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Home : Undergraduate

Undergraduate

Major

The field of religious studies draws from a number of academic disciplines. CLA's relgious studies major was designed as an interdepartmental major to reflect this characteristic of the field.

The Religious Studies Major

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Korla Masters Interview

• Allows you to bring together perspectives, approaches, questions, and expertise from many disciplines
• Trains you to critically analyze and understand religions as historical, social, discursive, and cultural phenomena
• Provides you with a range of analytical tools to understand texts, traditions, and the ways that religion shapes everyday life
• Offers in-depth knowledge of particular traditions and time periods
• Gives you maximum flexibility to design a program that addresses your interests

You will study the range of religious phenomena by: 

• Interpreting religious texts
• Tracing the development of institutions and practices
• Examining the experiences and histories of specific communities
• Exploring the intersections between religious ideas and practices and their social and cultural contexts

Tracks

• Track I
• Track II

The religious studies major offers two tracks. Track I (Religion, Culture, and Society) offers opportunities to focus thematically on the social or cultural contexts and ramifications of religion. Track II (Text and Traditions) allows in-depth, text-based focus on a specific religious tradition.

Both tracks require: 

• 1 preparatory course
• 2 upper division courses taken regardless of track
• 1 four-course area of concentration