Admissions
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Decolonization
The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies is committed to equity, diversity, inclusion and decolonization in all aspects of graduate and postdoctoral studies. For more information regarding these commitments please visit grad.uwo.ca/edi-d.
Theology
Master of Arts (MA)Meet Rémi Alie, MA candidate in Theology
Supervisor: Ingrid Mattson
Why did you come to Western for your graduate degree?
I’d earned an undergraduate degree at Western and had built a strong academic network that I wanted to continue to work with and learn from.
Have you taken any professional courses that Western makes available to grad students?
In my first year as a graduate student, I completed the 20-hour Teaching Assistant Training Program, offered by the Teaching Support Centre. I can’t recommend the program highly enough: it was a highly effective crash-course in university teaching that gave me the confidence to walk into a seminar of first-year students as a TA.
What is it about your grad program that enables you to thrive and be successful?
I’d single out the faculty members in theology, who have been remarkably supportive of my academic goals, and who have been unafraid to give honest advice about my writing, intellectual development, and career goals.
Do you serve on any Department, Faculty, or University committees?
I served as the MA Representative on the Bishop Hallam Theological Society, which the Faculty of Theology’s student activity and advocacy council.
What’s the best advice you could give to someone considering applying to your graduate program?
This holds true for any program in the arts and humanities, and especially very small ones like mine: make strong connections with your peers, because they will be your strongest resources for intellectual and moral support.
Program Websites
Program Contact
Sandra Rice (srice@huron.uwo.ca)Graduate Assistant
Faculty of Theology
Western UniversityHuron University College Rm A227
London, Ontario N6G 1H3
t. 519-438-7224 ext. 289
f. 519-438-3938
The Master of Arts in Theology at Western is a two year degree (full-time) which combines course work with a thesis, in a constructive combination of formal instruction, seminar discussion, and supervised research. The thesis requirement in particular allows study to be tailored to individual interests. Drawing upon faculty working both in the theological disciplines and in the wider university, the degree seeks to foster academic integrity, interdisciplinarity and theological engagement. The faculty’s central resources lie in Christian thought, but complemented by strengths also in Islamic Studies, global religion, and public theology. Thus a student can do theological research on subjects as diverse as, for instance, the Gospels, Reformation thought or history, Karl Barth, Islamic ethics, religion and violence, or religious pluralism. The goal is to provide students with a research degree which allows them to explore personal or professional interests at the Master’s level, while at the same time to laying a solid foundation for doctoral study in related areas for those wishing to pursue further research.
Program Length
- 6 Terms (Full-time study)
- 9 Terms (Part-time study)
Program Design
- Full-time study or part-time study
- Thesis-based
Funding Information
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the following scholarships (if eligible):
Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fee schedules (per term) are posted on the Office of the Registrar's website at http://www.registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/fee_schedules.html
Graduate Student Affordability Calculator
Use this helpful tool to estimate how much money you will need to pay for your tuition, fees, housing, food, and other necessities for a 12-month (three term) academic year.
Admission Requirements
- Four year bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.
Additional Requirements
- Probationary admission may also be available to students in other cases, e.g., where a student's academic record in Theology or Religious Studies is strong, but the degree is not from an accredited institution.
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must provide evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language by a satisfactory* achievement within the last two years in one of the following:
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). iBT (internet-Based Test): The minimum acceptable score is 86, with no individual score below 20. [Western's TOEFL ID is 0984].
- The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic). The minimum acceptable score is 6.5 out of 9.
- The Duolingo English Test. The minimum acceptable score is 115.
- The Canadian Academic English Language Assessment (CAEL Assessment). The minimum acceptable score is 60.
- Western English Language Centre. The requirement is successful completion of the High-Advanced level.
- Fanshawe College’s ESL Program. The requirement is graduation from Level 10, English for Academic Purposes, with a minimum 80% in all components.
*Programs at Western may require a higher minimum score than those listed above.
Applicants who are required to present evidence of proficiency in English must make their own arrangements to complete one of the above tests or programs and to have the official results sent directly to SGPS by the testing agency.
Applicants may request an exemption by contacting their graduate program(s) of interest.
Application Deadline
- June 1 - Fall term (standard admission term)
- October 30 - Winter term