Major
A total of ten courses (40 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 32 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
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.
When appropriate, one course from another department or from an international program may be applied toward the major.
RELS+X Focus
Religious Studies is an intrinsically interdisciplinary field of study, so this major allows students to partner with other departments or disciplines. Moreover, this major allows students to pursue a course of study tailored to their unique intellectual interests.
A total of twelve courses (48 units) are required for the Religious Studies major with an interdisciplinary focus: the following two required courses (8 units):
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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
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RELS 490 Senior Seminar (4 units), to be taken in the Fall semester of the Senior year
along with an additional six courses (24 units) of RELS electives, and four courses (16 units) from another department, discipline, or area of specialization. At most two of these courses can be double-counted for another major/minor.
For instance, a student interested in the presence of religion in literature or a student interested in the sociological study of religion may draw on courses offered by the English or Sociology departments. Other students may be interested in a regional focus or a theoretical focus and may draw on courses spread across departments. For example, a student interested in Asian religion may need to take courses from the Language, History, and Art History departments, while a student interested in Postcolonial Theory and religion may need to take courses from the History, Philosophy, and Critical Theory and Social Justices departments.
Students who are interested in a Religious Studies major with an interdisciplinary focus will work with an advisor to propose their particular focus and four courses related to their disciplinary, regional, or theoretical interests. Proposals must include an intellectual rationale for the course selection. The proposal should be submitted to the department no later than two semesters prior to the semester of graduation, and at least two weeks before Advising Week. Any changes made to one’s focus must be made by the week prior to registration in the semester before graduation.
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On the advising form assigned to students when they declare a major in the department, RELS+X majors must indicate their interdisciplinary focus and courses from other departments they are considering as part of their major.
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A maximum of two courses can be double-counted with another major or minor.
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RELS+X majors must submit a Transfer Credit & Course Substitution Form with a list of their Interdisciplinary Electives by the end of the second semester of their junior year.
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.