Undergraduate Studies
Major Requirements
The major requires 44 credits in religious studies courses, not all of which carry the REL subject code. (See Additional Courses listed after the REL courses.) Of the 44 credits, 8 must be in World Religions (REL 101, 102), 28 must be upper division.
Courses used to satisfy major requirements must be taken for letter grades and passed with a mid-C or better.
Honors in Religious Studies
Requirements for a degree with honors in religious studies typically include the following:
- Satisfaction of the requirements for a major
- A cumulative grade point average of 3.80 in courses taken to satisfy the major requirements
- Formal approval of the department
The candidate for honors shall request approval no later than the second week of fall term in the senior year. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with the undergraduate adviser before applying. Application forms are available in the department office.
A faculty committee supervises the honors thesis project. Candidates typically register for 3 credits of Research (REL 401) for both fall and winter terms of the senior year to prepare for writing the thesis. Contingent on satisfactory progress, the candidate then enrolls for 4 credits of Thesis (REL 403) spring term. A first draft of the thesis must be submitted six weeks before the end of spring term and the final draft two weeks after that.
Minor Requirements
The minor in religious studies requires 24 credits, including 8 in World Religions (REL 101, 102). Of the remaining 16 credits, at least 8 must be from upper-division courses.
