MA in Comparative Literature - Study of Religion in Davis United States | University of California Davis

The M.A. program in Comparative Literature, which is thesis-based, equips students for advanced academic pursuits or professional careers. A diverse team of core and affiliated Comparative Literature faculty supports our graduate students. These faculty members have joint appointments with departments including East Asian Languages and Cultures, English, French and Italian, German and Russian, Middle East/South Asian Languages, and Religious Studies. We encourage applications from humanities-focused students seeking to enhance their knowledge of comparative literature and critical analysis. The curriculum blends foundational courses on comparative theory with extensive options for specialized language and literary studies. Under faculty guidance, students complete a Master's thesis while participating in a supportive thesis-writing group.

The Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion offers graduate students an interdisciplinary perspective on religion's conceptual evolution and its ongoing influence on global thought patterns, particularly in Western contexts. Instead of treating religion as a static force affecting other dynamic areas (such as literature, culture, or society), this program examines religious studies as a field that evolves historically, responds to context, and actively shapes its subject matter.