Innovative Master's Program of Moscow State University: The Religious Landscape of Asia

PROGRAM OVERVIEW:

This Master’s program will take you on a unique journey through the religions of the great and mysterious Asia, introduce you to the values that its peoples seek to express in religious teachings and symbols, to the beliefs and cult practices that originated in ancient times and still define the lives of many people both in the East and in the West at present. Students will deepen and expand their knowledge about the variety of religious experiences and current trends in the development of state-confessional, interreligious, and intercultural interactions in Asian countries.

The program focuses on the history, teaching, traditions, religious and state institutions in Asia, religious experience, philosophy, and anthropology of religions, the influence of religions on spiritual and social life, to arts and everyday culture in the broad region from China and East Asia to South, South-East Asia, and the Middle East. We will discuss different schools of Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, Shinto, Hindu, popular and folk religions, etc., as well as the perception of Asian religions in Western culture and vice versa.

The Master’s program is based on the educational standard of Lomonosov Moscow University, which implies compliance with academic ethics, respect for the religious feelings of believers, an interdisciplinary approach, and a combination of classical and topical research strategies of religious studies. The training includes lectures, seminars, and self-study, as well as area studies and teaching practices. Electives, as well as a Master’s Thesis, allow the students to delve into a topic of particular interest. Tests, written tests, essays, and exams are used in the assessment of knowledge. The teachers and staff of the program strive to establish a friendly atmosphere and academically support students from admission to graduation.

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