Religious Studies (BA)

College of Arts and Sciences

Program Website

Program Description

Our program offers an excellent opportunity to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the complex ways in which religious traditions inform human thought and behavior. The courses offered explore religion as an academic, as opposed to a confessional, pursuit. Religious traditions are explored in all of their complexity through comparative and thematic studies as well as in specific historical or cultural contexts.

The Religious Studies Program meets the needs of three classes of students: students planning to pursue advanced degrees in the academic study of religion or allied disciplines; students desiring a systematic study of religion as part of their liberal arts education; and students seeking courses on religion to fulfill distribution requirements.

A major in Religious Studies offers students the opportunity to explore the multifaceted relationship that humans have had with religion throughout history. The major is designed to allow students an academic environment in which to explore religion and religious traditions both in thematic and cultural contexts.

Graduating with Honors in Religious Studies

The honors criteria described here will start for all graduates in the 2026-2027 academic year.

General Information

  • Eligibility: 3.3 cumulative average and 3.5 average inside the major with no grade in the major below B–. Program director notifies eligible candidates during the spring semester of the junior year or before commencement of final year.
  • The student submits the honors proposal to the Religious Studies administrator by April 15 of the junior year. The administrator then approves the student's signing into the honors courses. Candidates must enroll in RELST 4995 Senior Honors Essay I in their first semester of the Honors Program and RELST 4996 Senior Honors Essay II in their second semester, for up to 8 credits over two semesters. After completing RELST 4995 in the first semester an R in the transcript indicates that this course is half of a yearlong course. When the project is completed at the end of the second semester, the grade applies to all credits earned.
  • Honors Committee—two to three faculty members. Once students have a thesis topic in mind, they should approach a faculty member to supervise their work on the honors thesis (Chair of committee). The student and the Chair will together identify one to two additional faculty members to serve on the thesis committee. It is the student's responsibility to contact (at least) one of these faculty members to request their participation on the committee before they submit their honors application. The thesis committee members should be:
    • The professor who has agreed to supervise the student's work (Chair of the committee)
    • The student's Religious Studies major advisor, if advisor is not the Chair (Required)
    • Another relevant RELST faculty member (Optional)

More information on graduating with Honors in Religious Studies can be found on the program website.