2023-24 Edition

Religious Studies, B.A.

Religious Studies includes a comparative focus on world religions, emphasizing broad cultural understanding, exposure to global philosophies, and clear written expression. Religious Studies graduates bring these skills, along with cultural fluency, and greater comfort with complexity, to their next phase of life.

Many Religious Studies students combine religious studies with other majors and minors including English, art, philosophy, biology, mathematics, business administration, history, political science, sociology, and psychology. These combinations provide a unique educational experience in the liberal arts that opens doors for many vocational paths.

Religious Studies students may focus on various areas that reflect their interests, such as World Religions, Judaism/Christianity/Islam, Jainism and South Asia, and Religion and Environment. Talk to the director to explore these options.

All students must meet the University Requirements.
All students must meet the School Requirements.
Requirements for the Major
A. Complete:
REL STD 5A/HISTORY 16A World Religions I
REL STD 5B/HISTORY 16B World Religions II
REL STD 5C/HISTORY 16C Religious Dialogue
REL STD 110 Thinking about Religion: Theories and Methodologies
or REL STD 110W Thinking about Religion: Theories and Methodologies
B. Select eight upper-division electives from the following, when topics are appropriate, with at least three in each of the following categories: 1
1. World Religious Traditions
2. Thematic Approaches to Religion
Electives
ANTHRO/REL STD 60 Global Themes in Sikh Studies
ANTHRO 125Z/ASIANAM 142 Arabs and Muslims in the US
ANTHRO 129 Special Topics: Social and Economic Anthropology
ANTHRO 139 Special Topics in Cultural and Psychological Anthropology
ANTHRO 149 Special Topics in Archaeology
ANTHRO 165A Modern Iran: Cinema and the City
ANTHRO 169 Special Topics in Area Studies
ART HIS 40A Ancient Greek and Roman Art, and Architecture
ART HIS 40B Arts of Europe: Medieval and Renaissance
ART HIS 42D History of Asian Art: Arts of Islam
ART HIS 100 Studies in Ancient Art
ART HIS 114 Studies in Western Medieval Art
ART HIS 125 Studies in Southern Baroque Art
ART HIS 150 Studies in Asian Art
ART HIS 155A/HISTORY 170A/REL STD 122 Ancient India
ART HIS 155B/HISTORY 170B/REL STD 123 Medieval India
ART HIS 155D Topics in the Art and Architecture of India
ART HIS 198 Advanced Seminar: Topics in Art History
ASIANAM 143/SOCIOL 136 Religious Traditions of Asian Americans
ASIANAM 150 Special Topics in Asian American Studies
CLASSIC 45A Classical Mythology: The Gods
CLASSIC 45C Classical Mythology: Ancient and Modern Perspectives of Classical Mythology
CLASSIC 150 Classical Mythology
CLASSIC 45A Classical Mythology: The Gods
CLASSIC 45C Classical Mythology: Ancient and Modern Perspectives of Classical Mythology
CLASSIC 150 Classical Mythology
CLASSIC 176 International Studies and the Classics
COM LIT 100A Nations, Regions, and Beyond
COM LIT 105 Topics in Comparative Multiculturalism
EAS 55 Introduction to East Asian Cultures
EAS 116 Topics in East Asian Religions
EAS 150 Topics in East Asian Literature in Translation
EAS 190 Junior-Senior Colloquium
ECON/REL STD 17 An Economic Approach to Religion
ENGLISH 10 Topics in English and American Literature
ENGLISH 101W Undergraduate Seminar in Critical Writing: Topics in Literary History
ENGLISH 102A Topics in Medieval and Renaissance Literature
ENGLISH 106 Advanced Seminar: Topics in English Literature
EURO ST 103 Topics in Modern European History and Culture: Post-1789
FLM&MDA 160 National/Regional Cinemas and Media
FRENCH 171 Politics and Literature
GEN&SEX 60C/REL STD 61 Gender and Religion
GERMAN 150 German Literature and Culture in Translation
HEBREW 50 Jewish and Israeli Culture
HISTORY 10 The Holocaust
HISTORY 12 Introductory Topics in History
HISTORY 18A Major Jewish Texts
HISTORY 70B Problems in History: Europe
HISTORY 70E Problems in History: Middle East and Africa
HISTORY 100W Writing About History
HISTORY 114 Topics in Modern European History
HISTORY 130C Topics in the Jewish History
HISTORY/REL STD 130D History of Antisemitism
HISTORY 130F/POL SCI 154J/REL STD 130F Jews and Power
HISTORY/REL STD 131A History of Zoroastrianism
HISTORY 131B Ancient Persia
HISTORY 131C Medieval Persia
HISTORY 132D Armenians and Armenia in Ancient to Early Modern World History
HISTORY 169 Topics in Latin American History
HISTORY 174G Topics in the History of South Asia
HISTORY 190 Colloquium
INTL ST 151B/POL SCI 146B/REL STD 115 Religion and World Politics
INTL ST 161A/SOC SCI 188K Political Islam
INTL ST 179 Special Topics: Geographic Focus in International Studies
ITALIAN 150 Topics in Italian Literature and Culture
PHILOS/REL STD 21 Philosophy and Religion
PHILOS/LPS 113 Topics in Modern Philosophy
PHILOS 117 Topics in Asian Philosophy
PHILOS 123 Topics in Philosophy of Religion
PHILOS 130 Topics in Moral Philosophy
PHILOS 131A Applied Ethics
PHILOS 131C Medical Ethics
PHILOS/LPS 140 Topics in Philosophy of Science
POL SCI 159 Special Topics in Comparative Politics
REL STD 100 Topics in the Study of Religion
REL STD 103 Topics in the Philosophy of Religion
REL STD 120 Topics in Asian Religious Traditions
REL STD 124 Topics in Modern Indian Religion
REL STD 125 Jain History, Culture, and Ethics
REL STD 126 Topics in Jain Studies
REL STD 130 Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Religious Traditions
REL STD 140 Early Western Religious Traditions
REL STD 150 Religion in the Americas
REL STD 170 Topics in Comparative Studies in Religion
SOC SCI 189 Special Topics in Social Sciences
SOCIOL 56 Religion and Society
SOCIOL 150 Sociological Lens on Religion
SOCIOL 179 Special Topics: Societies and Social Inequality
1

With the approval of the Director, other relevant courses may satisfy the requirements for the major. One relevant lower-division course may be substituted for an upper-division course, with prior approval.

Studying Abroad: Students are encouraged to study abroad and may be able to satisfy a significant portion of their requirements abroad. Courses taken abroad must be approved by the Director of Religious Studies in order to be applied toward major requirements.

Residence Requirement for the Major: A minimum of five upper-division courses required for the major must be completed successfully at UCI.

Majoring in Religious Studies provides an excellent preparation for living and working in multicultural communities, including nonprofit leadership, mediation, counseling, education, journalism, technology, business, or graduate study in law, medicine, public health, diplomacy, and more. Check out the Religious Studies website for additional information.

The UCI Division of Career Pathways provides services to students and alumni including career counseling, information about job opportunities, a career library, and workshops on resume preparation, job search, and interview techniques. See the UCI Division of Career Pathways website for additional information.