In the last fifteen years the field of religious history, and American religious history in particular, has grown tremendously.  One only need look as far as the religion or history section of a major book store to see the results of this recent boom in scholarship.  The study of Catholicism, Mormonism, evangelicalism, fundamentalism, Islam, Buddhism, and numerous other subjects is thriving in graduate schools across the US. 

Prospective grad students should be aware of the significant factors that differentiate one grad program from another.  For instance, a department might specialize in non-western religions, but offer very little in other areas.  Hence, if you’re interested in studying American religion, it would be unwise to apply to such a program.  Students should also consider whether they want to specialize in any number of fields, including religion and theology or in history.  Meaning, it makes a difference whether one chooses to study in a history department or in a religion department.  Scholars who complete history grad work tend to teach in history departments.  Those who study religion would be more likely to teach in a religion department or at a seminary.  If a student is completing a degree in a history department, he/she may still work with a religion professor through an outside minor.  All that said, there are a number of exceptional schools which specialize in American cultural and religious history.  The strongest programs include: the University of Notre Dame (with a focus on the history of evangelicalism and Catholicism and with a strong cultural history element); Duke (where Grant Wacker, the foremost historian of American Pentecostalism, teaches); Emory; Harvard; Yale; the University of Chicago; Vanderbilt; the University of North Carolina; the University of Mississippi; and the University of Arkansas.  This list accounts for only a handful of the best programs in the country.  Others can be located through the American Historical Association’s History Doctoral Programs in the United States site.  This page includes information on each program’s strong points and specializations.  See also the Wheaton College History Department page, upon which some of the above information is based.