INFORMATION ON THE BEGINNING OF STUDIES IN THE WINTER SEMESTER

The admission deadline for the Master's programme Study of Religions and the Bachelor's programme Religious Education (Emphasis: Religious Studies) starting in the winter semester 2025/26 ends on 5 September 2025.

For applicants from outside the EU/EEAA a different admission deadline applies. Further information can be found here.

 Did you know...

  • that Religious Studies is not a theological discipline, but a non-denominational, cultural studies subject?
  • that Religious Studies can also be studied without basic studies (Bachelor/Master/Doctorate) within the framework of the Bachelor Religious Education (Religious Studies Education)?
  • that condition-free admission to the MA Religious Studies is possible after completing the two extension curricula in any undergraduate program?
  • that almost any undergraduate degree (Bachelor, Master, Doctorate) can be used for admission to the MA Religious Studies?
  • that required courses (usually consisting of the two extension curricula) can be completed not only before the start of the study program but also during the study programme?
  • that you can learn more about the self-image of the subject Religious Studies, the cultural studies discipline on the topic of "religion", here?
  • that EU/EEA/CH citizens do not pay tuition for their B.A./M.A./Ph.D. studies? Non-EU/EEA citizens are required to pay tuition fees of 749.42 Euro/semester.This includes all degree programmes (B.A./M.A./Ph.D.).

 News

  • We are happy to announce that the FWF has approved the funding of €458.527 for the research project “Traditionalist East Asia,” which is headed by Lukas K. Pokorny and Franz Winter (University of Graz). The three-year project begins on 1 October 2025. More information can be found here.
  • The Department of Religious Studies once again took part in the Vienna Children's University this year. The following seminars were held on 16 July: "Wondrous Beginnings: How Gods, Deities and Extraordinary Beings Are Born!" with Christoph Hammer and Samuel Thevoz, and "Animals in Religions: A Journey  through Religions and Cultures" with Dirk Schuster, Marleen Thaler, and Robert Wurzrainer. Further information on the seminars can be found here.
  • During the annual conference of the European Academy of Religion (EUARE), which took place from 8 to 12 July at the University of Vienna, the Department of Religious Studies participated in several panels. The detailed conference program is accessible here.
  • The University of Vienna's bulletin has published the new curriculum for the Master's program in Study of Religions (Version 2025), which will come into effect on 1 October 2025. In addition, the two new extension curricula, "Study of Religions: An Introduction" and "Study of Religions: The Major Religions," were published as well in the bulletin and will also come into effect on 1 October 2025. Further information on the curricula can be found here.
  • Congratulations to Teresa Barbara Wrona for completing the M.A. programme in Religious Studies with a thesis on When the Holy Spirit moves. Einflüsse religiöser Bewegungen auf die Gebetsform junger Erwachsener in der Presbyterian Church of Ghana [When the Holy Spirit Moves: The Influence of Religious Movements on the Prayer Practices of Young Adults in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana] under the supervision of Professor Hans Gerald Hödl.
  • Congratulations to Lynn Elisabeth Claude for completing the M.A. programme in Religious Studies with a thesis on Religiöse Diversität in der Parkbetreuung. Bestandsaufnahme, Chancen und Herausforderungen [Religious Diversity in Park Care: Documentation, Opportunities, and Challenges] under the supervision of Professor Wolfram Reiss.
  • The current guidelines of the Faculty of Catholic Theology and the University of Vienna on the use of AI in academic studies as well as further links on AI in teaching and studying can be found here.
  • On 26 June, the 20th workshop as part of the Religious Studies Workshop Series took place on the topic of "Scientific Research and AI: Possibilities, Limits and Guidelines" and was led by Robert Wurzrainer. Further information about the workshop can be found here.
  • On 17 June, the farewell lecture of Professor Birgit Heller took place in lecture hall 6 in the main building of the University of Vienna. The lecture was entitled "Religious Knowledge – A Male Privilege? On the Relationship Between Education and Power in Religions", and further information can be found here.
  • A first review of East Asian Religiosities in the European Union, co-edited by Lukas K. Pokorny, has been published in the Journal of Religion in Europe. It can be accessed here.
  • For students of Religious Studies, we are offering our mentoring program again this semester for questions and difficulties during their studies. You can find more information here.
  • In the new QS World University Ranking by Subject 2025, the University of Vienna's Theology and Religious Studies Cluster ranks 29th worldwide.

 New Publications

  • Lukas K. Pokorny:
    1. "Millenarismus: Definition, Theorie, Systematik." In Michael Stausberg and Katharina Wilkens, eds. Religionswissenschaft. Aktuelle Annäherungen. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter, 185–195.
    2. and Leona Mörth-Nicola, and Kerstin Tretina, eds. 2025. Blicklichter und Grenzgänge: Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh.
    3. and Rossella Ferrari, Rudiger Frank, and Ina Hein, eds. 2025. Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh.
    4. and Franz Winter, eds. 2025. Euro-American Esoteric Perspectives on East Asia. Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16 (Special Issue).
    5. "'The Way, the Truth, and the Light': Franz Hartmann's Daodejing." Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16: 25–49.
    6. and Franz Winter. 2025. "Preface to the Special Issue 'Euro-American Esoteric Perspectives on East Asia'." Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16: 1–3.
    7. and Leona Mörth-Nicola, and Kerstin Tretina. 2025. "Einleitung: Blicklichter und Grenzgänge [Introduction: Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings]." In Lukas K. Pokorny, Leona Mörth-Nicola and Kerstin Tretina, eds. Blicklichter und Grenzgänge: Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, IX–XXIX.
    8. "Kōfuku no Kagaku and the Boiling Cauldron." In Lukas K. Pokorny, Leona Mörth-Nicola and Kerstin Tretina, eds. 2025. Blicklichter und Grenzgänge. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 287–301.
  • Dirk Schuster:
    1. "Les Allemands, peuple élu de Dieu: Une théologie du 'Troisième Reich' [The Germans, God's Chosen People: A Theology of the 'Third Reich']." In ReLRace - Religions, lignages et «race».
  • Karl Baier:
    1. "Katholische Seherinnen der frühen Moderne [Catholic female seers of the early modern
    era]." In Lukas K. Pokorny, Leona Mörth-Nicola and Kerstin Tretina, eds. 2025. Blicklichter und Grenzgänge. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 111–137.
    2. "Ariosophie – Walther Paapes Buch über Adolf Josef Lanz und das Neutempler-Priorat Staufen in Dietfurt im Spiegel der Forschungsgeschichte [Ariosophy – Walther Paape's book about Adolf Josef Lanz and the Priory of the New Templars at Staufen in Dietfurt as reflected in the history of research]." In Zeitschrift für Hohenzollerische Geschichte 2025, 189–208.
    3. "Friedrich Schlegels esoterischer Katholizismus im Kontext seines Werks [Friedrich Schlegel's esoteric Catholicism in the context of his work]." In Viktoria Vitanova-Kerber and Helmut Zander, eds. 2025. Esoteric Catholicism / Esoterischer Katholizismus. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. 135–188.
  • Hüseyin Çiçek:
    1. "Der lange Atem der Autokratie [The long breath of autocracy]." In Internationale Politik Special 1/2025, 14–19.
  • Johann Figl:
    1.     "Säkulares Todesverständnis als Alternative zur religiösen Jenseitsorientierung. Motive der Kritik Nietzsches und Irvin D. Yaloms Rezeption [A Secular Understanding of Death as an Alternative to a Religious Orientation Towards the Afterlife. Motives of Criticism of Nietzsche and Irvin D. Yalom's Reception]." In Lukas K. Pokorny, Leona Mörth-Nicola and Kerstin Tretina, eds. 2025 Blicklichter und Grenzgänge. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 349–367.
  • Hans Gerald Hödl:
    1. "Queens and Mothers. Knappe Bemerkungen zur Rolle von Frauen in New Orleans Voodoo und Spiritual Churches [Queens and Mothers: Some brief remarks on the role of women in New Orleans Voodoo and Spiritual Churches]." In Lukas K. Pokorny, Leona Mörth-Nicola und Kerstin Tretina, Hg. Blicklichter und Grenzgänge. Interdisziplinäre Perspektiven auf Religion, Gender und das Lebensende [Illuminations and Border Walks/Crossings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Religion, Gender, and the End of Life]. Paderborn: Brill Schöningh, 157–176.
  • Tao Thykier Makeeff:
    1. "Dantians and Dragons: Paracorporeality and the Euro-American Reception of Chinese Martial Arts Spiritualities." In Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16: 223–254.
    2. and Jane Haug Skjoldli, and Fredrik Gregorius, eds. 2025. Forum: Back to Blood: Pursuing a Future from the Norse Past. Journal of for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, Volume 19(2).
    3. and Fredrik Gregorious, and Jane Haug Skjoldli. 2025. "Introduction to the Special Issue Forum: Back to Blood: Pursuing a Future from the Norse Past." In Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, 19(2): 147–150.
    4. "Warriors, Weather, and Wolves oh My! Environmental Determinism and Transspecies Roleplaying in Modern Viking Identity." In Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture, Volume 19(2): 151–175.
  • Davide Marino:
    1. "The Path to Gnosis: a Microhistory." In Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16: 83–110.
    2. "The Tao of Julius Evola." In Vienna Journal of East Asian Studies, Volume 16: 111–141.
  • Ivana Ryška Vajdová:
    1. "Jung's Kant: Between Philosophical Inspiration and Creative Manipulation." In Spirituality Studies, 11(1): 41–57.
  • Human-Friedrich Unterrainer:
    1. and Zoe Zipper, Eisa Renner, Raphael Wimmer, Hannah Brössler, Jasmin Brouschek, Jürgen Fuchshuber, and Anja Ischebeck. 2025. "Personality functioning mediates the relationship between negative primary emotions and tobacco use." In Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 385: 119398.
    2.  and Sarah Straßnig, Tobias Herzl, Afrodita Lafiti, Jürgen Fuchshuber, and Paul Jimenez. 2025. "Oceanic feelings and their relationship to spirituality and personality organization." In Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 16: 1558537. 
    3.  and Raphael Wimmer, Elisa Renner, Zoe Zipper, Hannah Brössler, Jasmin Brouschek, Jürgen Fuchshuber, Andreas Schwerdtfegerm, and Alfred Uhl. 2025. "Attachment Patterns Mediate the Relationship Between Primary Emotions and Gaming Disorder Tendencies." In: International Journal of Mental Health and Addictions, 2025.
    4. and Sabine Sammer-Schreckenthaler, Gloria Lagetto, and Omar C. G. Gelo. 2025. "Specific and common therapeutic factors in psychodynamic psychotherapy for children and adolescents: an overview." In Frontiers in Psychology, Volume 16: 1525849.
    5. and Elisa Renner, Raphael Wimmer, Zoe Zipper, Hannah Brössler, Jasmin Brouschek, Jürgen Fuchshuber, and Wolfgang Beiglböck. 2025. "Affects, dissociative symptoms and addictive behaviours: Insights from clinical and non-clinical samples." In Journal of Affective Disorders, Volume 370: 481–488.
    6. and Michaela Hiebler, Hannah Brössler, Raphael Wimmer, Zoe Zipper, Elisa Renner, Jasmin Brouschek, Jürgen Fuchshuber, and Aljoscha Neubauer. 2025. "The German version of the Bergen Yale Sex Addiction Scale (BYSAS): psychometric properties and initial steps of validation." In BMC Psychology Volume 13, 109.
    7. and Jürgen Fuchshuber, Karl Koschutnig, Andreas Fink, Johanna Alexopoulos, and Henriette Löffler-Stastka. 2025. "Effects of insecure attachment on fMRI resting state functional connectivity in poly drug use disorder." In PLoS ONE 20(2): e0318505.
    8. and Jürgen Fuchshuber, Marina Zeldovich, Gabor Aranyi, Lisa Winter, Martin Kuska, Dominique Dumont, and Elke Humer. 2025. "Uncovering the Internal Structure of the German Version of the CORE-OM: A Network Analysis." In Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy 32(2): e70063.
    9. "On the wings of Icarus – the need for transcendence in addictive diseases. In Frontiers in Psychiatry, Volume 16: 1563871.
    10. and Elke Humer, Johanna Thea Büttner, and Thomas Probst. 2025. "Religious/Spiritual Well-Being across psychotherapeutic orientations: A comparative study among Austrian psychotherapists." In Journal of Spirituality in Mental Health: 1–20.
    11. and Gabor Aranyi, Elke Humer, Martina Kuska, Lisa Winter, and Marina Zeldovich. 2025. "The German version of the Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation – Outcome Measure (CORE-OM): Factorial validity, internal consistency, and gender differences in a large outpatient sample." In: Psychotherapy Research: 1–19.
  • Robert Wurzrainer:
    1. "Krieg und Frieden als Themen im Ethikunterricht. Grundlagen und Herausforderungen [War and Peace as Topics in Ethics Lessons. Basics and Challenges]." In Uta Heil and Annette Schellenberg-Lagler, eds. Krieg und Frieden [War and Peace]. Wien: V&R unipress, Vienna University Press. 245–258.
  • Dominic Zoehrer:
    1."'Medical Men in the New Age': Alice Bailey’s Impact on Contemporary Energy Healing." In Religions, 16(5): 643.