The master's program in Religious Studies at the University of Missouri is a two-year stand-alone graduate program in the academic study of religion. Many of the program's alumni have gone on to outstanding PhD programs in religious studies or related disciplines and are now tenured or tenure-track faculty at Universities in the US and UK. Others have completed the master's degree in order to enrich their educational lives or to prepare for work in journalism, education, law, or other fields that demand critical thinking and analytical skills.The Department offers rigorous training in the academic study of religion. Students will work closely with their faculty mentors to develop and grow as scholars and teachers of our discipline. Faculty research strengths include African Diaspora Religions, American Indian Religious Traditions, Buddhism, Hinduism, History of Christianity, Islamic Studies, early and medieval Judaism, Religion in the Americas, Indigenous Religions, Religions of Africa, Religions of South Asia, Religions of the Ancient Mediterranean World. Faculty also are able to advise students on topics including Mythographic Studies, Religion and Popular Culture, Religion and Gender, Religion and Material Culture, Religion and Globalization, Religion and Ethnicity, Religion and Neuroscience, and Ritual Theory. Teaching assistantships and tuition waivers are awarded to incoming and continuing students on a competitive basis.