Major
A total of ten courses (at least 38 units) in the department of Religious Studies are required for the major.
Majors are required to take the following two required courses and an additional 30 units of RELS electives.
- RELS 250 Critical Approaches to the Study of Religion (4 units), to be completed by the Spring of the Junior year, offered every Spring semester and
- RELS 490 Senior Seminar (4 units), to be taken in the Fall semester of the Senior year
When appropriate, the Department will allow for courses from other departments on campus, transfer courses, and courses from study abroad to count towards the major. Students should petition the Department by writing to the Chair and explaining why these courses should count towards the major with copies of relevant syllabi. These courses should incorporate evidence of content in the study of religion. The department will have the final say in determining whether these courses can count towards the major based on disciplinary standards in the study of religion.
The flexibility of the major enables students to pursue a curriculum customized to their individual interests. Some RELS majors opt for a program that is broadly conceived, seeking exposure to a variety of religious traditions and studying religion through a variety of methodologies. Other students choose to specialize in one religious tradition, or in one approach to the study of religion. Other students prefer our interdisciplinary major (see below), which enables them to pair RELS courses with courses in another department, discipline, or area of specialization. All students in the department work collaboratively with their advisor to devise a personalized curriculum that matches their intellectual interests and goals.
We strongly encourage majors to take courses in other disciplines – such as art history, music, politics, literature, and history – that will enrich their understanding of how religion is conceived, articulated, and practiced.
We also strongly encourage RELS students to engage in sustained language study that will inform their coursework and comps research in the department.
Finally, we strongly encourage students in the department to participate in international programs, especially in locations where they have the opportunity to study religion in situ. Students planning to study abroad should be aware that RELS 250, which should be completed by the end of the Junior year, is only offered in the Spring semester. So, if they have not completed the course in the Sophomore year and they wish to study abroad, they should do so in the Fall semester of their Junior year.
RELS+X Focus
RELS+X Focus
This interdisciplinary major allows students to pair their studies in Religious Studies with other departments or disciplines, creating a course of study tailored to their unique intellectual interests.
A total of ten courses (40 units) are required for the Religious Studies major with an interdisciplinary focus, including the following two required courses (8 units):
- RELS 250 Critical Approaches to the Study of Religion (4 units), to be completed by the Spring of the Junior year, offered every Spring semester and
- RELS 490 Senior Seminar (4 units), to be taken in the Fall semester of the Senior year
along with at least six courses (24 units) of RELS electives, and at least two courses (8 units) from other department(s) or, discipline(s). At most two of these courses can be double-counted for another major/minor.
When appropriate, the Department will allow for courses from other departments on campus, transfer courses, and courses from study abroad to count towards the RELS+X Focus. Students should petition the Department by writing to the Chair and explaining why these courses should count towards the major with copies of relevant syllabi. These courses should incorporate evidence of disciplinary standards in the study of religion. Accepting these courses for credit towards the major will be at the discretion of the department.
Students who pursue a Religious Studies major with an interdisciplinary focus will work with an advisor in the RELS department to design their particular focus and to choose courses within and outside the department appropriate for their focus. For instance, a student might choose to focus on a particular religious tradition or community, such as Jewish communities or Muslim communities. A student might choose to focus on a particular theoretical or analytical frame, such as sexuality studies, gender studies, peace and conflict studies, environmental studies, or postcolonial studies. A student might choose to focus on a particular methodological approach, such as art history, literary studies, economics, anthropology, or sociology. A student may choose to focus on a particular region of the world, such as the Americas, Asia, the Middle East, or the Mediterranean.
Students will work with their advisor to develop a proposal with their intellectual rationale for their focus and course selection. The proposal should ideally be submitted to the department before advising week in the student's second-to-last semester. Any changes made to one’s focus must be made before the four-unit class add deadline in the student's last semester
- On the advising form assigned to students when they declare a major in the department, RELS+X majors must indicate their area of focus and courses from other departments they are considering as part of their major.
- A maximum of two courses can be double-counted with another major or minor.
- RELS+X majors must submit a Transfer Credit & Course Substitution Form with a list of their Interdisciplinary Electives before the four-unit class add deadline in the student's last semester.
Some examples of RELS + X include:
- Focusing on a specific religious tradition, for example
RELS + Jewish Studies
RELS + Chinese Religions
RELS + Islamic Studies
- Focusing on a particular theoretical or analytical frame, for example
RELS + Gender and Sexuality
RELS + Peace and Conflict
RELS + Environment
RELS + Health and Medicine
- Focusing on a methodological approach, for example
RELS + International Relations
RELS + Economics
RELS + Anthropology
- Focusing on a particular part of the world, for example
RELS + the Americas
RELS + the Middle East
RELS + Indian Ocean World
RELS + the Himalayas
RELS + Mediterranean World
Honors in the Major
Honors is awarded to students who have demonstrated excellence in the discipline of Religious Studies. In the spring semester, the Religious Studies faculty will review the seniors’ record in the department and makes its determinations based on achievement in coursework, sophistication of the comprehensive project, and contribution to the intellectual community.
Minor
A total of five courses (20 units) in Religious Studies are required for the minor. Minors must take RELS 250, which is offered every Spring semester, and may choose four additional RELS electives.
The flexibility of the minor enables students to pursue a curriculum customized to their individual interests. Students are welcome to seek advice from department faculty when designing their personalized minor curriculum.
When appropriate, the Department will allow for courses from other departments on campus, transfer courses, and courses from study abroad to count towards the minor. Students should petition the Department by writing to the Chair and explaining why these courses should count towards the minor with copies of relevant syllabi. These courses should incorporate evidence of disciplinary standards in the study of religion. Accepting these courses for credit towards the minor will be at the discretion of the department.