DISTANCE DEGREES IN
RELIGIOUS STUDIES or
INTERFAITH STUDIES
validated by Calamus International University
Bachelor's, Master's and Doctoral Degrees
BA RELIGIOUS STUDIES or INTERFAITH STUDIES
We offer a BA in Religious
Studies by distance learning validated by Calamus International
University. Since we do not adhere to a conventional academic year,
enrolment at any time is possible. The average student will take
approx. 18 months to complete the BA degree.
The BA degree is offered on an
accelerated basis according to which the student must have at least
50% general education credit towards a Bachelor’s degree. Credit
will be assessed from a wide range of previous qualifications in
any field including certificates, diplomas, vocational courses,
in-house or in-service training, skilled or professional work
experience, volunteer services, etc. Credit is also possible for
significant experiences with spiritual groups or spiritual practice,
e.g. meditation, stay at an ashram or religious college, or other
structured group experiences, solitary practice or learning, for
which you do not get formal qualifications, and also for formal
religious training. You may be required to write an essay on your
experiences in order to gain credit. General credit built up this
way is added to the work you do with Calamus in order to gain your
degree. As long as the focus of your Calamus studies is related to
religious studies (interpreted as the study of the group of subjects
listed below) your major will be BA Religious Studies.
If you wish to know whether you
have enough credit entitlement to enter the BA, please send your CV
or resume, together with details of any relevant
trainings/experience that might not be listed on your CV (you can
simply add them to your CV if you wish).
MA RELIGIOUS STUDIES or INTERFAITH STUDIES
(A M.Th. (Master of Theology) degree may be
offered along similar lines)
We offer an MA in Religious
Studies by distance learning validated by Calamus International
University. Since we do not adhere to a conventional academic year,
enrolment at any time is possible. The average student will take
approx. 18 months to complete an MA degree.
Entrants should have a
Bachelor’s degree and some interest in the fields of religion or
spirituality. Direct entry to MA may be possible in exceptional
circumstances, for example if you are an ordained minister from a
recognised college, an experienced church leader or equivalent, or
you have a qualification of a pastoral nature such as a recognised
qualification in counselling or psychotherapy.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Most course units will require
textbooks which you will need to purchase.
Please note that Calamus is not
affiliated with or owned by any religious organisation, and is not a
Christian institution. Our tutors, advisors and adjunct faculty
members may follow a variety of paths or be primarily concerned with
scholarly exploration of the phenomena of religion and
spirituality. If you are seeking a Bible-based Christian degree we
suggest that you contact one of the many Christian distance learning
schools in the USA, which will be able to cater for your needs more
specifically. However, we do have some Christian clergy, pastors and
lay students of various denominations amongst our students and
graduates.
There is no fixed syllabus as we will negotiate
an individualized syllabus with the student depending on his/her
interests, which we will endeavour to cater for as far as possible.
At the moment there is a variety of units
listed under Religious Studies in our course unit list,
comprising the following key areas:
- comparative religion,
- history of religion/
religious ideas,
- psychology of religion
- psychology of belief
and faith
- interfaith studies
(mostly Jewish-Christian themes such as looking at the origins
of Christianity, Jewish views of Jesus)
- intellectual,
mythological and allegorical (non-fundamentalist) approaches to
the Bible
- and studies of special
topics.
It is not necessary to take all of those key
areas but you will normally be required to take some of them.
Units may also be chosen from fields such as:
- Contemporary
Spirituality
- Counselling psychology
/ counselling skills
- Hypnotherapy
(specifically its spiritual and transpersonal applications and
religious attitudes towards Hypnotherapy)
- Transpersonal
psychology
- Parapsychology
- Metaphysics/ Esoteric
Studies
- Healing Studies
- Holistic studies –
philosophy of holism, integrative views of spirituality
- Shamanic studies
- Regression and
Reincarnation Studies
- Coaching (especially
spiritually-oriented coaching)
- Personal development
(many relevant topics available)
- Management (e.g.
spirituality in the workplace; values and ethics in business)
- New Age Studies
- Jungian studies/ Depth
Psychology
- Healing Studies
- The art of blessing
- Pagan spirituality
Certain fields are
under-represented in our course unit lists but we are able to
provide units for them. In particular, we are able to offer units in
the following fields for those with a special interest in them:
- Jewish Studies
(especially cultural and historical studies and reform/liberal
thought)
- Holocaust and
Anti-Semitism Studies
- Spiritualist Studies
(including the history of Spiritualism in the USA)
- New Religious
Movements
- Possession and Entity
Release
- Holistic Philosophy
- Spiritual Aspects of
Dowsing
- Psychoanalytic Studies
of Religion
- Alternative forms of
prayer
There is also the possibility
of a certain amount of independent study of topics that you research
on your own and on which you write an approved “challenge essay”
(normally 3,500 words).
A project is optional and the whole Bachelor's,
Master's or taught Doctoral (e.g. D.R.S.) degree may be completed by
taught units plus challenge essays (subject to approval).
If you are a member of a
particular spiritual or religious church, sect or movement, or you
follow a particular spiritual leader, and wish to concentrate on
study relevant to that approach, it is essential to ask our advice,
giving as much information as possible. A certain amount of
independent study may be possible. We will need to ensure that your
taught degree contains a variety of perspectives and that you are
able to take a broad-minded, comparative and analytical view of the
material you are studying. This must include material outside the
point of view of your own spiritual affiliation. This degree is for
people who wish to explore the field with an open mind, and is not
for those who are convinced that their path is the only right or
true one. Essays and projects should not “preach”, and should not
consist of arguments for converting the reader.
We do not discriminate against
any path: however we must ensure that the student is academically
suitable, taking into account learning skills, English language
skills, previous education, and willingness to engage in critical
and analytical study as well as to appreciate a wide variety of
experiences and approaches to spirituality. This might involve the
study of texts and viewpoints which are critical of one’s own path.
You are naturally welcome to
hold your own beliefs and we honour your right to do so. However,
academic thinking is separate from faith and it is possible to be
faithful to your beliefs and also to engage in open academic
enquiry. Students who do so report that their studies can contribute
to the understanding of their own beliefs and the affirmation of
their own path, whilst respecting other approaches.
You are welcome to contact us to discuss your
study possibilities in more detail.
Please email
info@unicalamus.org if you have any queries.
DOCTORAL DEGREES IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Calamus can provide a taught
programme leading to the degrees of Th.D. (Doctor of theology), DRS
(Doctor of Religious Studies) or DRE (Doctor of Religious Education)
with an optional project, or consider a doctorate by suitable
project and independent study alone.
A taught course route to a
Doctorate can also be provided in a similar way to the Master’s
degree (see above). This taught course route is suitable for those
who wish to study comparative religion or contemporary spirituality.
A Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy)
degree in Religious Studies is available by research and
dissertation – unpublished book projects will also be considered for
the Ph.D.
Calamus International
University can also award the honorary DD (Doctor of Divinity)
degree to suitable candidates who should be ordained ministers,
priests, pastors or chaplains (or their nearest equivalent) in any
faith. Independent spiritual counsellors are also welcome to apply
for the D.D. D.D. candidates may be asked to sign a pledge of
commitment to religious and interfaith tolerance and peace. (A
special certificate of honour bearing this pledge, suitable for
framing, can be supplied). If you are interested in the D.D. but are
not sure if you would qualify, please send your curriculum vitae or
resume with details of your spiritual or religious affiliations and
activities and we will contact you.
Other doctorates available are:
Ph.D. in Contemporary Spirituality by research
and dissertation (or by manuscript in lieu of dissertation)
D.R.S. (Doctor of Religious Studies) which works in the same way as
an M.A.degree
Met.D. (Doctor of Metaphysics) if your interests are mainly
metaphysical
D.E.S. (Doctor of Esoteric Studies)
Ordinations and Ministerial Qualifications
Not Available Through Calamus
Calamus does not offer any form of ordination:
we are aware that some US universities do, but Calamus International
University is not a US university or a church, and unconventional
ordinations are uncommon outside the USA. If you are seeking
ordination you will need to enquire elsewhere, but it is possible
that we could suggest a suitable religious organisation that may
offer a path to interfaith or alternative ordination via distance
learning. If you are currently studying towards such ordination, or
are already ordained as a minister (of any path except “instant”
Internet or mail-order ordinations) we may be able to give credit
for your ministerial studies.
You are welcome to contact us to discuss your
study possibilities in more detail.
Please email
info@unicalamus.org if you have any queries.
Further advice
This is an abbreviated brochure
and further advice is available on enquiry. For individual guidance
in strict confidence, please
send us a copy of your curriculum vitae or resume with details of
your particular interests in spirituality or religious studies and
any trainings done, workshops attended, etc.
To see our prospectus and course
unit list, and also to download an application form, please go to
www.unicalamus.org/downloads.htm
To see our tuition fees on-line
please go to
www.unicalmus.org/tuition.htm
If you have any
queries please contact us, preferably by email on
info@unicalamus.org
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