Religious Studies (Master)

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© Wolfgang Treitler

The Master's degree programme in Religious Studies at the University of Vienna is aimed at people who want to understand the diverse phenomenon of religion and related discourses in a systematic, comparative and religious-historical way from a non-denominational, cultural studies perspective and taking into account interdisciplinary cooperation.

Master of Arts

Degree Programme Code: 066 800

4 semesters / 120 ECTS credits

Language: German

NO entrance examination

Curriculum (Version 2025)

Facts & Figures

  • Students: n.a.
  • Graduates in the last academic year: n.a.
  • Number of semesters needed for graduation (median): n.a.

Data updated on: 03.12.2024

Information about presentation & calculation

Attention

Instruction Language German

Please note that the instruction language of this programme is German. To start the degree programme, you need to hold a certificate of German proficiency on C1 level.

Admission Procedure

Information about the admission procedure

Information on Previous Studies:

In any case eligible degree programmes are bachelor and diploma programmes at the University of Vienna in which both of the following Extension Curricula (EC) have been completed:

The ECs can also be completed retrospectively during the MA programme as conditional courses.

Study Programme

The master’s programme consists of modules covering the following subject areas: advanced history of religions; comparative and systematic study of religions; reading course; practical study of religions; social science religious studies; research colloquium. In addition, students have to write a master’s thesis and complete the corresponding seminar as well as pass a master’s examination.

Five Concepts

which you will deal with during your studies:

  • World religions in the past & present
  • Differences & similarities between religions
  • Rituals, doctrines, myths, gender roles
  • Religious ethics
  • Origins & functions of religion

... and many more. 

 Overview of the programme structure & topics

Here you find the current offer of courses for this programme to gain better insight into the topics and structure. For more information please click on the respective level.



After Graduation

Graduates are qualified to conduct research in the area of historic and comparative and systematic study of religions independently. They are able to present knowledge of religions and intercultural processes in the area of religious journalism and adult education. In addition, graduates have the necessary competences to understand intercultural processes and act as mediators, especially in social, educational and therapeutic professions, as well as in hospital chaplaincy and counselling for asylum seekers. They can provide religious and cultural counselling in the business sector, politics and culture, and work in subject-specific development cooperation, both for international and national institutions as well as for NGOs.

Graduates' Perspective on the Degree Programme

Graduates ...

  • say that this degree programme receives the grade: 1.6 (good)
  • rate the level of difficulty as: 3.5 (appropriate)

→ These results are based on feedback from 15 graduates.

*You can find further assessments of the degree programme from its graduates’ perspective in the graduate survey of the master's programme in Religious Studies (in German).

Graduates ...

  • find employment within 2 months after graduation on average.
  • earn an average of € 2,719 (women) and € 2,702 (men) gross per month within three years after graduation.
  • work full time at a percentage of 68% (women) and 62% (men) within three years after graduation.

*You can find further information on career entry and career paths in the tracking of graduates "Arts and Humanities".

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