Abrahamic Religions
The Master’s program in “Abrahamic religions” is a comprehensive educational package in line with the regulations and decisions made by the Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology of Iran. It studies Abrahamic religions of Christianity and Judaism. Religions have widely affected the intellectual, spiritual, and social life of man from the past to the present with a variety of manifestations and examples. As a result, a general study of religions and specifically the study of Abrahamic theology i.e., Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are highly important because of their geographical extent and population dispersion. Due to the common origin, related contents, and historical ties, by learning about each of the three Abrahamic religions, the followers of the other religions will realize interfaith dialogue and this will help them better understand their own religion.
The graduates of this field can both teach at academic and scholarly centers and do research on a variety of topics related to Judaism and Christianity which will strengthen the indigenous knowledge in these areas. In addition, these graduates may do as experts in interfaith dialogues.
Holding a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent is sufficient for enrollment in this program. The previous degree of the applicant must be verified by the consulate of Iran in the issuing country. Also, matching the applicants’ previous field of study with the current program is not necessary. Upon establishing the applicants’ scholarly competency and the committee’s agreement, the applicants are eligible to study in this program regardless of their previous field of study. Previous publications including books, research papers, and journal articles can positively influence the committee’s judgment.
The master’s program of “Abrahamic religions” takes 2 years, which equals 4 academic semesters; each semester consists of 16 weeks. Every one-unit class requires one hour of instruction per week. In case, the department decides that extra time is needed for a student to pass the prerequisites or finish the thesis, at most 2 extra semesters will be added. This program includes 44 units: 28 units of core courses, 12 units of prerequisites, and 4 units for the thesis. The students are required to pass all the core courses and the thesis. However, the department will decide on the number of prerequisites to be taken, depending on the student’s undergraduate field of study.
The core courses offered in this field are as follows: “history of Judaism”, “history of Christianity”, “Jewish scriptures”, “Christian scriptures”, “Jewish law”, “Christian theology up to the medieval times, “Jewish theology and philosophy”, “Christian theology during medieval times and the religious reform movement”, and “modern Christian theology”. Courses such as “branches and methods of religious studies”, “familiarity with religions”, and “history of Western philosophy” are among the prerequisites.
- Total cost of the course for Iranian students who are admitted through the national entrance exam or internal university exam (2021-2022): 18 million tomans (The fee covers the student’s educational costs and does not include living expenses such as food and accommodations.
- Total cost of the course for Iranian students who are admitted through the national entrance exam or internal university exam (2021-2022): 4 thousand dollars (The fee covers the student’s educational costs and does not include living expenses such as food and accommodations.
The applicants must submit the following items to apply to the on-campus master’s programs of the University of Religions and Denominations:
- A completed application form.
- An electronic copy of the passport or a valid residence permit.
- An electronic copy of the high school diploma and bachelor’s degree or their equivalent and a certified Persian, English, or Arabic translation of the transcripts.
- The original high school diploma and bachelor’s degree or their equivalent and a certified Persian, English, or Arabic translation of the transcripts.
- One recently taken photo of the applicant, size 30x40mm.
- Applicant’s CV indicating education and work experience (optional).
By clicking on the “Apply now” button next to each program, you will be transferred to the registration portal, where you can upload and submit your application documents. Your application will not be complete until all the required items are submitted.