University of Groningen MA Program, "Concealed Knowledge: Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism"

The Groningen Faculty of Theology and Religious Studies will launch a new Master program "Concealed Knowledge: Gnosticism, Esotericism, and Mysticism" (60 ECTS, entirely taught in the English language) as of the academic year 2012-13.
The one-year program consist of 3 modules, 1 tutorial/internship/additional module, and a master thesis. The modules are:

- Knowledge, Secrecy, and Revelation in Antiquity
- Medieval Mysticism, Kabbalah, and Contemporary Culture
- Modern Esotericism between East and West

All modules are characterized by an approach that is well-established in Groningen: an awareness of
(a) the historical dimension that reaches back to antiquity;
(b) the fact that religion in the West is pluralistic (including Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, but also pagan and other religious options); and
(c) that the notion of 'Western' must be critically engaged in terms of postcolonial debate and processes of globalization.

It is also possible to combine this program with a two-years Research Master.

The program "Concealed Knowledge" is not the only one that will be launched next year; there are 3 more Master programs (60 ECTS each, all of them being taught in English).

The new Master programs are:

- Religion, Conflict, and Globalization
- Religion in the Public Domain
- The Origins of Abrahamic Religions: Texts and Contexts

Modules of these Master programs can be combined with the program "Concealed Knowledge."