Designated Emphasis

Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion

Applications Are Accepted on a Rolling Basis

The Designated Emphasis in the Study of Religion (DESR) supports graduate training in Religious Studies and in the Theory of the Study of Religion, promotes graduate research on topics related to religion, and brings together a cross-disciplinary faculty Group in the Study of Religion.

Recognizing that many Berkeley students across the Humanities and Social Sciences are already deeply engaged in the study of religious phenomena, the DESR creates a space where those students may come together and focus on the history and theory of how others have approached such phenomena. Since Berkeley currently has no department of Religious Studies, the DESR also integrates professional approaches derived from Theology and Religious Studies, alongside those derived from other cultural traditions and critical approaches to religion.

The DESR’s two core-course requirements are Methods in the Study of Religion (STRELIG 200) and the Histories of the Study of Religion (STRELIG 201). In addition to two core courses, the DESR requires students to take one elective course. As with the core courses, various elective courses are offered each semester by faculty in departments across the Humanities and Social Sciences.

BCSR has fostered an engaging community for me to discuss questions about the study of religion in history, the coherence of secularization narratives, and all of the deep problems that confront scholars working in this area. These questions have opened up debates among scholars from across the disciplines, and it only makes sense to learn about them with mentors and colleagues outside of my department.

Simon Brown, PhD Candidate

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Duncan Macrae

Graduate Group Chair and Head Graduate Advisor; Co-Director, BCSR

Ancient Greek and Roman Studies

I work on Roman history from the period of the late Republic to Late Antiquity, particularly the entangled histories of religion and cultural life in the empire. I find myself particularly preoccupied by the history of religious change, the sociology of knowledge, and, increasingly, the history...Read more about Duncan Macrae

Designated Emphasis