Religious Studies A.B.

Chair: Associate Professor Claussen

A Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Religious Studies requires the completion of the Elon Core Curriculum as well as the Major Requirements listed below.

Major Requirements

Required courses: 8 sh

REL2920	Approaches to the Study of Religion	4 sh
REL4970	Senior Seminar	4 sh

Select one course numbered 1000-1760: 4 sh

REL1000	Religion in a Global Context	4 sh
REL1120	Religion and Power	4 sh
REL1200	Magic	4 sh
REL1210	Religion and Rock & Roll	4 sh
REL1310	Jewish Biblical Literature in Context	4 sh
REL1320	Early Christian Literature in Context	4 sh
REL1410	African Gods	4 sh

 

Select two courses from the following: 8 sh

REL1810	Buddhist Traditions	4 sh
REL1820	Yoga, Karma, and Dharma: Hindu Traditions	4 sh
REL1830	Islamic Traditions	4 sh
REL1840	Christian Traditions	4 sh
REL1850	Jewish Traditions	4 sh
REL1860	Irreligious and Secular Traditions	4 sh

 

Select an additional five REL courses: 20 sh

• At least four must be at the 3000 or 4000 level.

• At least one must be a 4000-level topic seminar.

 

Total Credit Hours: 40

Program Outcomes

Students will demonstrate their ability to think critically about the socially constructed nature of that which can be categorized as “religious.”

Students will recognize and explain ways in which “religion” has cultural, political, and economic significance and/or ways in which cultural, political, and economic phenomena have religious significance.

Students will recognize and describe the breadth and diversity of constructions of religion.

Students will formulate substantive, critical questions about issues within the study of religion.

Students will employ appropriate approaches to pursuing those questions.

Students will craft coherent and well-supported arguments.

Students will articulate the relevance of religious studies to understanding and/or addressing questions and problems that face our world.