Religious Studies Major
Requirements
Because the field of religious studies is multidimensional, our program for majors acquaints students with the diverse aspects of the phenomenon of religion. It also enables students to pursue in-depth the particular area of their own interest.
For classes of '25 '26, and '27:
A major is required to take a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14 courses in the department.
- These must include one from each of the following areas: sacred text, theology, ethics, and world religions.*
- They must include two intensive courses (seminars or tutorials) in one of the department areas (sacred text, theology, ethics, or world religions)*
- The remaining courses (to reach a minimum of 10) can be electives from any of the courses offered in the department.
For classes of '28 and later:
A major is required to take a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 14 courses in the department.
- These must include one from each of the following areas: sacred text, theology, ethics, and world religions.*
- They must include two intensive courses (seminars or tutorials) in one of the department areas (sacred text, theology, ethics, or world religions)*
- They must include at least two religious traditions covered by the Department (Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism).
- The remaining courses (to reach a minimum of 10) can be electives from any of the courses offered in the department.
*For courses that satisfy each area, see below (and see Religious Studies website for updates to these lists).
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| Sacred texts: | |
| New Testament | |
| Hebrew Bible/Old Testament | |
| Understanding Jesus | |
| History of the Early Church | |
| Readings: Asian Sacred Texts | |
| Women In Early Christianity | |
| Walking with Paul | |
| Households& Early Christianity | |
| Scripture and Script: The Bible and Contemporary Art, Media and Literature | |
| Sex, Gender & the Hebrew Bible | |
| The Quran | |
| Sex, Money, Power & the Bible | |
| Land and Creation | |
| Nature and Animals in the Bible | |
| World Religions: | |
| Intro to the Comparative Study of Religion | |
| Buddhism | |
| Islam | |
| Hinduism | |
| Catholicism (for majors classes '28 and later) | |
| History Of Christianity 1 (for majors classes '28 and later) | |
| History Of Christianity 2 (for majors classes '28 and later) | |
| Comparative Religions/World View | |
| Saints and Sinners Around the World | |
| Judaism | |
| Judaism in the Time of Jesus | |
| Ancient and Medieval Hinduism | |
| Introduction to Global Catholicism | |
| Readings: Asian Sacred Texts | |
| Ecology & Religion | |
| Comparative Mysticism & Human Ecology | |
| The Quran | |
| Comparative Catholicisms | |
| Modern Religious Movements | |
| Religion and Violence | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
| Theravada Buddhism | |
| Islamic Philosophy & Theology | |
| Holocaust: Confronting Evil | |
| Gardens & World Religions | |
| Theology: | |
| Mary in Christian Theology | |
| Race and Religion | |
| Christian Martyrdom | |
| Introduction To Theology | |
| Angels and Demons | |
| Catholicism | |
| History Of Christianity 1 | |
| History Of Christianity 2 | |
| Saints and Sinners Around the World | |
| Contemp Catholic Spirituality | |
| Understanding Jesus | |
| The Worlds of C. S. Lewis | |
| Introduction to Global Catholicism | |
| Theology & Art | |
| Early Christian Monasticism | |
| God: A Love Story | |
| Liberation Theology | |
| Defense Against the Dark Arts | |
| Eucharist/History & Theology | |
| Christian Sacraments | |
| Christian Prayer in Theory and Practice | |
| Love, Friendship and Catholicism | |
| Conflicts in the Church | |
| Theology Of The New Testament | |
| Comparative Mysticism & Human Ecology | |
| Jesuit Spirituality | |
| Early Christian Preaching | |
| Teología Andina | |
| Medieval Christianity | |
| Un tal Jesus | |
| Islamic Philosophy & Theology | |
| Holocaust: Confronting Evil | |
| Comparative Theology | |
| Modern Catholic Theology | |
| Theology of Thomas Aquinas | |
| Ethics: | |
| Contemporary Christian Morality | |
| Social Ethics | |
| Theological Perspectives on Medical Ethics | |
| Christian Ethics and Mental Illness | |
| Sexual Justice:Social Ethics | |
| Ethics of Work & Family | |
| Challenge of Happiness | |
| HIV/AIDS and Ethics | |
| Everyday Ethics | |
| Coures that count as a second religious tradition (if courses in Christianity have already been taken) | |
| Buddhism | |
| Islam | |
| Hinduism | |
| Judaism | |
| Judaism in the Time of Jesus | |
| Ancient and Medieval Hinduism | |
| The Quran | |
| Zen Buddhism | |
| Theravada Buddhism | |
| Islamic Philosophy & Theology | |
| Holocaust: Confronting Evil | |
For those students who intend to pursue graduate studies, the department strongly advises competence in a classical as well as in a modern language, and in the social sciences and philosophy. A course taken in Montserrat that carries an R designation might be counted towards the minor with the approval of the department Chair.