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Studies & Degrees in Comparative Religion & Philosophy

Comparative religion and philosophy is the academic study of the world's religious and philosophical traditions side by side. Students read the texts, history and practices of several traditions, for example Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam, and ask the questions philosophers ask about them: what a tradition claims about reality, knowledge and ethics, how those claims are argued, and how they compare with other schools of thought.

The subject is not religious training. The University of Washington, which has taught it since 1974, says that its programme was intended "not to teach religion, but to teach about it". Courses use historical, textual, anthropological, philosophical, psychological and sociological approaches. Students learn to read primary sources closely, to compare ideas across cultures and to write clear arguments. Many programmes also ask for a classical or source language.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's degree. In North America the subject is usually a major or minor within a Bachelor of Arts. At the University of Washington the major in Comparative Religion requires 50 credits, starting with introductory courses on Western and Eastern traditions. Up to 10 of those credits may come from languages such as Biblical Hebrew, Greek, Latin, Hindi or Sanskrit.
  • Master's degree. The MA in Comparative Religion at the University of Washington requires 39 credits of graduate-level work, second-year proficiency in a research language, one long paper or two article-length papers and an oral exam; it can be finished in one or two years. In India, the Department of Christian Studies of the University of Madras offers an MA in Comparative Religion and Philosophy with specialisation in Christian Studies, open to holders of a bachelor's degree in any subject.
  • Master's degree in Spain. The Universidad Complutense de Madrid teaches the official Máster Universitario en Ciencias de las Religiones, an interdisciplinary programme shared by several faculties, including Philology, Philosophy, and Geography and History. According to the university, it is the only master's degree of its kind at a Spanish public university.
  • Doctorate. A PhD is needed for an academic career. The University of Madras offers a PhD in its Department of Christian Studies. At the University of Washington there is no single doctorate in religion: doctoral study takes place through related departments such as Asian Languages and Literature, Anthropology, History or Sociology.
  • Diplomas and short courses. Some departments add shorter postgraduate diplomas, for example in ethics or in spirituality and counselling at the University of Madras. Ask the school what recognition such a diploma has.

Confessional theology degrees, which train ministers or teachers of one faith, are a different kind of programme. If you want the comparative, non-confessional approach, check how the department describes its aims.

Where to study

SpainExchange lists 3 active schools for comparative religion and philosophy, one each in the United States, India and Canada.

  • The University of Washington in Seattle teaches the subject in the Henry M. Jackson School of International Studies. Its programme, now called Religious Studies, brings together teaching staff from sociology, history, Asian and Near Eastern languages, political science, anthropology, classics, comparative literature and law.
  • The University of Madras in Chennai has a Department of Christian Studies, started in 1984, whose stated vision is the study of religion and religious scriptures from a comparative perspective. The same university has departments of Philosophy, Jainology, Saiva Siddhanta and Vaishnavism and a centre for Islamic studies.
  • Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, is a liberal arts university that lists philosophy among its undergraduate arts programmes.

The two North American universities teach in English. The master's degree at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, which is not on this list, is an option for students who want to study the field in Spanish.

Careers

The degree does not lead to one profession. Graduates use their training in reading, analysis, writing and cultural understanding in teaching, publishing, journalism, museums and heritage, non-governmental organisations, interfaith and community work, diplomacy and public administration. The University of Washington presents its MA as a strong foundation for students heading toward PhD programmes in religion.

University teaching is the most direct career, and it is competitive. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, teachers at four-year colleges and universities typically need a PhD or other doctorate, and philosophy and religion teachers held about 26,800 postsecondary jobs in the United States in 2025.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to be religious to study comparative religion?

No. It is an academic subject that studies religions from the outside. The University of Washington states that its programme was intended not to teach religion but to teach about it.

Do I need to learn other languages?

Often, yes, especially at master's level. The MA at the University of Washington requires second-year proficiency in a research language, and its bachelor's major lets students count courses in languages such as Sanskrit, Biblical Hebrew, Greek or Latin.

What is the difference between comparative religion and theology?

Theology usually works from inside one faith. Comparative religion studies several traditions with the methods of history, philosophy, anthropology and sociology, without assuming that any of them is true.

How long does a master's degree take?

The MA in Comparative Religion at the University of Washington can be completed in one or two years. Durations elsewhere vary, so check each university's programme page.