Master of Arts in Interreligious Studies

The MAIRS curriculum facilitates dialogical engagement between students from different religious traditions as they study religion from contrasting vantage-points. Its multidisciplinary and collaborative approach promotes breadth of knowledge, research skills, and the arts of leadership in multireligious perspective. By providing a range of courses and ample opportunity for specialization, the MAIRS program encourages each student to develop or reinforce foundational knowledge of a specific religion of their choosing.

MAIRS Core Requirments

Gateway Course (3 credits)

The gateway course to the MA in Interreligious Studies is DI-550: Introduction to Interreligious Studies, an intersectional, integrative course that promotes deep understanding of worldviews different from one’s own. The course integrates theory and practice as it guides an exploration of how diverse individuals and groups understand “religion” and how those with differing understandings relate to one another. (NOTE: This course is also a requirement of the MA in Peacebuilding curriculum.)

Co-Taught Seminars (6 credits)

Unique to the MA in Interreligious Studies degree is the fact that its core seminars are taught collaboratively by a pair of professors with contrasting academic expertise or religious commitments. Thus, core seminar instructors model dialogue, interreligious understanding, and interdisciplinarity. Students will choose two of the three core seminars:

RS-525: American Religious Realities
IP-611: Peace, Justice and Violence in the Sacred Texts
TH-513: The Faiths as Formal Realities

Specialization (24 credits)

Students will choose one of the following specializations:

General Studies

• 8 elective courses (which students select in consultation with their advisor)

Islamic Studies

• 4 courses in Foundational Fields
• 2 courses in Beliefs and Practices
• 1 course in Religious Pluralism
• 1 elective in any of the areas above, or a course in the Arabic language.

Ministerial Studies

• 2 courses in Scripture
• 2 courses in Arts of Ministry
• 2 courses in Foundations of the Christian Faith
• 2 courses in Beliefs and Practices

Students who choose the Ministerial Studies specialization may join our Cooperative Master of Divinity program. Cooperative Master of Divinity students learn together with colleagues from other religious traditions, developing knowledge and building skills for ministry in a multifaith world, before moving on to complete degrees at Yale Divinity School, Boston University School of Theology, Drew Theological School or Chicago Theological Seminary’s online program.

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Final Requirement (3 credits)

Students will complete either a capstone project or a thesis. Completion of a thesis is strongly recommended for students considering further graduate study, particularly a Ph.D., at any point in their future. Students in the Ministerial Studies specialization who intend to transfer to one of our partner schools to complete the M.Div. will take an additional elective instead of completing a final requirement.

All completed applications are reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

1. Prior Education: Complete official transcripts from all previous undergraduate and graduate institutions must be submitted to the Admission's Office. Applicants are required to present transcripts in English or accompanied by a certified English translation. A bachelor’s degree (or its educational equivalent) at a high level of achievement from an accredited institution is a prerequisite for admissions. Admission is granted only on the basis of the terms stated in the Hartford International University Catalogue and in the admission letter. In certain circumstances, a limited number of highly qualified students without the requisite Bachelor’s Degree will be considered for admission.
   
   NOTE: Admitted students with non-U.S. transcripts will be required to submit evaluated transcripts completed by a credential evaluation service. You do not need to have your transcript evaluated unless you have been admitted. Your admission will be provisional until an evaluated transcript is received and reviewed. We must receive your evaluated transcripts within three weeks of the date on your admission letter.  We recommend Spantran as the most economical option for transcript evaluation. HIU will be notified directly when the transcript evaluations are completed.
    
2. Statement of Purpose: Each Statement of Purpose is unique and is meant to be an expression of the individuals that write them.  We want to know what is important to you, what has shaped you, and, ultimately, who you are. You have the opportunity to tell us about the aspects of your character and experience that help us understand why you are a good match with this program. We also want to know how you would both gain from and contribute to our unique environment. The Statement of Purpose should be four to five pages (typed, double-spaced) and should reflect on:
   •  your goals in seeking theological education and the life experiences or values that have led you to do so
   • the reasons you have chosen HIU in particular
   • your educational/ vocational goals
   • your perceived strengths and potential areas for development.
3. References: Three letters of recommendation. At least one letter must be from a faculty member of an institution from which the applicant has earned a degree or another person who can speak to the applicant’s potential for graduate level or a person from the applicant’s religious community or work place who can speak to the applicant’s potential for graduate level study.
    
4. English Language Proficiency: Students who are not native English speakers or who have not had English as a primary language of instruction in their academic studies, are required to submit scores of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), the International English Language Testing System (IELTS), or the Duolingo English Test (DET) examination and achieve a minimum score of 80 on the internet version of TOEFL or 550 on the paper based total; 6.5 on the IELTS; or 110 on the DET.
    
5. Transfer Credit: Applicants who have previously taken graduate level courses in religion from an accredited institution may be eligible for up to 9 credits of transfer credit. Requests concerning transfer credit should be made at the time of application.