Undergraduate Bulletin > Religious Studies > Major

Religious Studies Major (RELS)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Required: 122 semester hours, to include at least 36 hours at or above the 300 course level

AOS Code: U219

The Religious Studies Major participates in a diversified program in the humanities, studying religious history, imaginative literature, systems of thought, and criticisms of culture, politics, and society. Because religious studies majors engage in multidisciplinary studies in the liberal arts, they are well-qualified to enter any field that profits from disciplines of exposition, analysis, appreciation, criticism, and historical reflection. Upon graduation, Religious Studies majors have gone into teaching, medicine, nursing, law, business, ministry, journalism, and communications.

Members of the Religious Studies Department are available to advise students about career opportunities and to refer them to further information that may be of help.

Requirements

I General Education Core Requirements (GEC)

See complete GEC requirements and approved course listings for all categories.

Core Category	S.H.
Students may select courses for:
Literature (GLT)	6
Fine Arts (GFA)	3
Philosophical, Religious, Ethical Principles (GPR)	3
Historical Perspectives on Western Culture (GHP)	3
Mathematics (GMT)	3
Natural Sciences (GNS) one must be a laboratory course; each must have a different departmental prefix	6–7
Reasoning and Discourse (GRD) ENG 101 or FMS 115 or RCO 101, and one additional GRD course	6
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSB)	6

II General Education Marker Requirements

See details and courses. It is possible to meet all GE Marker Requirements while completing the GE Core requirements or courses required by the major/concentration.

Students may select courses for:

Global/Global Non-Western Perspectives (GL/GN)
four (4) courses carrying GL/GN markers, at least one of which must carry the GN marker

One Speaking Intensive (SI) Course
In addition to this SI Marker requirement, students must also complete a second SI course within the major. All programs have identified at least one course among their major requirements that is taught as Speaking Intensive.

One Writing Intensive (WI) Course
In addition to this WI Marker requirement, students must also complete a second WI course within the major. All programs have identified at least one course among their major requirements that is taught as Writing Intensive.

III College of Arts and Sciences Additional Requirements (CAR)

See requirements and approved courses.

Category	S.H.
Historical Perspectives on Western Culture one GPM (Premodern) or GMO (Modern) course, depending on category used to satisfy GHP requirement	3
Natural Sciences any GLS or GPS course	3–4
Social and Behavioral Sciences (GSB) any additional GSB course with a different departmental prefix	3
Foreign Language (GFL) intermediate-level proficiency in one language, demonstrated by placement test, or completion of course work through course number 204	0–12
Writing Intensive Courses (WI) a total of four WI courses

IV Major Requirements

Minimum 27 semester hours in Religious Studies above the 100 level.

REL 298, Thinking About Religion, 3 s.h.
One course from each of the following categories for a total of nine (9) s.h.

Western Traditions: REL 209, 210, 212, 215, 217, 229, 231, 232, 240, 301, 303, 305, 309, 310, 311, 312, 313, 314, 325, 326, 327, 328, 330, 332, 340, 341, 382, 383

Non-Western Traditions: REL 218, 220, 221, 223, 225, 254, 317, 366, 367, 368

Cultural & Theoretical Studies: REL 207, 248, 251, 252, 253, 258, 259, 315, 318, 323, 324, 333, 355, 356, 365, 503
Four additional electives in Religious Studies above the 100 level for twelve (12) s.h.
Senior Seminar: REL 410 (3 s.h.)

V Electives

Electives sufficient to complete the 122 semester hours required for degree.