Religious Studies Major

Goals for the Religious Studies Major

Students who elect a major in Religious Studies will acquire these competencies and skills:

Requirements for the Religious Studies Major

The major consists of a minimum of nine units, at least two of which must be at the 300 level, including a seminar in the area of concentration. No more than two 100-level courses may be included in the major. A maximum of three courses taken outside the department may be counted toward the major. No more than two of these three courses may be taken at an institution other than Wellesley.

The major requires both a concentration in a specific field of study and adequate exposure to the diversity of the world’s religions and their cultures. To ensure depth, a major must present a concentration of at least four courses, including a seminar, in an area of study that the student has chosen in consultation with and with the approval of the departmental advisor. This concentration may be defined by, for example, a particular religion, a point of contact among two or more religious cultures, a canon, vernacular religious cultures in a given location and period of time, or themes such as women, gender, ethics and morality, law, religion and material culture, or religious communities in contact and conflict. To promote breadth, a major must complete a minimum of two courses, also to be approved by the departmental advisor, devoted to religious cultures or traditions that are distinct both from each other and from the area of concentration. Together, these two courses should provide a global perspective on the study of religion. All majors are urged to discuss their courses of study with their advisors before the end of the first semester of their junior year.

Honors in Religious Studies

The only route to honors in the major is writing a thesis and passing an oral examination. To be admitted to the thesis program, a student must have a grade point average of at least 3.5 in all work in the major field above the 100 level; the department may petition on behalf of the student if the GPA in the major is between 3.0 and 3.5. See Academic Distinctions.

Courses for Credit Toward the Religious Studies Major

Students wishing to take related courses for their major or minor outside the department must obtain approval of their advisor in advance. Majors and minors are encouraged to take courses in other departments and programs, including Africana Studies, American Studies, Anthropology, East Asian Studies, Jewish Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Peace and Justice Studies, and South Asia Studies. Many courses in these departments and programs are cross-listed in Religious Studies.