Harvard’s program in Religion is organized around traditions (e.g. Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity, etc.), geographical areas (e.g. South Asian Religions, North American Religions, African Religions, etc.), and methodologies (history, ethnography, gender and sexuality studies, etc.). By asking our applicants to choose 1. a tradition or geographical area, and 2. a methodology, we aim to encourage them to think more closely about their categories of analysis. We also hope to make visible the full range of faculty resources. A student interested in Buddhism and ethnography, for example, might consider taking courses on ethnography that do not focus on Buddhism. Students are expected to do significant coursework to support their methodological interests as well as their interests in a particular tradition or geographical area.

Harvard’s program in Religion is interdisciplinary, and many students employ more than one methodology in their research (for example, literary studies and history, or ethnography and critical theory). You are welcome to write about your multiple interests in your statement of purpose.