MF Norwegian School of Theology, Religion and Society, East Norway

Master in Religion in Contemporary Society

MA Religion in Contemporary Society: Public Issues - Global Perspectives provides advanced knowledge of the interplay between religions as cultural and historical phenomena and contemporary societal processes. The programme is interdisciplinary, with an emphasis on social science perspectives.  

As a student, you will encounter questions such as:

  • How and why does religion mobilize in political conflicts today?
  • What is “religion”? Is it a useful term?
  • How are global changes expressed in local religious practices?
  • What is the best way to understand those who feel as if they belong to religious traditions they neither believe in, nor are active in?

Students on this programme will acquire tools to understand and interpret relevant social processes and challenges that shape, and are shaped by, religious traditions and practices. The programme provides both analytical skills and practical skills to study and discuss religion using social scientific methods.

Entry requirements

A. Applicants must meet the general admission requirements (except proficiency in Norwegian) to be eligible for admission. These requirements differ depending on home country/country of education, and are described in the GSU-list.

B. All applicants to master programmes must document English proficiency, regardless of what is stated in the GSU-list. English proficiency is documented in one of the following ways:

  • TOEFL iBT 80 (minimum 24 in the writing component)
  • IELTS 6.0 (minimum 6.5 in the writing component)
  • PTE Academic 59 (minimum 58 in the writing component)
  • Grade 4 in Vg1 course in English at Norwegian upper secondary school (140 hours) or completed Advanced course in English at Norwegian upper secondary school
  • Minimum one year of studies on university level in Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia.
  • Bachelor degree or minimum one year of master studies (60 ECTS) with English as the medium of instruction completed in one of the Nordic countries.
  • University degree in English language and/or literature. A degree in other disciplines taught in English does not meet this requirement.

C. A bachelor’s degree and a combination of relevant social sciences and religious studies. You need at least 80 ECTS credits in one subject area and a minimum of 20 ECTS in the other subject area. The 80 ECTS credit group must have an average grade of a Norwegian C (2,7) or better.

“Relevant religious studies” means the study of religion as cultural and historical phenomena explored in fields such as religious studies, history of religion, sociology of religion and anthropology of religion. Other academic studies of religion, such as theology and interdisciplinary study of religion may also be relevant, and is considered individually. “Relevant social science” means studies in qualitative social- and cultural studies, such as sociology, anthropology, human/cultural geography and politics. Other studies providing skills to work with empirical methods and social analysis may be relevant and are considered individually. These can include studies in the humanities (education/pedagogy), media studies, history, history of ideas, and philosophy. Studies with emphasis on quantitative methods, like economics and psychology, can also be relevant.

Level
Master
Duration
2 years | 120 ECT
Tuition
Please see our website for information about tuition fee: https://www.mf.no/en/admission
Application deadline

There are two application periods depending on your citizenship and prior education. The application, including all necessary documentation, must be submitted before the deadline.

  • 1 November – 15 January
    For non-EU/EEA citizens, the application portal opens on 1 November and the deadline is 15 January. (For exceptions, see the below deadline.)
  • 1 February – 15 April
    For Norwegian citizens and EU/EEA/Swiss/Nordic/English speaking Visa exempted countries (UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia), the deadline is 15 April. The application portal opens 1 February.

    Non-EU applicants who hold a bachelor’s diploma from a Norwegian higher education institution, or are expected to receive one at the end of the spring semester the same year (before 1 July), can apply to this deadline (15 April). This exemption is only for applicants to our master programmes. Only applicants who fit this description can apply between 1 February and 15 April.

    If there are vacant study places after the application deadline, it will be possible to apply for them as long as there are vacant places or until 15 August at the latest. This possibility is only open to the applicant group who are eligible to apply for the 15 April deadline. 

Entry requirements

A. Applicants must meet the general admission requirements (except proficiency in Norwegian) to be eligible for admission. These requirements differ depending on home country/country of education, and are described in the GSU-list.

B. All applicants to master programmes must document English proficiency, regardless of what is stated in the GSU-list. English proficiency is documented in one of the following ways:

  • TOEFL iBT 80 (minimum 24 in the writing component)
  • IELTS 6.0 (minimum 6.5 in the writing component)
  • PTE Academic 59 (minimum 58 in the writing component)
  • Grade 4 in Vg1 course in English at Norwegian upper secondary school (140 hours) or completed Advanced course in English at Norwegian upper secondary school
  • Minimum one year of studies on university level in Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Canada, New Zealand or Australia.
  • Bachelor degree or minimum one year of master studies (60 ECTS) with English as the medium of instruction completed in one of the Nordic countries.
  • University degree in English language and/or literature. A degree in other disciplines taught in English does not meet this requirement.

C. A bachelor’s degree and a combination of relevant social sciences and religious studies. You need at least 80 ECTS credits in one subject area and a minimum of 20 ECTS in the other subject area. The 80 ECTS credit group must have an average grade of a Norwegian C (2,7) or better.

“Relevant religious studies” means the study of religion as cultural and historical phenomena explored in fields such as religious studies, history of religion, sociology of religion and anthropology of religion. Other academic studies of religion, such as theology and interdisciplinary study of religion may also be relevant, and is considered individually. “Relevant social science” means studies in qualitative social- and cultural studies, such as sociology, anthropology, human/cultural geography and politics. Other studies providing skills to work with empirical methods and social analysis may be relevant and are considered individually. These can include studies in the humanities (education/pedagogy), media studies, history, history of ideas, and philosophy. Studies with emphasis on quantitative methods, like economics and psychology, can also be relevant.