Pre-master

If you do not have a bachelor's degree in either the Humanities or Behavioural and Social Sciences, you will first need to complete a pre-master's programme before you can enter one of the tracks of the master's programme in Theology and Religious Studies.

Exemptions

Students who do not have a bachelor's degree in Arts/Humanities or Behavioural and Social Sciences may be exempted from the requirement to complete the pre-master programme if they have: 

Completed a ThRS university minor of 30 ECTS (Religion in the Modern World or Art and Religion) .

OR

Can demonstrate completion of 30 ECTS worth of subjects in their previous degree programme that have introduced them to the following disciplines:

• Politics, Philosophy, Gender Studies, Migration, Development Studies, Human Rights (RCG);
• History, Cultural Studies, Heritage Studies, Archaeology, Architecture, Art History, Spatial Sciences (Cultural Geography) (RCH);
• Archaeology, Ancient History, Ancient Languages, Ancient Philosophy (R&P);
• Philosophy, Medicine, Ethics, Cultural Studies (RHW-ED);
• Organisational Psychology, Business Management, Human Resources (RHW-WZ).

RCG = Religion, Conflict and Globalization
RCH = Religion and Cultural Heritage 
R&P = Religion and Pluralism, Ancient and Modern
RHW = Religion, Health and Wellbeing: Ethics and Diversity or Werk en Zingeving

Students who have completed a bachelor's degree at HBO level are still required to complete the one-year pre-master programme.

Pre-master's programme

There are several electives you can choose from, depending on the track of your choice. Below, you will find the complete programme.

1st semester (30 ECTS)

• Concepts and Methods 1: Study of Religion
• Rituals in Theory and Practice or Judaism (R&P)
• Hinduism and Buddhism
• Anthropology of Religion (RHW) or Hebrew Bible and Ancient Judaism (R&P)

2nd semester (30 ECTS)

• Christianity
• Religion, Media and Popular Culture (RCH) or Religion and Politics (RCG) or Psychology and Sociology of Religion (RHW)
• Islam
• Ethics and Secularity

Please contact our student advisors to see what the options are.

For the Dutch taught specialization in Spiritual Care, you need to follow a different pre-master's programme.

For the pre-master's programme, you will pay a so called compensation in stead of regular tuition fees. This compensation is the same for both EU and non-EU students.

Application in Studielink

For the pre-master's programme for the English taught master's tracks, you apply in Studielink for the premaster's programme of the BA in Religious Studies.

For the pre-master's programme for the Dutch taught track in Spiritual Care, you apply in Studielink for the pre-master's programme of the BA in Theology.