Major & Minor Requirements

Note: This page is designed to assist students, faculty, and advisors by providing degree requirements and recommendations in an easy-to-use format. The course catalogue remains the official source of degree requirements -- please report any discrepancies with this page to the department chair.  

Major Requirements for Religion

A minimum of nine courses, to include the following:

• Introduction to Religion (101)
• Religions of the World (222)
• A minimum of one Bible course, chosen from the following:
  
  • Origins of Israel (243)
  • Issues in Hebrew Bible (244)
  • Jesus in the Gospels (251)
  • The Epistles of Paul (252)
• Either Logic and Critical Thinking (PHI 203) or Philosophy of Religion (355)
• Seminar in Perpectives on Religion (388)
• A minimum of four additional Religion courses, chosen such that both of the following criteria are met:
  
  1. All four courses may not come from a single religious tradition
  2. At least three of the four must be at the 300 level

  Up to two of the following courses, each with substantial religion-related content, may be included in the nine courses required for the major:

  • Religion, Magic, and Witchcraft (ANT 210)
  • Ritual, Symbol, and Behavior (ANT 308)
  • Ritual Arts of the African Diaspora (ART 265)
  • Saints and She-Devils (361)
  • Classical Mythology (CLA 216)
  • Milton (ENG 326)
  • Asian Philosophy (PHI 301)
  • Philosophy of Religion (355)
  • Religion, Spirituality, and Community (SOC 370)

Recommended Course Sequence

A number of our courses require sophomore standing, and our capstone course, Seminar in Perspectives on Religion (REL 388), requires junior standing plus three previous Religion courses. Otherwise, our courses have no prerequisites and students have a great deal of latitude in their course sequence.

Minor Requirements

A minimum of five courses in Religion, to include the following:

• REL 222
• A minimum of four additional Religion courses, chosen such that both of the following criteria are met:
  
  1. All four courses may not come from a single religious tradition, and
  2. At least three of the four must be at the 300 level