Prospectus

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Religious Studies: Christianity

Master

Leiden University has a long history in the study of the Christian communities of the Middle East. Also today many scholars contribute to this field in teaching and research. These include specialists of the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic traditions, Christian art of the Middle East, as well as scholars of the history and present situation of Middle Eastern Christians. They are based in the Faculties of Arts and Religious Studies. The programme is offered by the Faculty of Religious Studies and enables the student to make full use of all Leiden resources.

See the “Information” tab for an overview of the programme. The courses below are the courses which are specifically offered for this programme, but they are not necessarily compulsory. More information: Prof.dr. H.L. Murre-van den Berg; email: h.l.murre@religion.leidenuniv.nl

First year

Compulsory for all students Religious Students: Workshop Endnote – Master Religious Studies – date and location to be announced.

Students are advised to contact their supervisor well before the start of their master year, so that a suitable programme can be put together in good time: Masterplanning

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Comparative Religion: Themes and Topics in the Study of Religion 5
Christianity in the Middle East (1800-present) 5
Religion, art, and identity of Christian societies in the Middle East 10
Required General Course Religious Studies 5
Translating God(s): Islam and Christianity in Southeast Europe 10

Elective courses

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2
Archaeology of the Biblical World 5
Comparative Religion: Themes and Topics in the Study of Religion 5
Ethics and Religion: Questioning Life and Death 5
Hellenistic Religions: The deconstruction and reconstruction of Gnosticism 5
Literature and Religion of Ancient Israel 5
Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 5
Philosophy of Religion: Religion and the Natural Sciences 5
Psychology of Religion 5
Religion and the immigrant experience 5
Sociology of Religion 5
The Halakhic Process: Studies in Jewish Biomedical Law 5

More info

Information for: 2010-2011

Leiden University has a long history in the study of the Christian communities of the Middle East. Also today many scholars contribute to this field in teaching and research. These include specialists of the Syriac, Coptic, and Ethiopic traditions, Christian art of the Middle East, as well as scholars of the history and present situation of Middle Eastern Christians. They are based in the Faculties of Arts and Religious Studies. The programme is offered by the Faculty of Religious Studies and enables the student to make full use of all Leiden resources.

Programme Structure

This one-year programme consists of 60 ECs (European Credits). The programme structure is printed below. The student’s individual programme is to be put together with one of the supervisors, prof. R.B. ter Haar Romeny or prof. H.L. Murre-van den Berg.

1. Common Course (5 EC)
General Required Course for all master students at the Institute for Religious Studies

2. Compulsory Courses (15 EC)

  • Christianity in the Middle East (1800-present): Language and Religion (5 EC)

  • Religion, art, and identity of Christian Societies in the Middle East (5 EC)

  • Language and literature (5 EC) (Initial or advanced courses of Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic or Coptic)

3. Elective Courses (20 EC)

  • Further language & literature courses (Arabic, Syriac, Ethiopic or Coptic)

  • additional research papers in connection to the compulsory courses (Christianity in the Middle East and Religion, art, and identity of Christian societies in the Middle East (each 5EC)* courses from the programmes of Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies (see the respective programmes)

  • courses from the programmes of Religious Studies and Middle Eastern Studies (see the respective programmes)

  • Tutorials on specialized subjects in connection to the main themes of the programme

  • European Intensive Programme (IP): Translating God(s): Islam and Christianity in Southeast Europe (Istanbul, April 26-May 10, 2011) (local coordinator: H.L. Murre-van den Berg)

4. MA thesis (20 EC)
All students write a MA thesis of 20 EC, on a subject of choice that is approved by one of the supervisors.

Entry Requirements

BA Religious Studies or Middle Eastern Studies

Supervision

The primary supervisors of the track are prof.dr. H.L. Murre-van den Berg and prof.dr. R.B. ter Haar Romeny, for the specialists see below, under staff.

Staff

prof.dr. H.L. Murre-van den Berg (Christianity in the Middle East)
prof.dr. R.B. ter Haar Romeny (Old Testament and Eastern Christianity)
prof.dr. J. van der Vliet (Coptic)
prof.dr. H.J. Stroomer (Ethiopic)
dr. W.T. van Peursen (Syriac Bible)
dr. M. Immerzeel (Christian Art)