About Applying

Admissions Criteria
Options for Admission
Before You Apply
Application Process
Application Deadline

Admissions Criteria:

Admission to UNC-CH is very competitive. In recent years the Department of Religious Studies has received over 100 applications per year, and we are able to accept only a small percentage of those who apply. The size of the average entering class is between 5 and 10 students.

All students must have earned a bachelor's degree prior to registration. In addition, note that:

• We admit students for Fall semester only (not for the Spring).
• We can accept only full-time students.
• We offer the M.A. as the beginning of work for the Ph.D.; we do not offer a terminal M.A.

Because our department is committed to bringing a broad range of perspectives into the study of religion, we particularly encourage applicants from minority perspectives.

Options for Admission:

Depending on their prior training in the study of religion, new students are admitted into our graduate program in three different ways:

1. M.A.-Ph.D. track:  A student who does not already hold an M.A. or equivalent degree from another institution will be admitted to the M.A. program, with the expectation that the student will go on to pursue the Ph.D. also. The Department does not offer a terminal M.A.
   
   
2. M.A. with opportunity to bypass:  Certain students who already hold an M.A. or equivalent degree from another institution will initially be admitted to our M.A. program rather than our Ph.D. program. In such cases, students have the option of petitioning to bypass the M.A. degree after completing one full year of coursework and the Field Examination. For more information about the possibility of bypassing the M.A. degree, see our Admissions FAQ page.
   
   
3. Ph.D. track:  Certain students who already hold an M.A. or equivalent degree from another institution will be admitted directly into the Ph.D. program.

You will be informed of the option under which you have been admitted to the program at the time you are admitted.

Before You Apply:

Every graduate program is different, and our department at UNC-CH has a particular set of strengths. The more you know about us before applying, the better. We suggest that before you begin the application process you do the following research:

• Identify specific faculty members with whom you might work. Read some of their work to get an idea of their intellectual styles. Contact them directly to get a sense of how well the two of you might work together and how your interests would fit together.
  
  
• Correspond with graduate students already enrolled in the program. Consult our Department's directory of currently enrolled graduate students to find students who work in areas of your interest.
  
  
• Review the "For Enrolled Students" section of this website. Here you will see resources for teaching, details about program procedures, and other similarly useful information.

Application Process:

The application consists of the following materials:

• online application
• GRE scores
• transcripts
• three letters of recommendation
• statement of purpose

An academic writing sample (no more than 25-30 pages) is suggested but not required. For further guidance about completing the application, see Your Application: Step by Step.

Each element of your application is carefully evaluated by faculty in your chosen field of study. There is no formula or rule as to which element is most important or how they are weighted; each piece of the application provides us with a different kind of information about your abilities and goals.

Application Deadline:

All applications are due by December 15. However, we strongly recommend that you submit the Graduate School's online application (and pay the fee) by December 1. You can then get your transcripts, letters of recommendations, statement of purpose, and other supporting materials to us in the weeks that follow. To receive the best consideration for financial assistance, we advise that your application be fully completed (including supporting materials) as early in December as possible.

There are no exceptions to the final deadline of December 15. It is your responsibility to make sure that all the components of the application have been received by that date. Please note that applications are considered only when complete.