The PhD in Religious Studies provides training in early Judaism, Christian origins, and religions of the Late Antique Mediterranean.
Students develop range and breadth through coursework and comprehensive examinations in Years 1 and 2 of the program; after that, students will be encouraged and enabled to narrow their focus so that they become world experts in their chosen dissertation topic.
Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (AMNE) department will be hosting a virtual open house event for students interested in applying to our MA and PhD graduate programs to join our Fall 2026 cohort on Tuesday, November 4, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm PST over Zoom . Faculty members and current graduate students will be present to meet prospective students. Interested students may register on the AMNE Admissions website ( https://amne.ubc.ca/amne-virtual-open-house-for-prospective-students/ ).
If you have any questions about our graduate programs or the application process, please reach out to Sheri, the graduate program advisor, at amne.grad@ubc.ca .
For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website
The PhD if Religious Studies is the only program in Canada to offer students the opportunity to focus on the early religious traditions of the Mediterranean and Middle East. PhD students engage in a broad range of coursework and pursue multi-disciplinary research on the material culture, religious beliefs, languages and histories of the ancient Mediterranean and Near East. We have four full-time faculty specializing in Hebrew Bible studies, Jewish studies, and early Christianity and New Testament Studies. Our other faculty in Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies are interdisciplinary researchers whose work regularly engages with religion and myth, including the archaeology of Roman religion and Greek mythology.
UBC Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (AMNE) will be hosting a virtual open house event for students interested in applying to our MA and PhD graduate programs to join our Fall 2026 cohort on Tuesday, November 4, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm PST over Zoom. Faculty members and current graduate students will be present to meet prospective students. Interested students may register on the AMNE Admissions website ( https://amne.ubc.ca/amne-virtual-open-house-for-prospective-students/ ). If you have any questions about our graduate programs or the application process, please reach out to Sheri, the graduate program advisor, at amne.grad@ubc.ca .
UBC Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Studies (AMNE) will be hosting a virtual Graduate Admissions Q & A session on Thursday, November 13, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm PST. Prospective graduate students can ask specific questions about the nuts & bolts of the application process, funding, program requirements, etc. Interested students may register on the AMNE Admissions website ( https://amne.ubc.ca/amne-virtual-open-house-for-prospective-students/ ). If you have any questions about our graduate programs or the application process, please reach out to Sheri, the graduate program advisor, at amne.grad@ubc.ca .
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the three most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
Overall score requirement : 4.5
Reading
4.5
Writing
4.5
Speaking
4.0
Listening
5.0
Overall score requirement : 100
Reading
22
Writing
21
Speaking
21
Listening
22
Overall score requirement : 7.0
Reading
6.5
Writing
6.5
Speaking