
\n<\/strong>Jill Hicks-Keeton
\njill.hk@usc.edu<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Director of Graduate Studies<\/strong>
\nMax Strassfeld
\nstrassfe@usc.edu<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n\n\n <\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":278,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-content-detail.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-164","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGraduate Study - School of Religion<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Our doctoral program offers instruction in methods and theories along with specialized training in one of three areas of graduate study.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dornsife.usc.edu\/religion\/graduate-study\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Graduate Study - 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