PhD in Study of Religion - African American and African Studies in Davis United States | University of California Davis

The Ph.D. program in Religious Studies is structured as a six-year curriculum. Participants develop expertise in the textual traditions of specific faiths while exploring their connections to modern themes and regional contexts, such as ethics, human rights, modernity, scientific thought, secularism, visual arts, digital media, linguistic expression, embodied practices, and theoretical approaches. Graduates acquire both qualitative and quantitative research competencies for academic careers in religious scholarship. Our program provides dual training: traditional textual analysis within religious canons alongside theoretical frameworks that situate these traditions within contemporary regional dialogues. The program features specialized research concentrations in three areas: North American religious movements, ancient Near Eastern faiths, and Asian spiritual traditions. Students also pursue a secondary regional focus for comparative analysis. Academic work is organized around thematic specializations including Ethics & Human Rights, Modernity & Secular Thought, Media & Visual Culture, Language & Performance Studies, Embodied Practices, and Theoretical Approaches. This framework enables students to produce innovative scholarship that advances the field's academic and public discourse.

The African American and African Studies Designated Emphasis enhances students' knowledge of historical and contemporary research in these fields. It creates formal pathways for students and faculty engaged with African diaspora studies to connect and collaborate across UC Davis departments, transcending traditional disciplinary boundaries.