Curriculum

“Religion” in academic studies is a phenomenon about a variety of interrelated issues which are theological, social, cultural, economic, political, historical, environmental, and more. In the Indonesian context, religion is part of everyday life and public affairs. Religion is related to almost all aspects of civic life. In its development, religion forms and is shaped by many other issues.

The Indonesian nation, like many countries, has a diversity of identities in many aspects, including and especially religion and culture. Because of their religious and cultural identity, some groups of citizens are discriminated against and even persecuted. Attitudes of intolerance and radical behavior are a present concern for both the state and the public. Recently, Indonesian society has even tended to be polarized, partly due to religious sentiments which are always intertwined with other issues. This phenomenon of diversity is not unique to Indonesia. Interreligious conflicts, clashes of identities, and sentiment-based social polarization, including religion, are socio-political facts that are troubling almost all nation-states at the present moment.

In response to these challenges, CRCS has developed a Masters level education program with a degree of Master of Arts (M.A.) to contribute to comprehend diversity both locally in Indonesia and globally, especially in issues of religion and culture. As emphasized in the vision and mission of CRCS, religious and cultural studies have been developed to encourage the creation of an inclusive, democratic, just, and sustainable Indonesian society.

Approaches to the study of religion are therefore required to be transverse in nature, facilitating the use of interdisciplinary approaches and emphasizing dialectical and dialogical engagement between the researcher and those being studied. This approach to religious studies is critical and interdisciplinary, involving philosophy, theology, sociology, anthropology, political science, history, law, linguistics, and other disciplines. The interdisciplinary approach is aligned with the goal of developing religious studies, namely for cross-issue literacy towards the development of interreligious and intercultural relations that are dialogical, inclusive, and just.

Due to the wide scope of the themes of religious studies, religious studies at various universities in the world have developed in a wide horizon, each one differing from one another based on its vision and mission. The CRCS at the Graduate School of UGM has programmed religious studies with a focus on three clusters of themes: 

• interreligious relations, 
• religion and public life, and 
• religion, culture, and nature.

 

Graduate Profile

CRCS produces graduates with a Master’s Degree in the field of religious and cross-cultural studies who will fill specific roles and functions in society such as:

1. Educators who master and are able to teach religious and cultural study material with an interdisciplinary approach, provide innovative learning by utilizing technology and information, and stay updated, open and critical of scientific developments, especially in the field of religious studies.

2. Researchers who are able to analyze and evaluate the complexity of socio-religious issues, present their research results in national and/or international seminar forums, and publish them in scientific journals and popular media.

3. Facilitators for community engagement who are capable of conducting research-based advocacy on socio-religious issues which include conflict resolution, peacebuilding and interfaith dialogue, gender, freedom of religion or belief, ecological justice, and community development.

 

Graduate Competency Standards and Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLO)

Based on the graduate profile above, the learning outcomes of the CRCS MA program are formulated as follows:

Behavior:

1. Students are able to show open and critical attitudes towards interdisciplinary studies and socio-cultural and religious issues. (GLO 1)
2. Students are able to show their concern for the establishment of a dialogue to support an inclusive, just and sustainable society. (GLO 2)

Mastery of knowledge:

1. Students are able to analyze theories and methods in religious studies with an interdisciplinary approach. (GLO3)
2. Students are able to explain religious complexities including belief systems, practices, and organizations based on perspectives of their adherents, religious transformation, and their relations to other aspects of public life (culture, politics, economics, environment, etc.).  (GLO4)

Special Skill: 

1. Students are able to design research related to socio-religious issues. (GLO5)
2. Students are able to organize activities such as interfaith dialogue, conflict resolution, peace building and sustainable community development. (GLO6)

General Skill:

1. Students are able to communicate scientific findings related to socio-religious issues through writing and oral communication. (GLO7)
2. Students are able to critically analyze literature as well as cultural-religious discourses and realities. (GLO8)

Those Graduate Learning Outcomes are achieved through courses (see courses). 

 

Structure and Organization of Curriculum 

To complete the MA degree at CRCS, students will need 4 semesters (two years) to complete 44 credits, consisting of: 

• Required Courses: 15 SKS (5 courses)
• Elective: 21 SKS (7 courses)
• Thesis Proposal: 8 SKS
• Thesis: 16 SKS
• Total: 60 SKS

Unit	Semester I	Semester II	Intersession semester	Semester III	Semester IV
Required	3 Courses (9 SKS)	2 Courses (3 SKS)		Thesis Proposal (8 SKS)	Thesis (6 SKS)
Elective	1-2 course (6-9 SKS) 12-15 SKS	2-3 course (3-6 SKS) 12-15 SKS	0-2 course (0-6 SKS)	0-2 course (0-6 SKS)
Total Course/SKS	4-5 courses 12-15 SKS	4-5 courses 12-15 SKS	0-2 course 0-6 SKS	0-2 course 8-14 SKS `	16 SKS

All courses at CRCS consist of 3 SKS (credit hours).

 

Credit Conversion Guideline: SKS to ECTS

Semester	Activity	SKS	Per ECTS	Total in ECTS
	Total	60		108.08
Semester 1	Class Based Course (Mata Kuliah)	15	1,8	27.02
Semester 2	Class Based Course (Mata Kuliah)	15	1,8	27.02
Semester 3	Class Based Course (Mata Kuliah)	6	1,8	10.8
	Thesis Proposal	8	1,8	14.4
Semester 4	Thesis	16	1,8	28,82