Studies of Religions and Spirituality B.A.

Requirements for the Major

A student will complete a Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality by fulfilling the following requirements, in addition to the other required courses (electives and courses in General Education) for a degree.

Required Track of Study

The Department for Studies of Religions and Spirituality offers three tracks of study in the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality:

• Track One: General Studies in Religions and Spiritualities;

• Track Two: Studies in Christian Religions and Spiritualities; and

• Track Three: Studies in Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice.

The previous three tracks of study indicate the three ways in which students may design their curricular plans for the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality, in order to draw most effectively from the historic disciplinary strengths in both the Department for Studies of Religions and Spirituality and its larger academic division.  Tracks of Study do not appear on the academic transcript. The academic transcript records only the degree and the major.

During or immediately following the first year of study toward the Major, the student who chooses the Major in Religions and Spirituality must choose to pursue one, and only one, of these three tracks of study.  The departmental Faculty advises, but does not require, students to declare which one of the three tracks within the Major that they will pursue after students have completed REL 100: The Study of Religions.  Requirements for each one of the three tracks of study within the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality follow.

Track One: General Studies in Religions and Spiritualities

For students who desire a broad background in the study of religions and spirituality, especially to support their work in another primary academic Major (such as Peace and Social Justice Studies, Political Science, Philosophy, Sociology, Art History, etc.), the Department for Studies in Religions and Spirituality offers the Major with a track in General Studies in Religions and Spiritualities, which requires completion of eight (8) courses. All other requirements for the Major in Religions and Spirituality also apply.

Required Core Courses

Required Capstone Course

Completion of Five (5) Additional Courses

For Track One, students must choose and must complete five additional courses from the three lists of courses that follow, at least one (1) of which must come from each of the three different areas of study.  Students must choose at least two 200-level courses from the curriculum of the Department for Studies in Religions and Spirituality, which count as two of the five additional courses for the Major in Religions and Spirituality.

Required Distributive Courses

Students must complete at least one (1) course from each of the following three areas of study:

Area I: General Historical Studies of Religions and Spirituality;

Area II: General Cultural Studies of Religions and Spirituality; and

Area III: General Normative Studies of Religions and Spirituality.

In order to enable students to pursue two Majors in related disciplines of study, the Department permits a student to take as many as, but no more than, two courses toward the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality from the curricula of other selected academic disciplines or fields of study.  Students may take such courses only from the course-lists in each one of three distributive areas.  While all three distributive areas examine various historical, cultural, and normative features of religions and spirituality, each one of the three areas of study that follow emphasizes one primary disciplinary area or methodological field of inquiry.

Area I: General Historical Studies of Religions and Spirituality

Area II: General Cultural Studies of Religions and Spirituality

The second area in academic studies of religions and spirituality examines moral, social, economic, aesthetic, and political questions, problems, or issues that either emerge from the cultural contexts of distinct religious and/or spiritual communities, experience, thought, and practice or occur as religious and/or spiritual questions or issues within more expansive cultural frames of reference. This field in academic studies of religions and spirituality, closely corresponding to the disciplinary field of cultural studies, poses comparative questions about diverse religious, spiritual, and cultural traditions and experiences from literary-critical, social-scientific, anthropological, and phenomenological perspectives.

Area III General Normative Studies of Religions and Spirituality

The third area in academic studies of religions and spirituality investigates normative questions, problems, and issues, as well as constructive solutions and proposals about the existence and character of sacred or ultimate reality, the world and universe, and the nature and conduct of human life that emerge within religious and/or spiritual experience, communities, and traditions.  This field in the academic study of religions and spirituality includes studies from the disciplines of philosophy of religions, religious ethics, and theology.

Track Two: Studies in Christian Religions and Spiritualities

For students who plan to pursue careers in various kinds of Christian ministry, graduate studies in ministry, or specialized teaching of Christian religions, the Department for Studies in Religions and Spirituality offers the Major with a specialized track for Studies in Christian Religions and Spiritualties, which requires completion of eight (8) courses.  All other requirements for the Major in Religions and Spirituality also apply.

Required Core Courses

Required Capstone Course

Completion of Five (5) Additional Courses

Students must choose and complete five additional courses from the three lists of courses that follow, at least one (1) of which must come from each of the three different areas of study.  Students must choose at least two 200-level courses from the curriculum of the Department for Studies in Religions and Spirituality, which count as two of the five additional courses for the Major in Religions and Spirituality.

Required Distributive Courses

Students must complete at least one (1) course from each of the following three areas of study:

Area I: Historical Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities;

Area II: Cultural Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities; and

Area III: Normative Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities.

In order to enable students to pursue two Majors in related disciplines of study, the Department permits a student to take as many as, but no more than, two courses toward the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality from other academic curricula.  Students may take such courses only from the course-lists in each one of three distributive areas.  While all three distributive areas examine various historical, cultural, and normative features of religions and spiritualities, each one of the three areas of study that follow emphasizes one primary area or methodological field of inquiry.

Area I: Historical Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities

Area II Cultural Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities

Area III: Normative Studies of Christian Religions and Spiritualities

Track Three: Studies in Religions, Spiritualities and Social Justice

For students who plan to pursue various careers in fields such as business, law, politics, diplomacy, social work, etc., or even graduate studies in one or more global religious traditions or communities, the Department for Studies of Religions and Spirituality offers the Major with a track in the Study of Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice, which requires completion of eight (8) courses.  All other requirements for the Major in Religions and Spirituality also apply.

Required Core Courses

Required Capstone Course

Completion of Five (5) Additional Courses

Students must choose and complete five additional courses from the three lists of courses that follow, at least one (1) of which must come from each of the three different areas of study.  Students must choose at least two 200-level courses from the curriculum of the Department for Studies in Religions and Spirituality, which count as two of the five additional courses for the Major in Religions and Spirituality.

Required Distributive Courses

Students must complete at least one (1) course from each of the following three areas of study:

Area I: Historical Studies of Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice;

Area II: Cultural Studies of Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice; and

Area III: Normative Studies of Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice

In order to enable students to pursue two Majors in related disciplines of study, the Department permits a student to take as many as, but no more than, two courses toward the Major in Studies of Religions and Spirituality from other academic curricula.  Students may take such courses only from the course-lists in each one of three distributive areas.  While all three distributive areas examine various historical, cultural, and normative features of religions and spiritualities, each one of the three areas of study that follow emphasizes one primary area or methodological field of inquiry.

Area I Historical Studies in Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice

Area II Cultural Studies in Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice

Area III Normative Studies in Religions, Spiritualities, and Social Justice