Master of Arts (MA, thesis)
The purpose of the MA (thesis) degree is to encourage advanced study and research in one of the disciplines of religious studies for those who wish to become scholars or teachers, or will be engaged in some field of religious or public service. An option in the MA (thesis) programs is the MA in Religious Studies with specialization in Bioethics offered in collaboration with the Biomedical Ethics Unit.

Master of Arts (MA, non thesis)
The MA without thesis is intended to ensure a student’s well rounded exposure to several religions and to several of the disciplinary approaches currently used in their academic study.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must possess a B.A. with a Major or Honours in Religious Studies or a Bachelor of Theology (B.Th.), or a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) degree normally with a minimum CGPA of 3.3/4.0 (B+) from an accredited university or college. Applicants with fewer than 30 appropriate credits in Religious Studies or Theology are normally required to take a Qualifying Term or whole Year before entering the M.A.

Language Requirements

Master of Arts (MA, thesis and non-thesis)
The Faculty of Religious Studies offers courses in primary text source languages, such as Biblical Hebrew, Aramaic, Biblical Greek, Sanskrit, Pali, Tamil and classical literary Tibetan. The Faculty does not guarantee instruction in any languages other than those mentioned above. Therefore, if a student wishes to have a language such as French, German or Japanese counted as a second language, instruction may have to be sought outside the Faculty.

The successful completion of at least twelve credits at the post-secondary level in a language course, or successful completion of a language examination administered by the appropriate member of the Faculty, will constitute evidence of the student’s having the required reading knowledge of the language in question.

Students are required to give their area committee evidence of reading knowledge of a scholarly language other than English. This language may be either a modern language in which there is a significant amount of scholarship relevant to the student’s area of research, or a classical language relevant to the student’s area of research. If a classical language is chosen, it must be in addition to any prerequisite language for the area in question.

Residency Requirements

Refers to the number of terms (or years) students must be registered on a full-time basis to complete their program. Students are not permitted to graduate until they have fulfilled the residence requirement (or paid the corresponding fees) in their program.

Master of Arts (MA, thesis and non-thesis)
The normal residence requirement is three terms of full-time resident study. Students may apply to do the third term during the summer of their first year. Students may also register on a half-time basis.

Course Requirements

Master of Arts (MA, thesis)
Candidates are required to complete satisfactorily a minimum of six, one-term courses (18 credits) and write a thesis (30 credits) embodying the results of their research. The minimum pass mark in courses is B- for M.A. students.

All students must consult with an advisor in the chosen area of study for selection of courses before registration.

Required Courses (33 credits)
RELG 645 (3) Methods in Religious Studies
RELG 688 (3) Thesis Research 1
RELG 689 (3) Thesis Research 2
RELG 698 (12) Thesis Research 3
RELG 699 (12) Thesis Research 4

Complementary Courses (15 credits)
15 credits selected from the 500 or 600 level course accepted by the Faculty of Religious Studies for the granting of the Master’s degree.

Master of Arts (MA, non-thesis)
The program requires completing a total of 45 credits taken at the 500 or 600 level. The student is required to take 36 credits of course work, normally by taking four courses per semester for three semesters. The remaining nine (9) credits are to be earned by writing three research papers, each based on a reading list. Of these papers, one is to be in one specific religious tradition, a second, in another religious tradition different from the first, and the third, in methods used in the comparative study of religions. Each of these papers is worth three credits and each is graded on a PASS/FAIL basis.

A non-thesis student, who normally does course and graduate work in more than one field and therefore normally does not have a supervisor in one specific field, falls either under the responsibility of an area, such as presently is the case with Asian Religions as well as with the STM program, or is directly supervised by the chair of the graduate committee. Upon entry into the MA (non-thesis) program, the student should immediately consult with the Area Advisor. He or she will advise the student on selection of courses, and on the three research papers, decide what languages are required, and be responsible for receiving the Graduate Student Research Progress Report.

Required courses (15 credits)
RELG 555 (3) Honours Seminar
RELG 645 (3) Methods in Religious Studies
RELG 660 (3) M.A. Research Paper 1
RELG 661 (3) M.A. Research Paper 2
RELG 662 (3) M.A. Research Paper 3

Complementary courses (30 credits)
Ten courses selected from the 500 or 600 level courses accepted by the Faculty of Religious Studies for the granting of a Master's degree. All students must consult with the advisor in the chosen area of study for selection of courses before registration. The minimum pass mark in courses is (B-) for MA students.

Advising

Master of Arts (MA, thesis and non-thesis)
All students must consult with an advisor in the chosen area of study for selection of courses before registration.

Time Limitation

Master of Arts (MA, thesis and non-thesis)
Candidates for Master's degrees must complete the degree within three years of initial registration. If the degree is pursued strictly on a less than full-time basis, it must be completed within five years of initial registration.

Extensions
See GPSO website, Time Limitation

If You Need More Time
Under exceptional circumstances, departments may petition the university for an extension for an individual student. Extensions on time limitation are not a right, so do not count on receiving one.

If an extension is granted, you must complete all degree requirements within the new time limit specified. If you are unable to complete before the extended deadline, you could be asked to withdraw from the program and to reapply when your thesis or dissertation is completed. Students who have not been registered for a period of up to two years but have not officially withdrawn from the University by submitting a signed Withdrawal Form to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office are eligible to be considered for reinstatement into their programs (see Section 5.1.1 of the GPSO Calendar 2006-2007). Depending on how much time has elapsed since you completed various program requirements, you may be asked to redo certain requirements, such as your comprehensive exams. If you anticipate that you will not be able to complete your program requirements within the time limitation for your program, you should contact your GPD or Department Chair as soon as possible.

Leave of Absence Status

A leave of absence may be granted by the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office for maternity or parenting reasons or for health reasons (see § 6.1.10 of the Graduate Calendar). Such a leave must be requested on a term by term basis and may be granted for a period of up to 52 weeks. Students and Postdocs must make a request for such a leave in writing to their department and submit a medical certificate. The department shall forward the request to the GPSO.

Students and Postdocs who have been granted such a leave will have to register for the term(s) in question and their registration will show as "leave of absence" on their record. No tuition fees will be charged for the duration of the authorized leave. Research supervisors are not obligated to remunerate students on leave. A student on leave of absence during the Fall term must register for an active term of study in the Winter term (at least) in order to apply for graduation. A student on leave of absence during the Winter and/or Summer terms must register for an active term of study in the Fall term (at least) in order to apply for graduation.

Parental or Familial Reasons
During a leave of absence for parental or familial reasons (see § 10.6 of the Graduate Calendar), a student will not be eligible to take courses but he/she may request and expect guidance on thesis and research work and will have free access to the University's academic facilities. Library services will continue to be available by registering at the Circulation Desk of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (McLennan-Redpath). In special circumstances, familial leave may be considered by the GPSO for a student when a close family member is ill.

Health Reasons
During a leave of absence for health reasons (see § 10.6 of the Graduate Calendar), a student will not be eligible to request guidance on thesis and research work or to take courses. He/she will not have access to the University's academic facilities but Library services will normally continue to be available by registering at the Circulation Desk of the Humanities and Social Sciences Library (McLennan-Redpath).

A medical certificate must accompany such leave requests.

Non-Resident Status

May be granted to students in residence terms only.

Residency at another University
With the approval of the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office, may permit or require candidates to spend one session at another institution; it is understood that this session must be one of full-time study, and that the institution selected must be able to provide expert supervision and facilities for research appropriate to the candidate, in the field selected.

Permission to spend a required year of residence at another university must be obtained before the beginning of the session in which the student will be absent. A program of the study projected and particulars of the institution selected must be sent, accompanied by a letter from the Chair of the department, to the Director of the GPSO for approval. Permission is granted only to students who have already completed one full session at McGill.

The student will be required to register and pay the normal full-time McGill tuition fee less any tuition fee payable to the host institution. Other student-related fees are not levied and the ID card is not validated.

Students participating in a formal exchange program must register and pay full-time tuition including other student-related fees. The ID card is not validated.

Non-Resident Student
Students who wish to take a leave from the University for a maximum period of one year before returning to complete their residence requirements must first obtain permission to do so both from their departments and the GPSO.

The student must register as a Non-Resident student, and pay the non-resident fee. Student services fees are not levied and the ID card is not validated. Students can only be non- resident for a maximum of one year. The non-resident fee is $100 per term.

Deferral of Admission

Under exceptional circumstances, an admission for a particular semester can be considered for a deferral. This can be considered only if the student has not registered. If the student has already registered, no deferral can be granted. The student must withdraw from the University and apply for admission to a later term.

Withdrawal from a Degree Program

Departments have the right to ask students to withdraw from the program if progress is not satisfactory, or if they have failed a course required for their program, or for lack of performance in research.

Any student who withdraws from the University must complete a Withdrawal Form available from the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office.

Reinstatement and Admission of Former Students

Students who have not been registered for a period of up to two years but who have not officially withdrawn from the University by submitting a signed Withdrawal Form to the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies Office are eligible to be considered for reinstatement into their programs. The student's department must recommend, in writing, that the student be reinstated, stipulating any conditions for reinstatement that it deems appropriate. The final decision rests with the GPSO. Normally, the GPSO will approve the departmental recommendation. If the student's department chooses not to recommend reinstatement, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean (Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies). The Associate Dean's decision can be appealed to the Graduate Committee on Student Standing.

Reinstatement fees will be charged in addition to the fees due for the academic session into which the student has been reinstated. The amount of the reinstatement fees is the tuition portion of fees owed for all unregistered terms, up to a maximum of two years just prior to the term of reinstatement.

If an individual has not registered for a period of more than two years, his or her student file will be closed. These individuals and those who have formally withdrawn may be considered for admission. Applicants' admission applications will be considered as part of the current admission cycle, in competition with other people applying during that cycle and in accordance with current graduate admission procedures and policies.

Master of Arts (MA, thesis) in Religious Studies with specialization in Bioethics

Master of Arts (MA, thesis) with specialization in Bioethics
The curriculum is composed of required courses (6 credits) offered in the Biomedical Ethics Unit, bioethics courses (6 credit minimum) offered by the base faculty or department and any graduate course required or accepted by a base faculty for the granting of a Master’s degree, for a total of 21 credits. A minimum of 45 credits is required including the thesis.

Required courses (12 credits)
BIOE 680 Bioethical Theory
BIOE 681 Bioethics Practicum
RELG 571 Religion & Medicine
RELG 645 Methods in Religious Studies

Complementary courses (9 credits)
Nine (9) credits selected from the 500 or 600 level are to be selected in consultation with the supervisor from graduate courses offered or accepted by the Faculty of Religious Studies for the granting of a Master's degree. The minimum pass mark in courses is 65% (B-) for M.A. students.

Thesis component-required (24 credits)
BIOE 690 M.Sc. Thesis Literature Survey
BIOE 691 M.Sc. Thesis Research Proposal
BIOE 692 M.Sc.Thesis Res Progress Rep
BIOE 693 M.Sc. Thesis

Advising

Master of Arts (MA)with specialization in Bioethics
All students must consult with an advisor in the chosen area of study for selection of courses before registration.

Thesis supervision for students in the specialization is provided by a participating faculty member in the program. Those students whose supervisors are not appointed to a student’s base discipline will have a co-supervisor appointed from the base discipline. Thesis examination will be conducted according to the base discipline norms. These base disciplines norms are set by, for example, the Department of Philosophy, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Law, and the Faculty of Religious Studies.