RELIGIOUS STUDIES MA (in English) AT CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY

RELIGIOUS STUDIES MA (in English) AT CENTRAL EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY
The Central European University is a vibrant, cosmopolitan and unique setting for the study of religion in a historical and comparative perspective. Situated at the crossroad of Empires and of world religions, Budapest offers a microcosm of the interactions of religions, cultures and societies.

Specialization in Religious Studies
The Specialization Religious Studies, offered by the School of History and Interdisciplinary Historical Studies, awards a non-degree certificate in Religious Studies. Students will enroll and receive their degrees in either the Department of History or Medieval Studies. As part of their MA in History or Medieval Studies, students of this Specialization will engage in the study of religious phenomena from a historical point of view, from Late Antiquity to modernity, and a variety of interdisciplinary perspectives. The Specialization Religious Studies is a young teaching unit, launched in 2007 by the Religious Studies Program. Its diverse course offers cover the three monotheistic religions multidisciplinary perspectives. To this end, apart from the Departments of History and Medieval Studies, more departments participate through their course offerings, such as Philosophy, Jewish Studies Program, Sociology and Social Anthropology, International Relations and European Studies. In the past, students were successful in receiving prestigious international scholarships and in entering challenging professional fields.

Religious Studies Program
The Religious Studies Program (RSP) is a research program and an academic forum at CEU fostering the academic study of religion. The mission of the program is to initiate and to coordinate research, academic events, and publications that address in critical ways religion-related questions in critical ways. The RSP is integrated into the School of History and Interdisciplinary Historical Studies and collaborates with relevant departments and academic units at the CEU. It crosses the borders of academic disciplines, confessional and geo-political categorizations. With an international advisory board and contacts with institutions throughout the region, as well as worldwide, the RSP provides an important site in Eastern Europe for academic research and communication on religion.

Source Language Teaching Unit
It is expected that as of Academic Year 2010/2011, students specializing in Religious Studies will be able to take intensive, high-level courses in classical and modern languages. The offering will include Greek, Latin, Arabic, Hebrew, Syriac, Ottoman as well as Russian and modern Turkish and Greek.

About CEU and the School of History and Interdisciplinary Historical Studies
Central European University (CEU) is a graduate, English-language, research-intensive university located in Budapest, Hungary, and is accredited in the USA and Hungary. While concentrating on the social sciences and humanities, CEU also offers programs in Business, Economics, Law, Environmental Sciences and Mathematics. With students coming from 100 countries, CEU is proud of its international community with no predominant national majority. The university offers small, seminar-style courses with student/faculty ratio 7:1, and individual consultations with professors. The School of History and Interdisciplinary Historical Studies brings together the Departments of History and Medieval Studies, the Nationalism Studies Program, the Religious Studies Program and Pasts, Inc. Institute of Historical Studies, as well as other research centers and programs related to the three teaching units with the aim to strengthen interdisciplinary studies. See: http://www.ceu.hu/node/2684

Faculty in Charge of the Specialization
Aziz Al-Azmeh (Department of Medieval Studies)
Nadia Al-Bagdadi (Department of History)
Matthias Riedl (Department of History)

Sample Courses
Approaching Religion
Bookish Traditions: Authority and the Book in Scripturalist Religions
Political Theology - Ancient and Modern
Christian-Muslim Polemics in the Middle Ages
Messianism - From the Age of Revelation to the Age of Revolution Religion and Authority Secularism and Religion - Comparative Perspectives on Christianity and Islam
Philosophy and Theology in the Middle Ages

Scholarships
CEU is committed to sustaining a geographically diverse and multi-cultural student body. To further this goal, the university welcomes financial aid applications from students around the world. Full scholarships are available for the Specialization Religious Studies. For more detailed information on financial aid, please visit www.ceu.hu/admissions/financialaid.

How to Start the Application Procedure
Students interested in the Specialization Religious Studies have a choice of applying to a One Year MA, Two Year MA or PhD. For research topics that focus on the period up to the end of the 15th century apply to the Medieval Studies Department (medstud.ceu.hu), for later topics to the History Department (www.hist.ceu.hu). Applications are accepted through an on-line system at http://www.ceu.hu/admissions/apply beginning on November 10, 2009. Candidates applying by January 25, 2010 are eligible to take the CEU-administered institutional TOEFL. Candidates who can provide evidence of proficiency in English or will organize their own TOEFL examination may apply by March 5, 2009. Full scholarships are available!

Application Deadlines
Deadlines for application to the CEU History and/or the Medieval Studies Department are: January 25, 2010: For applicants who wish/are required to take the CEU administered admissions examinations and /or are requesting exemption from the English language proficiency requirement. March 16, 2010: For applicants submitting applications complete with language scores and other applicable test scores. March 2010: For CEU Master's students and graduates applying to doctoral programs.

For detailed information about the academic programs and course, specific entry requirements, and a list of faculty, visit our website or contact us directly. Religious Studies Program Central European University (CEU) Nádor u. 11, room 211 h-1051 Budapest Telephone :+36.1/327-3000 ex 2170 E-mail: mailto:rsp@ceu.hu / Website: http://www.ceu.hu/religion RSP Director Nadia Al-Bagdadi (mailto:albagdadin@ceu.hu) RSP Program Coordinator Esther Holbrook (mailto:holbrooke@ceu.hu) CEU Department of History Nador u. 9, 1051 Budapest Hungary Telephone :+36 1 327-3022 / Fax:+36 1 327-3191 E-mail: mailto:history@ceu.hu / Website: http://www.ceu.hu/history CEU Department of Medieval Studies Nador u. 9, 1051 Budapest Hungary Telephone :+36 1 327-3024 / Fax:+36 1 327-3055 E-mail: mailto:medstud@ceu.hu / Website: http://www.medstud.ceu.hu You can also visit the Religious Studies group on Facebook.