Master in the Study of Religion

How did the empires of the world shape religions, how does religion influence politics, and how do religious groups today resist and negotiate power locally and globally?

In the Master’s program Religion, Politics, and Empire, you can study the history of political Islam, the significance of empire for Asian religious formations, the movements of religious artifacts on the global antiquities market, and the local and networked religious diversity in Oslo.

Religion, Politics, and Empire offers you both a broad disciplinary competence in the Study of Religion and the opportunity to specialize in a preferred area of study. You choose between an Asian Religions track, an Islam track, and our Maverick track. The latter track caters for the independent-minded student.

The Study of Religion is the global and comparative, academic study of religion as a historical and contemporary phenomenon. MF’s Study of Religion faculty are leading experts in their respective subfields.

Admission requirements

If you are an international applicant, please refer to our Application and Admission pages for detailed information in English about the requirements, application deadlines for non-EU applicants (regardless of residency), and the application process in full.

Programme structure

You choose between an Asian Religions track, an Islam track, and our Maverick track. The latter track caters for the independent-minded student.

Fourth semester	MA Thesis (30/60 ECTS)
Third semester	MA Thesis (60 ECTS) or International exchange
Second semester	Track Elective 2 (10 ECTS)	RL5140: Religious Heritage for Sale (10 ECTS)	MET5010: Qualitative Research Methods (10 ECTS)
First semester	Track Elective 1 (10 ECTS)	RL5120: Religion and Empire (10 ECTS)	RL5110: Current Debates in the Study of Religion (10 ECTS)

Islam track electives:
Track elective 1: Arabic (10 ECTS) or RL5130: Religious Worlds of Oslo (10 ECTS)
Track elective 2: A History of Political Islam (10 ECTS) Starting Spring 2026

Asian Religions track electives:
Track elective 1: Sanskrit (10 ECTS) or RL5130: Religious Worlds of Oslo (10 ECTS)
Track elective 2: RL5150: Religion in Asia after the End of Empires (10 ECTS)

Maverick track electives:
Track elective 1; a language course at your discretion (10 ECTS) or RL5130: Religious Worlds of Oslo (10 ECTS)
Track elective 2: RL5160: Elective Readings (10 ECTS)

Programme description

The MA in the Study of Religion consists of 120 ECTS:

• 40 ECTS made up by compulsory courses

• 20 ECTS made up by electives

• Either: a 60 ECTS Master’s thesis. Or: 30 ECTS international exchange and a 30 ECTS Master’s thesis.

The 60 ECTS Master’s thesis may include Student mobility for traineeship. For more information, please contact your student advisor.

The programme offers three predefined tracks. These tracks structure the choice of the electives in the first and second semesters and help you choose the topic of the Master’s thesis in the third and/or fourth semester. If you want to study a semester abroad, the tracks could influence the choice of the destination for your international exchange/traineeship semester.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

The candidate shall:

Have advanced knowledge about different forms of religious expressions in past and contemporary cultures Have advanced knowledge about current theoretical perspectives in the Study of Religion and in the humanities more broadly Have advanced knowledge about methods in the Study of Religion and in the humanities Have advanced knowledge about their selected area of specialization

Skills

The candidate shall:

Have the ability to conduct an independent research project Be able to apply theoretical knowledge and relevant methods Have the necessary academic skill to conduct research, in accordance with professional ethical norms Be able to explore religious expressions from the perspective of a researcher of religion Be able to evaluate a broad range of sources in a critical manner

General Competencies

The candidate shall:

Be able to stay up to date with research literature and apply research-based knowledge in new context Be able to communicate about religion in a critical and reflective manner on the relevant societal arenas Be able to use social media in research communication Have the skills to work independently and to handle a complex and large research material Have the necessary academic skills to analyze and apply professional ethical norms

Exchange programme

MF has exchange agreements with several partner universities. You can find more information about exchange opportunities for your study programme on https://mf.no/studenter/mf-internasjonalt/soke-utveksling

Be sure to plan and apply for the exchange well in advance in order to secure a spot.

MF recommends that students that wish to do an exchange do so in their third semester. Applying for an exchange in the first semester is reserved for students already accepted to one of MFs other study programmes.

Further studies and career opportunities

The master’s program Religion, Politics, and Empire: Master’s in the Study of Religion provides you with a solid and versatile academic competence that opens up several different career paths.

The master’s program is rooted in the Study of Religion, which identifies as a global, comparative and interdisciplinary humanities subject. The goal of the program is to develop advanced knowledge of the relationships between religion, power and politics based, primarily, in the study of texts, artifacts, ethnographic data and multi-medial materials. The program provides a broad orientation in theory and methods, focusing, for example, on discourse analysis, ethnography, archival studies, digital humanities and critical theory. The track structure enables you to specialize either in Islam, Asian religions or a field of your own choice. It allows students with an interest in languages to develop a relevant language competence. The program helps you develop generic skills such as critical reading, the handling of large and complex data sets, and the ability to formulate and present knowledge about religion, for example, in social media.

Candidates with a master’s degree in the Study of Religion work in research and education, public and state administration, publishing houses and news media. Depending on your specialization, you may build a career in the museum and cultural heritage sector, or in NGOs or other organizations that require familiarity with religion, migration, and cultural identities. The master’s degree may also qualify you to apply for a PhD.

Do you have any questions? Ask us!