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.
- The half-major template in religious studies can be used by students to create their own combined majors.
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.
University-Wide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the University-Wide 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 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 | ||
| Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions | ||
| 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 | ||
| Ethics: East and West | ||
| The Meaning of Death | ||
| Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond: Eastern Religions | ||
| 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 in Western Religions | ||
| Introduction to World Religions | ||
| Understanding the Bible | ||
| Ethics: East and West | ||
| Selling Spirituality | ||
| The Meaning of Death | ||
| Apocalypticism in Film | ||
| Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam | ||
| Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond: Eastern Religions | ||
| Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates | ||
| Jewish Religion and Culture | ||
| Chinese Philosophy and Religion | ||
| Religious Perspectives on Health and Healing | ||
| 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 | ||
| 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 undergraduate students in the College of Social Sciences and Humanities 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 | Open elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 | Vacation | 0 |
| PHIL 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | 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 |
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Lived elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 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 |
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 12 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Capstone | 4 | Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 |
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | 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 | Open elective | 4 | Vacation | 0 | Vacation | 0 |
| PHIL 1110 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | 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 |
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Lived elective | 4 | ||||||
| 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 |
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Open elective | 4 | Co-op | Co-op | Vacation | 0 | ||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||
| Year 5 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Capstone | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Religious studies elective | 4 | Religious studies elective | 4 | ||||
| Open elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 128 | |||||||