Departments & Programs

Religious Studies

Major in Religious Studies
Purpose

The B.A. Major in Religious Studies offers students an opportunity to explore and understand the religious traditions of the world, as well as to study expressions of religious life and thought that may not fall within traditional patterns. The program teaches a variety of approaches to the academic study of religion and religion's intersections with other aspects of human society and culture. A B.A. in Religious Studies prepares students for a wide variety of careers, including those in education, the social sciences, law, medicine, and politics. Undergraduate majors in Religious Studies have also long been valued by a wide variety of graduate programs, including public policy programs, law schools, business schools, and medical schools.

Required Courses

Single and double majors must complete a total of 30 credit hours including the following:

  1. One course in Area A (Africa, Europe, and West Asia) above the 100 level.
  2. One course in Area B (South and East Asia) above the 100 level.
  3. One course in Area C (The Americas) above the 100 level.
  4. One course in Area D (Theory, Ethics, Comparison) above the 100 level.
  5. R389 (Majors Seminar in Religion).
  6. At least five additional courses (15 credit hours) at the 300 level or above, including at least one course at the 400 level (other than R494, R495, R496, and R499).

A maximum of two 100-level courses may count towards the major, one of which may be a Critical Approaches to the Arts and Humanities (COLL-C 103) course with departmental approval. Six credit hours in courses outside Religious Studies may count towards the major with departmental approval. With approval of both departments and the College, one course may be cross-listed in a double major.

Students must complete the degree requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Related Language

Six credit hours in a language beyond the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences may be counted in the major if the language is relevant for advanced course work in the study of religion. Examples of such languages are ancient Greek or Latin, classical Hebrew, Chinese, Arabic, Hindi, or Sanskrit.