Department of Religious Studies

Department of Religious Studies

Activities and main directions of work

Department of Religious Studies KFU - a leading Department, provides training in the field of interfaith relations in the Russian Federation, this is the Center for Religious and Theological Education and Scientific Research of the Volga Federal District.

At the department conducted the educational process in the following areas of training:

Religious studies (baccalaureate);

Religious studies: Russian Religion (MA);

Religious and Law (MA);  

Theology: Church-to-State Relations (Bachelor's, Christian and Islamic groups); Theology: Science and Religion (Christian profile) (MA);

History and theology of Islam (MA);

Philosophy of Religion and Religious Studies (postgraduate).

The department has a different orientation to continuously monitor the current state of affairs in the field of religious and public relations (both from the perspective of religious studies and theology).

About 70% of the applicants -international students: the department prepares specialists in the fields of unique, having no analogues in the country (for example, "Religion and Law").

Our graduates:

 - The law enforcement officers. 

- Employees of the executive authorities, heads of state-confessional relations department on development of languages and culture.

 - Teachers of the religious cultures basics and secular ethics, religion studies, history of religion.

 - Forensic experts (experts in the field of religious studies and a comprehensive examination). 

- Religious figures.

Department in data:

- 20 educators

- 45of enrolment are postgraduate students;

 - The staff of the Department of invited foreign experts. - a constant increase in the number of foreign students.

-Steady increase in the number of foreign students;
- The majority of staff are PhDs and DScis.

HistoryoftheDepartment

Department of Religious Studies was established in 2005.. The Department adminisers graduate programs in Religious Studies (baccalaureate). Inaugural bachelors graduated in 2009. The masters' program was introduced in 2011. B.A. and M.A. in Theology are trained since 2013, and M.A. in Law and Religion - since 2014.

In April 2013, Ph.D., Associate Professor Larisa S. Astakhova, headed the department.

 On 1 September 2018 the Acting Head of the Department of Religious assigned to. Polit. n. Silaeva Zoya Vladimirovna. 

Nowadays the head of the department is a candidate of philosophical sciences, Solovyev Artem Pavlovich.

Language training:

In the department of religion studies learning Greek, Latin, Arabic, and modern European languages. There is the possibility of optional language learning.

Internships and work practice

During the educational process, students of the Department of Religious Studies intern at public institutions, religious and community organizations and get the opportunity to apply their knowledge and establish contacts with potential employers. Student of the department can undertake foreign internships as well, participate in international summer and winter schools.

The department plans to implement a project for the training of specialists for the religion expertise in the Tatar language.