Religious Studies Major
The major in Religious Studies requires a minimum of 122 total semester hours for the degree. A minor is also required. In addition to the core curriculum and requirements for the major and minor, electives must be taken to meet the total required minimum hours. Two semester hours of free electives outside the major discipline are also required.
Students may enroll in either of the two focus areas in Religious Studies (Religion and Literature or Religion and Culture) or they may plan their major independently of these options.
Religion and Literature |
Religion and Culture |
| REL 1010 Intro to Religious Literature | REL 1110 Religions of the World |
| REL 2010 Biblical Lit: The Hebrew Scriptures | REL 2110 Judaism |
| REL 2020 Biblical Lit: The New Testament | REL 2120 Christianity |
| REL 2030 Islamic Literature | REL 2130 Islamic Religion and Culture |
| REL 2040 Asian Religious Literature | REL 2140 Hinduism |
| REL 2150 Buddhism | |
| REL 3000 Minds, Brains, and Religion | REL 3000 Minds, Brains, and Religion |
| REL 3010 Prophecy in Ancient Israelite Literature | REL 3110 Religion in America |
| REL 3020 Life and Letters of Paul | REL 3120 African Thought |
| REL 3030 Women in the Biblical Tradition | REL 3130 Zen Buddhism |
| REL 3700 Research and Methods in Religious Studies | REL 3700 Research and Methods in Religious Studies |
| REL 3720 Study Tour Abroad | |
| REL 4015 Biblical Interpretation | REL 4115 Religion and Cultural Forms |
| REL 4700 Senior Seminar: Literature | REL 4700 Senior Seminar: Culture |
All Religious Studies majors must complete the following:
- REL 1010 (Introduction to Religious Literature) or REL 1110 (Religions of the World)
- REL 3700 (Research and Methods in Religious Studies)
- REL 4700 (Senior Seminar)
REL 3700 is strongly recommended for all students taking courses at the 3000 and 4000 levels.
A major in Religious Studies leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree consists of 36 semester hours in the department, 18 of which must be at the 3000-level or above. A candidate for the Bachelor of Arts degree may count NOT more than 40 hours above core curriculum requirements in religious studies.
To earn the Bachelor of Arts degree, the student must complete six semester hours of the second year of a foreign language or higher.
A STUDENT MAJORING OR MINORING IN THE DEPARTMENT MUST OBTAIN CREDIT FOR ONE COURSE IN LITERATURE OUTSIDE THE DEPARTMENT. If a student has satisfied the core curriculum requirement of one course in literature by taking one or more courses in religion counting towards this requirement, she or he will be allowed to count them toward the major, but must obtain additional credit in literature equal to that counted toward the major.
