MA in Religious Studies in Santa Barbara United States | University of California, Santa Barbara

The Department of Religious Studies has earned national and global acclaim as a premier institution for the analytical examination of religion, distinguished by its cross-cultural and interdisciplinary methodologies. Our program provides education on religious aspects of human experience across various cultures, traditions, and historical periods. We integrate both humanistic and scientific perspectives in religious studies while stressing the value of mastering relevant languages. Faculty members utilize diverse research techniques and theoretical frameworks in their work. For over five decades, UCSB's Department of Religious Studies has maintained its distinctive commitment to rigorous, multidisciplinary, and analytical approaches—often incorporating comparative analyses across traditions—setting us apart from peer institutions with seminary-based programs focused on ministerial training.