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Academic Catalog 2021-2022

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  • Cultural Anthropology and Religious Studies, BA

Cultural Anthropology and Religious Studies, BA

2021-2022 Edition

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      • Sociology and Anthropology
        • Sociology, BA
        • Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • Communication Studies and Sociology, BA
        • Cultural Anthropology and Philosophy, BA
        • Cultural Anthropology and Religious Studies, BA
        • Cultural Anthropology and Theatre, BA
        • English and Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • History and Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • Human Services and Sociology, BA
        • International Affairs and Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • Media and Screen Studies and Sociology, BA
        • Sociology and Cultural Anthropology, BA
        • Sociology and Environmental Studies, BA
        • Sociology and International Affairs, BA
        • Sociology and Philosophy, BA
        • Sociology and Political Science, BA
        • Sociology and Religious Studies, BA
        • Sociology, BS
        • Cultural Anthropology, BS
        • Computer Science and Sociology, BS
        • Criminal Justice and Sociology, BS
        • Health Science and Sociology, BS
        • Human Services and Sociology, BS
        • Linguistics and Cultural Anthropology, BS
        • Mathematics and Cultural Anthropology, BS
        • Mathematics and Sociology, BS
        • Sociology and Cultural Anthropology, BS
        • Cultural Anthropology, Minor
        • Science and Technology Studies, Minor
        • Sociology, Minor
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  • Plan of Study

The Department of Sociology and Anthropology and the Department of Philosophy and Religion offer an interdisciplinary combined major in anthropology and religious studies. Students in the combined major integrate the study of culture and social structures with the study of religious traditions and praxis.

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.

Cultural Anthropology Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Foundation Courses
ANTH 1101Peoples and Cultures4
ANTH 2305Global Markets and Local Culture4
ANTH 3410Ethnographic Field Experience4
ANTH 3421Foundations of Anthropological Theory4
Area Courses
Additional area courses taken may count as anthropology electives. Complete two of the following:8
ANTH 4350
Ethnography of Southeast Asia
ANTH 4500
Latin American Society and Development
ANTH 4505
Native North Americans
ANTH 4510
Anthropology of Africa
ANTH 4515
Culture and Politics in Modern India
Capstone
Students are expected to complete the following course in spring of their senior year:
ANTH 4600Senior Seminar4
Electives
Complete three 4-semester-hour courses in addition to the above requirements. One study-abroad course may also count toward this requirement with prior permission from the department.12

Religion Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
Required Foundational Course
PHIL 1110Introduction to Religious Studies4
Lived Religion Electives
Complete one of the following courses that is not used to satisfy another requirement:4
PHIL 1133
Selling Spirituality
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1260
Apocalypticism in Film
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1280
Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates
PHIL 1295
Religious Perspectives on Health and Healing
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2230
Music and Religion
PHIL 2390
Cults and Sects
PHIL 2410
Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions
PHIL 3100
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
PHIL 1111
Introduction to World Religions
PHIL 1130
Ethics: East and West
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1275
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond: Eastern Religions
PHIL 1290
Chinese Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2395
Japanese Buddhism
PHIL 3100
The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life
Electives
Complete five of the following courses that have not been used to satisfy another requirement in the combined major. At least one must be at the 2000 level or above and at least one must be at the 3000 level or above:20
PHIL 1104
Goddesses, Witches, Saints, and Sinners: Women in Western Religions
PHIL 1111
Introduction to World Religions
PHIL 1120
Understanding the Bible
PHIL 1130
Ethics: East and West
PHIL 1133
Selling Spirituality
PHIL 1220
The Meaning of Death
PHIL 1260
Apocalypticism in Film
PHIL 1271
Sex in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
PHIL 1275
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Beyond: Eastern Religions
PHIL 1280
Islam: Rituals, Traditions, and Debates
PHIL 1285
Jewish Religion and Culture
PHIL 1290
Chinese Philosophy and Religion
PHIL 1295
Religious Perspectives on Health and Healing
PHIL 1666
The Problem of Evil in Film
PHIL 1667
Science Fiction and Film: Moral Dilemmas and Ethical Analysis
PHIL 2230
Music and Religion
PHIL 2390
Cults and Sects
PHIL 2395
Japanese Buddhism
PHIL 2410
Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions
PHIL 3100
The Religious Worlds of Boston: Faith and Devotion in Urban Life
Seminar
PHIL 4903Seminar in Religion4

Integrative Requirements

Course List
Code Title Hours
One integrative course is required for each discipline. Courses taken as electives above may not be used as integrative courses.4
ANTH 2315
Religion and Modernity
PHIL 2410
Possession, Sacrifice, and Divination in African Diasporic Religions

Cultural Anthropology GPA Requirement

Minimum 2.000 GPA required in all anthropology courses

Religion GPA Requirement 

Minimum 2.000 GPA required in all religion courses

Cultural Anthropology and Religion Major Credit Requirement

84 semester hours required 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 Summer 2/ Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
ANTH 11014ANTH 23054Elective4Elective4
PHIL 11104Lived religion elective4Elective4Elective4
PHIL elective4PHIL elective4  
ANTH elective4ANTH elective4  
 16 16 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Comparative religion elective4ANTH 34104Elective4Co-op
ANTH elective4ANTH 34214Elective4 
ANTH area course4Elective4  
PHIL elective4PHIL elective4  
 16 16 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer 1HoursSummer 2Hours
Co-opPHIL elective4Elective4Co-op
 ANTH area course4Elective4 
 Elective4  
 Integrative course4  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-opPHIL seminar4  
 ANTH capstone4  
 Integrative course4  
 Elective4  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 128
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  • 2021-22 Undergraduate PDF

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