The program in religious studies offers the opportunity to acquire an understanding of religion within various cultural, historical, and political contexts through comparative approaches and an engagement with religion in everyday life. The major in religious studies is designed to enable students to not only gain a breadth of knowledge across a variety of religious traditions but also to pursue in-depth mastery of particular traditions in their practical and cultural dimensions, including the various normative and ideological issues that arise out the manifestation of religion in human affairs. In addition to the study of particular religious traditions, religious studies majors will be expected to gain a general knowledge of the theoretical and methodological approaches employed in the academic study of religion. Through the major, a student will enhance the ability to think, interpret, and write critically about a range of religious traditions through diverse methodological approaches.
- The standard religion major offers students a maximum number of electives so they may choose in accordance with their own backgrounds and interests.
- Combined majors are offered in Jewish studies and religion, history and religious studies, religious studies and African American studies, and international affairs and religious studies.
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 degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.
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 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 | ||
| Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis | ||
| Music and Religion | ||
| Cults and Sects | ||
| Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | ||
| Race and Religion in Film | ||
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Comparative Religion | ||
| Complete one of the following 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 | ||
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Electives | ||
| Complete five of the following, 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 | |
| Goddesses, Witches, Saints, and Sinners: Women and Religion | ||
| Introduction to World Religions | ||
| Comparative Ethics | ||
| Selling Spirituality | ||
| The Meaning of Death | ||
| 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 | ||
| The Problem of Evil in Film | ||
| Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis | ||
| Music and Religion | ||
| Philosophical Problems of Law and Justice | ||
| Cults and Sects | ||
| Japanese Buddhism | ||
| Race and Religion in Film | ||
| The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life | ||
| Seminar in Religion | ||
| Capstone | ||
| Complete the following that is not used to satisfy another requirement: | 4 | |
| Seminar in Religion | ||
Religious Studies Major Credit Requirement
Complete 36 semester hours in the major.
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 |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 | Vacation | 0 |
| PHIL 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Open elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Comparative elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Elective | 4 |
| Lived elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Open elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Advanced-level elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Elective | 4 |
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Open elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Capstone | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 |
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Open elective | 4 | Open elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Total Hours: 128 | |||||||
Five Years, Three Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 | Vacation | 0 |
| PHIL 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Open elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Comparative elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Elective | 4 |
| Lived elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Open elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Advanced-level elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Elective | 4 |
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Open elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Co-op | Co-op | Vacation | 0 | ||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Open elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 5 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Capstone | 4 | Religious studies elective | 4 | ||||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 128 | |||||||