M.Sc. in Religion and Science at University of Edinburgh (Scotland)

[tsgriffey]

I've been accepted to this program (a week after I applied!). Does anyone know anything about this program or studying religion, in general, at Edinburgh?

 

The dollar to pound conversion is kinda a bummer, but it's still a masters degree that's cheaper than U.S. schools and only a year long. Any disadvantage to studying in the UK compared to the US?

Edited January 17, 2015 by tsgriffey

[marXian]

I'm assuming by "disadvantage" you mean applying to [American] PhD programs after your M* degree. At the MA level (or M.Sc as it were), I don't think you're automatically at an enormous disadvantage, but I do think it's still a disadvantage. How much of a disadvantage depends on what your area of interest is for PhD programs. At the most basic level, you're doing a one year as opposed to two year degree, which adcoms will definitely see as not as rigorous; plus, British schools do tend to have higher admissions rates for American students because Americans don't get any money to go. Most of the best M* programs in religion in the US give their students some money, so they're more competitive (though not as competitive as MA programs in other fields.) I see your BA is in RS from UCSB (jealous that you got to spend four years there, btw) so I'm assuming you're either interested in anthro, sociology, history, and/or ethnographic methods or maybe something textual/historical? If that's the case, and you're interested in American/Western contemporary religions or something like that, you're not at any maximal disadvantage. But anything involving specific language training (Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Hebrew, Greek, other ANE or Southeast Asian languages) and you will certainly be at a disadvantage. A one year M* is not enough time to get the appropriate language training to even be able to apply and be competitive to most programs where you would study things involving knowledge of those languages. You would certainly need to come back to the US and do another M* degree (an MTS or something).

 

There is some disagreement among the regulars here as to how much language training one needs in order to be competitive for PhD applications into NT/OT/ANE tracks in RS/theology departments. I am not in any of those fields, but I do know someone who only did one M* degree and is in a top tier program for NT (was accepted to three top tier programs actually). That anecdotal evidence isn't supposed to demonstrate anything beyond the fact that it is possible to be accepted with one M* degree and only 2-3 years of formal language training. To be honest, I think this friend of mine is literally just a genius (we were friends in seminary) meaning this person is the exception not the rule. Which is to say that if you decide to go to Edinbrugh, and you want to continue on to a PhD program, you should definitely apply to them next year as well as other M* programs at the big name div schools and see what happens. That'll tell you what your next step should be if you're determined to get in somewhere.

[tsgriffey]

Thanks for your thorough response!

 

For Harvard and Chicago, I applied under the philosophy of religion specialty. However, with my background and interests I think a program specifically tailored toward studying science and religion would be best--Edinburgh, Oxford, and Boston are the schools with these programs. BU is my number one choice since it would offer the opportunity to get a PhD and get paid along the way. If I don't get into BU this time around, I think getting a Masters at Edinburgh or Oxford would be my best bet before reapplying to the PhD program at BU.

 

The Religion and Science track at BU has a unique language requirement; they require proficiency in one modern foreign language (French or German, I think), but instead of a second language one must demonstrate proficiency "in a science skill (such as cognitive and neural modeling, ecological modeling, mathematics, computer programming, or statistics for empirical research) depending on the direction of research." As such, I think my psych BA and time spent in a cognitive neuroscience lab will be sufficient. I realize that a one year M* program gives me little time to learn a language--aren't there language intensive courses that I could do over the summer (this summer, before starting a M* program if I don't get into their PhD program straightaway)?

Edited January 20, 2015 by tsgriffey

[marXian]

My comments about languages only applied if you were planning on studying something primarily text-based (e.g. NT/OT or other ancient texts that require extensive language training.) Most programs make it possible for students to get their modern research languages under their belt during the first couple years of their PhD work (which is usually coursework.) It's not that easy to do that from scratch normally, so it's a good idea to try to get at least some research language work done before you start. But if you only had to do one language, that doesn't sound like it would be that much extra work.

 

Usually for people interested in doing philosophy of religion/theology in religious studies programs, extensive M* work doesn't seem to be as necessary as it is for people working on texts. (Though I do say that as someone with two M* degrees myself). If your undergrad work is strong, you're an excellent writer, you have good letters, you should have a decent shot with just a one year M* degree. You may have a decent shot now, given your prep so far and your interests. It's not unheard of that undergrads are admitted directly into RS PhD programs. Good luck!

[tsgriffey]

Thank you very much! Keep an eye out for my update in March-ish