Religious Studies
The academic study of religion provides the student with the methodological orientation necessary to comprehend the central beliefs, ethical practices, ritual systems, and social institutions of diverse religious traditions in their historic, contemporary and global contexts. Study in this field is multicultural and comparative, examining the patterns of life and moral worlds of societies past and present, our own as well as others. The student learns to probe for the structure, function and meaning of religion through those rites of passage, sacred narratives, faith communities, and codes of behavior that give meaning to human existence.
Major and Minor Requirements
The major in religious studies (#769) requires a minimum of 31 semester hours and leads to
a Bachelor of Arts degree. At least 16 hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above,
with at least 4 hours at the 400-level. A minor or second major is required. |
The minor in religious studies (#447) requires a minimum of 24 hours. At least 12 hours must
be taken in courses numbered 300 or above.
Major |
|
Minor |
| [ Students entering prior to fall 2018: see iCap for requirements. ] |
[ Students entering prior to fall 2018: see iCap for requirements. ] |
|
| I. World Religions (3 hrs) | I. World Religions (3 hrs) | |
| RELS 102: World Religions | RELS 102: World Religions | |
| II. Religious Traditions (9 hrs) | II. Religious Traditions (9 hrs) | |
| RELS 302: Buddhism | RELS 302: Buddhism | |
| RELS 303: Hinduism | RELS 303: Hinduism | |
| RELS 317: Confucianism | RELS 317: Confucianism | |
| RELS 318: Daoism | RELS 318: Daoism | |
| RELS 304: Judaism | RELS 304: Judaism | |
| RELS 305: Christianity | RELS 305: Christianity | |
| RELS 306: Islam | RELS 306: Islam | |
| III. Comparative Approaches to the Study of Religion (3 hrs) |
III. Comparative Approaches to the Study of Religion (3 hrs) |
|
| RELS 103: Religions of Asia | RELS 103: Religions of Asia | |
| RELS 200: World Religious Literature | RELS 200: World Religious Literature | |
| RELS 222: Christians, Jews, & Pagans in the Greco-Roman World |
RELS 222: Christians, Jews, & Pagans in the Greco-Roman World |
|
| RELS 242: Meanings of Life: Atheism to Zen | RELS 242: Meanings of Life: Atheism to Zen | |
| RELS 308: East Asian Religious Traditions | RELS 308: East Asian Religious Traditions | |
| RELS 320: Religions of the Middle East | RELS 320: Religions of the Middle East | |
| RELS 333: Women & Religion | RELS 333: Women & Religion | |
| RELS 341: Religion and Ecology | RELS 341: Religion and Ecology | |
| IV. Electives (15 hrs: at least 9 hrs in RELS; plus 6 hrs from the following list, or any study-abroad and/or language courses [up to one yr] approved by the dept head) |
III. Electives (9 hrs: at least 6 hrs in RELS; plus 3 hrs from the following list, or any study-abroad and/or language courses approved by the dept head) |
|
| ANTH 446: Anthropology of Religion | ANTH 446: Anthropology of Religion | |
| ART 316: Medieval Art & Architecture | ART 316: Medieval Art & Architecture | |
| ART 407: Islamic Art & Architecture | ART 407: Islamic Art & Architecture | |
| ENG 396: Mythology | ENG 396: Mythology | |
| ENG 487: Dante | ENG 487: Dante | |
| HIST 318: Age of Reformation | HIST 318: Age of Reformation | |
| HIST 407: The Crusades | HIST 407: The Crusades | |
| HIST 454: Religion in America | HIST 454: Religion in America | |
| PHIL 343: Philosophy of Religion | PHIL 343: Philosophy of Religion | |
| PSY 485: Psychology of Religion | PSY 485: Psychology of Religion | |
| SOC 322: Sociology of Religion | SOC 322: Sociology of Religion | |
| V. Senior Seminar (1 hr) | ||
| RELS 496: Senior Seminar | ||
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Advisement : Jeffrey Samuel | Cherry Hall 300 | (270) 745-5744 | e-mail: jeffrey.samuel@wku.edu
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