Religious Studies [Arts]

Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Arts

Degrees in Religious Studies are interdisciplinary programs administered by the Office of Interdisciplinary Studies, Faculty of Arts. They combine required RELIG courses with approved cross-listed courses offered in various departments of the Faculty of Arts and, exceptionally, in other Faculties.

See Cross-Listed Courses for Faculty regulations concerning cross-listed courses.

Honors in Religious Studies

Students planning to apply for admission to the Honors program should consult BA Honors for admission requirements. Prior to making this application they must consult with the Director of Religious Studies on the availability of an honors thesis supervisor in their area of thesis research interest.

See Bachelor of Arts (Honors) for Faculty regulations concerning the Honors program.

Honors in Religious Studies requires RELIG 102 and 103, and a minimum of ★48 and a maximum of ★72 at the senior level in RELIG and approved cross-listed courses. These will include:

★3 in RELIG courses numbered 201 to 229
★3 in RELIG courses numbered 230 to 249
RELIG 375 - Approaches to the Study of Religion
★6 in RELIG courses at the 300 level in addition to RELIG 375
★6 at the 400-level in RELIG or approved cross-listed courses*
RELIG 499 - Honors Essay in Religious Studies
*Note: see the department website for the list of approved cross-listed courses. Also see Cross-Listed Courses for additional information.

As Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary program that draws on the methods of other disciplines, Honors students are encouraged but not required to take one of:

Promotion Requirements

Promotion from year to year requires a GPA of at least 3.3 with an average of at least 3.3 in all RELIG and approved cross-listed courses.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation with Honors in Religious Studies requires a program average of at least 3.3 and an average of at least 3.3 in all RELIG and approved cross-listed courses. Graduation with First-Class Honors requires an average of at least 3.7 in all senior-level RELIG and approved cross-listed courses and an average of at least 3.5 in the last ★30 completed.

Combined Honors in Religious Studies

Students may pursue a Combined Honors program in Religious Studies and another discipline.

The common requirements in a Combined Honors program are the same as for other Honors programs [refer to Bachelor of Arts (Honors) ].

A Combined Honors degree in Religious Studies and another discipline requires a minimum of ★36 (at the junior and senior levels) in approved RELIG or cross-listed courses and a minimum of ★36 in the other discipline. Requirements in Religious Studies follow:

★30 in approved RELIG and cross-listed courses, including RELIG 375
★3 in RELIG courses numbered 201 to 299
★3 in RELIG courses numbered 230 to 249
★6 in RELIG courses at the 300 level in addition to RELIG 375
★6 at the 400-level in RELIG or approved cross-listed courses*

*Note: see the program website for the list of approved cross-listed courses. See Cross-Listed Courses for Faculty regulations concerning Cross-Listed courses.

RELIG 499 (★6) Honors Essay is normally required. Students who select the Honors Essay course must complete the language requirement as specified in Honors in Religious Studies. The Honors Essay may be replaced with ★6 at the 400-level or above in RELIG and approved cross-listed courses if the student will be completing an Honors Essay in the other discipline, or, with special permission, a Combined Honors Essay may also be allowed in lieu of RELIG 499 [see Honors Essay ]. Consult the Undergraduate Advisor for further details.

Promotion and Graduation Requirements

In a combined Honors program, students must meet the promotion and graduation standards of each discipline. The requirements in Religious Studies are outlined in Honors in Religious Studies.

Major and Minor in Religious Studies

Degree of BA

See Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Major in Religious Studies:

A major in Religious Studies requires a minimum of ★30 to a maximum of ★48 at the senior level, including:

RELIG 200 - Classical Theories of Religion
RELIG 375 - Approaches to the Study of Religion
★3 in RELIG at the 300- or 400-level
★3 at the 400-level in RELIG or approved cross-listed courses, in addition to RELIG 375 .

Breadth Requirement

One 200-level course in each of three different religious traditions, chosen from:

★3 from:

As Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary program that draws on the methods of other disciplines, majors are encouraged but not required to take one of:

Depth Requirement:

Two courses in the same religious tradition (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism). The first course may also satisfy the breadth requirement. The second may be any other approved RELIG or cross-listed course.

(See the lists of RELIG and cross-listed courses below).

The following (Buddhism) RELIG courses count toward the depth requirement

The following (Christianity) RELIG courses count toward the depth requirement

The following (Hinduism) RELIG courses count toward the depth requirement

The following (Islam) RELIG courses count toward the depth requirement

The following (Judaism) RELIG courses count toward the depth requirement

The following cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor:

The following (Buddhism) cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor

The following (Christianity) cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor

The following (Hinduism) cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor

The following (Islam) cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor

The following (Judaism) cross-listed courses may be counted toward the Religious Studies major or minor

HEBR 201

Note:

Not all courses are offered every year. Other cross-listed courses may be approved on a year-to-year basis. See Cross-Listed Courses for Faculty regulations concerning Cross-Listed Courses. Some courses, such as RELIG 297, RELIG 397 , RELIG 497 change topics each year. Consult the Undergraduate Advisor in Religious Studies Program for possible additions to this list. Additional courses would include “Topics-in” whose content changes annually.

Minor in Religious Studies:

See Minor . A minor in Religious Studies requires a minimum of ★12 to a maximum of ★42 at the senior level in RELIG and approved cross-listed courses (see Cross Listed Courses ) including RELIG 200 and at least ★6 in RELIG at the 300-or 400-level.