Theory and Method and Zone Exams (TMZ)
Theory and Method must be taken during the first semester of study for the PhD. While students are encouraged to pursue any Zones of Inquiry that align with their interests during the period of their coursework, the requirement of taking at least one Zone course during the first year is aimed at supporting the development of a theoretical/conceptual register, regardless of a student’s specific subfield or focus. The department encourages students to prepare for the exams in collaboration with each other to deepen the shared vocabulary and conversations developed through coursework.
Preparation for the examinations should also provide students with an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of the theoretical and methodological discussions concerning the category of "religion" and religious studies as a field.
The examination itself should give the student an opportunity to demonstrate competency in navigating the conceptual discussions surrounding and structuring the categories and the field more broadly. The oral examination in particular should provide an opportunity for the student to demonstrate how they think with precision and acumen in an extemporaneous setting and refine their thinking in conversation with the two examiners. In addition to providing feedback and recommendations for improvement, the follow-up discussion should also be an opportunity to address and orient the student toward the next steps in the program.
The Director of Graduate Studies oversees the Theory and Method and Zone Exams and the exam consists of a written and oral portion.
Timing: All PhD students must take Theory and Method GR6101 and a Zone course during their first year in the PhD program. Exams are administered at the end of the summer following the first year. To qualify for the exams, students must pass both Theory and Method and their Zone course with a grade of B or better by the end of the Spring semester.
By the end of the Spring semester, all students scheduled to take the exam will be contacted by the Department to confirm their examiners and the Zone in which they intend to take the exam.
Examiners: The Faculty member who taught the Zone course in question will serve as the Zone examiner. The Faculty member who is teaching Theory and Method in the Fall semester after which the student take the exam will serve as the T&M examiner. This may mean that students take the course with a different faculty member than their Theory and Method Examiner.
The two examiners cannot be the same person. In the event such a situation arises, the DGS will delegate an examiner.
Students will work to generate a list of about 20 relevant texts for Theory and Method and about 20 relevant texts in their Zone, which will form the basis of their exam responses. The lists should be structured towards the goals of any given student’s studies, but always include texts taught in the courses in question. Students should work with their Zone Examiners and their Theory and Method Examiner, who will approve their lists. Lists should be sent to the examiners for approval by April 30 to allow adequate time for review by the examiners.
The exam consists of a written and oral portion.
The Written Exam is taken first and is divided into two parts, one for Theory and Method, and one for the Zone. Students will have three hours to answer questions for each section set by their examiner. The date of the written exam shall be the same for all students taking the exam, regardless of the Zone. The exam questions will be set by the examiners. The DAAF will distribute the exam questions and then collect the completed exams via email on the day of the exam.
The Oral Exam is scheduled within two weeks of the written exam and lasts 45-60 minutes, during which students will be asked questions that clarify or expand on written answers, drawing from their lists of texts. After the examiners' deliberation, the student will meet with the examiners for 30-45 minutes to receive feedback and guidance.
The exams are graded pass/fail, and students will be notified of their results following the oral exam portion. The examiners will then inform the DGS of the results of the written and oral examinations. Should students receive a grade of fail, they may retake the examination within one month of the date the results were communicated to the DGS. The retake shall be administered by the same faculty members who set the original exam, but the student may request an additional faculty member who teaches in the department to serve as an observer. All attempts will be documented in the student’s file, but failed attempts do not enter the student’s formal record. Should the retake result in failure to achieve a passing grade, the student will not be able to advance in the program beyond receiving a Master's Degree.
Students are not permitted to use generative AI tools for any step of the process in preparing for or taking the exam. A copy of the questions and students’ answers will be kept on file by the department.
In Year 1 of the PhD Program, Students take Theory and Method in the Fall semester of their first year of classes and a Zone course in either the Fall or Spring semester.
Students should inform the faculty member teaching the Zone course within the first two weeks of classes that they intend to take the course for their Zone exam. After the course, the student works with the faculty member to assemble their reading list for the Zone exam
Students should work with their Theory and Method Instructor to put together a basic outline of titles for their list as part of their Theory and Method Coursework. In the Spring of the first year, the examiner for the Theory and Method Exam will be announced. Students should work with the examiner to finalize their reading list.
Students should inform the DAAF when they submit their final reading list to the Examiners for approval and when they receive approval from the Examiners.- Students should send the list to the examiner no later than April 30th.
The DAAF will notify the students when the written exam will take place. Students should then use the summer to prepare for the exam.
Examiners will send sample questions to students approximately two weeks before the scheduled exam date.
On the day of the exam, students should plan to be in a quiet, comfortable space with minimal distractions to take the exam. This can be a space within the department, the libraries, or their home. The DAAF will send out the first section of the exam, either the Zone or the Theory and Method Section; all students will receive the same section at the same time. Students will then have three hours to complete the section and return it to the DAAF by the end of the allotted time.
Students will then have a one-hour break before the next section is sent out.
The DAAF will distribute the second section. Students will then have three hours to complete the section and return it to the DAAF by the end of the allotted time.
The DAAF will inform the student of the date of their oral exam within 2 weeks of the written exam.
The course requirements and examinations in Theory and Method and a Zone of Inquiry (Time, Transmission, Space, Body, Media) support graduate students in developing a broad and critical approach to the study of religion across disciplines. These foundations are honed by further work in the program and in a student’s specific subfields. The exams should demonstrate a strong grasp of the following:
1) different genealogies of the category of “religion” and the major arguments surrounding them, based on both classic and contemporary texts;
2) familiarity with the history of religious studies;
3) understanding of the different methods used within the study of religion, and how method choices shape the object of study;
4) key theoretical concepts in the study of religion, as well as those crucial to the relevant Zone of Inquiry, demonstrated by the ability to speak to core interpretative debates related to these concepts, and to think creatively and critically;
5) how social and institutional dynamics shape knowledge creation;
6) the importance of being in conversation with arguments, methods, and texts beyond one’s own interests and specializations.
Formal leaves approved by the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may affect the examination schedule. Students in such a situation should speak with the DGS to discuss the timing of their exams.