Religious Studies Program

Degree Requirements

Course Requirements - Majors

Required Courses (6 credits): 

Reli 1000, Introduction to Religion

(also is Non-Western & Cultural Context Humanities CH)

Reli 4000, Theories of Religion

Concurrent Concentration I (9 credits)

Students should acquire a focused concentration by taking three courses (1) on a single religion, or (2) on the religions of particular region or culture. Courses may be from a limited time period or spread across history. Students may choose from established concentrations or create their own concentration in consultation with their advisor. [Six credits must be upper level.]

Concurrent Concentration II (9 credits):

Students should take three courses in a religion, region, or culture differing significantly from that of the concentration. [Six credits must be upper level.]

Electives (9 credits):

Three courses in Religious Studies (RELI) chosen in accordance with the student’s interests. [Six credits must be upper level.]

 Language Requirement (12 credits):

 A minimum of 2 years of the same foreign language

Honors:

If a student wishes to pursue an Honors designation in Religious Studies, two additional requirements must be fulfilled:

• A three-credit Thesis Seminar or Internship, during which a research paper is written, or other suitable research project is carried out.
  • [Usually taken during the Senior year.]
• Demonstration of competency in a foreign language equivalent to a fourth-semester college-level course.

 

Course Requirements - Minors

The minor in religious studies requires a student to complete 18 hours of relevant courses, all with a grade of C or higher. These should consist of courses as set out below:

• RELI 1000, Intro to Religion
• Reli 4000, Theories of Religion (capstone course)

Twelve hours of courses focusing on issues in the study of religions, nine of which should be at the 3000-level or higher. These courses should focus on aspects of individual religions or of several religions at once. They may be chosen from: (1) any RELI course, (2) the Religious Studies list of approved courses in other departments, OR (3) selected in consultation with the Religious Studies Advisor. 

 

Approved List of Courses (Approved 2/1/2007):

ANTH 1200 Introduction to Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 2210 North American Indians
ANTH 4300 Anthropology of Religion
ART 2720 Introduction to Art and Culture of Classical Islam
ENGL 2170 The Bible as Literature
ENGL 2340 Native American Culture and Literature
ENGL 4190 Milton
PHIL 2300 Ethics in Practice
PHIL 2310 Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 3300 Ethical Theory
PHIL 3320 Eastern Thought
PHIL 4560 Metaphysics
SOC 3200 Sociology of Religion