The Department of Philosophy and Religion and the Program in Africana Studies offer an interdisciplinary combined major in religious studies and Africana studies. Students interested in the combined major integrate the study of religious traditions, religious praxis, and religious ethics with critical and systematic examination of the cultural, political, social, economic, and historical experiences of African Americans throughout the hemisphere and peoples of African descent around the world.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA language requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Religious Studies Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Foundational Course | ||
| PHIL 1110 | Introduction to Religious Studies | 4 |
| Lived Religion Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following courses that is not used to satisfy another requirement: | 4 | |
| Selling Spirituality | ||
| The Meaning of Death | ||
| Apocalypticism in Film | ||
| Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates | ||
| Religious Perspectives on Health and Healing | ||
| Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis | ||
| Music and Religion | ||
| Cults and Sects | ||
| Race and Religion in Film | ||
or AFAM 2619 | Race and Religion in Film | |
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Comparative Religion Elective | ||
| Complete one of the following courses that is not used to satisfy another requirement: | 4 | |
| Introduction to World Religions | ||
| Comparative Ethics | ||
| The Meaning of Death | ||
| Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond | ||
| Chinese Philosophy and Religion | ||
| Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis | ||
| Japanese Buddhism | ||
| Race and Religion in Film | ||
or AFAM 2619 | Race and Religion in Film | |
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Electives | ||
| Complete five of the following courses, one of which must be 2000-level or above and another one of which must be 3000-level or above, that is not used to satisfy another requirement: | 20 | |
| Introduction to World Religions | ||
| Goddesses, Witches, Saints, and Sinners: Women and Religion | ||
| Understanding the Bible | ||
| Comparative Ethics | ||
| Selling Spirituality | ||
| Apocalypticism in Film | ||
| Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond | ||
| Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates | ||
| Jewish Religion and Culture | ||
| Chinese Philosophy and Religion | ||
| Religious Perspectives on Health and Healing | ||
| Cults and Sects | ||
| Race and Religion in Film | ||
or AFAM 2619 | Race and Religion in Film | |
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Seminar in Religion | ||
| Directed Study | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Complete the following course that is not used to satisfy another requirement: | ||
| PHIL 4903 | Seminar in Religion | 4 |
Africana Studies Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational | ||
| AFAM 1101 | Introduction to African American and Africana Studies | 4 |
| or AFRS 1101 | Introduction to African Studies | |
| Introductory | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Introduction to African American and Africana Studies | ||
| The African-American Experience through Music | ||
| Black Popular Culture | ||
| John Coltrane and the History of Jazz in the United States | ||
| Gender, Race, and Medicine | ||
| Introduction to Global Health | ||
| Humanities | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Early African-American Literature | ||
| New England Stories: Storytelling the African American Experience | ||
| Modern and Contemporary African-American Literature | ||
| Boston in Literature | ||
| African American Rhetorical Traditions | ||
| The African American Novel | ||
| Black Poetry and the Spoken Word | ||
| Social Sciences | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Gender and Sexuality in the African Diaspora | ||
| Africa Today | ||
| Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | ||
| Natural Resources and Sustainable Development | ||
| The Scope and Dynamics of Conflicts in Africa | ||
| Epidemiology of Pandemic Diseases and Health Disparities in the African Diaspora | ||
| Electives | ||
| Note: Electives may not double count for other AFAM or HIST combined-major requirements. | ||
| Complete one AFAM/AFRS course at the 2000 level or above | 4 | |
| Complete one AFAM/ AFRS course at the 3000 level or above | 4 | |
| Senior Capstone | ||
| AFAM 4700 | Capstone | 4 |
Integrative Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| PHIL 2410 | Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | 4 |
| or AFRS 2410 | Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | |
Experiential Liberal Arts
All students in this College of Social Sciences and Humanities program are required to complete the Experiential Liberal Arts Requirement.
Program Requirement
128 total semester hours required
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| AFAM 1101 or AFRS 1101 | 4 | Introductory Course | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Lived Religion Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| PHIL 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Comparative Religion Elective | 4 | Co-op | Co-op | Elective | 4 | ||
| Social Sciences Course | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| PHIL 2000 Level Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Humanities Course | 4 | Co-op | Co-op | Elective | 4 | ||
| Social Sciences Course | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| AFAM/AFRS 2000 Level Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| AFAM/AFRS 3000 Level Elective | 4 | Capstone | 4 | ||||
| PHIL 3000 Level Elective | 4 | Humanities Course | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Integrative Requirement Course | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | PHIL Advanced Level Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 128 | |||||||