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• graduate program supplemental information form (download form)
• statement of objectives (download form)
• official post-secondary academic transcripts (to be sent to the graduate program, in addition to the set sent to the Graduate Division)
• sample of academic writing*
• three letters of recommendation
• official GRE General Test scores (recommended)
• official TOEFL scores — 600/250/100 or above (Required of most non-native speakers of English. Click here for information on exemptions.)

* This is frequently an academic paper previously written on some topic related to religious studies. However, if no such writing sample is available, the applicant may compose an original essay that both indicates the applicant's interests in religious studies and demonstrates the applicant's discursive skills.

Religious beliefs form one of the most fundamental motivations in human life, influencing, directly or indirectly, the vast majority of our thoughts and actions. The Department of Religion at the University of Hawai'i at Mānoa (UHM) offers programs leading to the MA degree. The department focuses on the multitude of human conceptualizations of and involvement with religion in the world. The department's sphere of inquiry runs the spectrum from ghosts to gods, magic to the meaning of life, and witchcraft to women's roles in various religious cultures.

In the study of religion and culture, the department stands at the crossroads of history and philosophy, sociology and anthropology, linguistics and art, as all these disciplines come into play in seeking an understanding of religion. Recently, the department has expanded its focus to include a more in-depth investigation of contemporary religions here in the islands. The religious landscape of Hawai'i is one in which all of the major world traditions play roles, exerting tangible influences on the culture, economics, and politics. There are currently close to 900 religious organizations registered statewide, and many other unregistered groups are known to exist. The religious affiliations of active groups range from the ancient traditions of the Pacific, Asia, and the Near East to the new religious movements gaining footholds around the world. With the possible exception of California, Hawai'i encompasses a greater diversity of religious traditions than any other state, and also ranks among the most religiously diverse areas in the world. Thus, the department and its students are in a unique situation in which to develop a greater understanding, not only of the religious traditions themselves as they exist here in the islands, but of the dynamics of such a multi-faceted religious environment.

In keeping with the goals of the University of Hawai'i System, the department takes advantage of the state's strong social and cultural ties with Asia and the Pacific and seeks to enhance those ties. Within this extraordinary multicultural milieu, the department serves as a link between the academic community and the many Asian and Pacific religious communities that flourish in Hawai'i. All of the major Mahayana Buddhist sects are present here in Hawai'i, along with Theravada Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, Hinduism, Hawaiian and Polynesian religions, making Hawai'i an ideal site and context for a study of Asian and Pacific religious communities and activities.

While the primary emphasisof the department is on Asian and Polynesian religious traditions, the faculty members include experts in Eastern, Western, and Pacific religions. Faculty specialties include textual study, historical development, mysticism and ritual, and contemporary fieldwork studies. Publications by the department's professors are varied and wide-ranging in topics covered. Courses offered by the department investigate such issues in religious traditions and cultures around the world, from ancient times to the present. Students with graduate degrees in religion find employment in professions ranging from teaching, business to foreign service.

Students may select Plan A (thesis) or Plan B (non-thesis).

• Plan A requires 24 credits of course work, six credits of thesis research, a written thesis and defense of the thesis.
• Plan B requires 30 credits of course work. Students need to submit a portfolio with three research papers from graduate seminars, and to present one of the papers at a public forum during the graduating semester.
• Students in both plans need to demonstrate competence in a foreign language, either by completing two years of a foreign language appropriate to their field of specialization, or by passing an equivalency exam. Credits from language courses do not count toward the minimum MA credit requirements.

Courses
To view a listing of courses offered, visit www.catalog.hawaii.edu/courses/departments/rel.htm.