MA and AMRS Programs
The Master of Arts in Divinity (MA) and Master of Arts in Religious Studies (AMRS) provide foundational training in the academic study of religion and its adjacent fields.
Program Overviews
The Divinity School offers two distinct Master of Arts programs, the Master of Arts in Divinity (MA) and the Master of Arts in Religious Studies (AMRS).
Both provide graduate-level training in the academic study of religion, equipping graduates to better understand how religious actors, texts, phenomena, materials, and histories have affected and continue to influence the world around us and the people in it. Master of Arts students take courses alongside PhD and Master of Divinity students. This arrangement fosters an intellectual ecosystem unlike any other and perhaps the best preparation for engaging religion beyond the academy. The flexibility of the MA and AMRS programs, paired with the breadth of offerings across the Divinity School and the University of Chicago, allows students to tailor their studies to evolving interests and aspirations.
MA students
Must satisfactorily complete (B- or better) at least 15 courses through full-time enrollment in six quarters (Autumn, Winter, and Spring Quarters in each of two academic years). MA students must also demonstrate academic reading competency in a modern research language, such as French, German, Modern Arabic, Modern Chinese, Modern Hebrew, or Spanish, by achieving a "pass" on the Academic Reading Comprehension Assessment (ARCA). MA students admitted to the PhD, who have completed a "high pass" on the ARCA, may count this toward one of their two required language assessments.
AMRS students
Must satisfactorily complete at least nine courses (B- or better). AMRS students may enroll part-time, but should complete their degree requirements within three years (nine quarters of Autumn, Winter, and Spring). As a capstone project, AMRS students sit for a one-hour oral examination with a faculty committee based on a paper written for a class with a Divinity School faculty member. The AMRS program has no language requirement, but students may wish, and are encouraged, to take language classes that relate to their academic interests.
Students in both the MA and AMRS take DVSC 30500, Introduction to the Study of Religion, and DVSC 30600, Theory and Method, and at least one course in three of the four faculty committees. DVSC 30500 is offered every Autumn Quarter, and DVSC 30600 is offered every Winter Quarter. Additional courses up to the required amount can be fulfilled through electives, including language courses, both inside and outside the Divinity School. See course offerings here.
Applying to the MA and AMRS Programs
Dates and deadlines
Round 1 January 5, 2027
PhD Program: Application Deadline
AMRS, MA, and MDiv Programs: Priority Deadline
Round 2 April 2, 2027
AMRS, MA, and MDiv: Round 2 Application Deadline (final deadline for international students)
Round 3 June 14, 2027
AMRS, MA, and MDiv: Round 3 Application Deadline (final deadline for domestic students)
Admission into the MA and AMRS programs is offered on a yearly application cycle. The application usually opens in September and has three application deadlines: one in early January, early April, and early June. See Dates and Deadlines here.
Questions about the application process? Explore Application FAQs.
Scholarships and funding
Applicants are automatically considered for Divinity School scholarships upon admission. Scholarships are offered based on the strength of the application materials and availability; applicants who want to ensure they are considered for the full range of funding options should apply by the January priority deadline.
Divinity School Scholarships for MA students are automatically renewable for the second year of the program, subject to good academic progress. Students may also apply scholarship funding toward summer language study at the University. Divinity School Scholarships for AMRS students may be renewed for up to three years for students who complete the program on a part-time basis, but scholarship amounts are prorated when pursuing the degree less than full-time.
Tuition is charged quarterly. Please see the Bursar's fee schedule for tuition rates. For more information about scholarship and funding opportunities, please see Scholarships and Financial Aid.
Required Application Materials
The Director of the MA and AMRS programs is Sheila E. Jelen, Professor of Religion, Literature, and Visual Culture and Jewish Thought and Culture.