Program Overview

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Overview of the Religious Studies Program

The Religious Studies program at the University of Iowa enables students to gain competence in global religious diversity and develop the skills necessary for living and working effectively in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. A degree in Religious Studies is often added as a second major to enhance students' education and training by stimulating their curiosity, expanding their imaginations, deepening their thinking, and helping them to better understand themselves and other people.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies

The Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies requires 30 semester hours (s.h.) of coursework, including 15 s.h. that are distributed across at least three of the department's five core areas:

• Social Justice, Equity, Inclusion, and Religion
• Religion in History
• Religion in Global Context
• Religion, Values, and Culture
• Special Topics and Current Events

The remaining 15 s.h. may be taken from any core area or Religious Studies course (prefix RELS). Of the 30 s.h., at least two courses (6 s.h.) must be numbered 3000 or above.

A minimum of 15 s.h. for the major must be earned at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a grade-point average of at least 2.00 in all courses for the major. Courses for the major may not be taken pass
onpass.

Core Area Courses

Students select 15 s.h. (typically five courses) that are distributed across at least three of the department's five core areas.

Social Justice, Equity, Inclusion, and Religion

• RELS:1015: Global Religious Conflict and Diversity
• RELS:1041: African American Religion and Popular Culture
• RELS:1350: Introduction to African American Religions
• RELS:1810: Happiness in a Difficult World
• RELS:2000: Engaging Religious Diversity for Leadership and Entrepreneurship
• RELS:2250: Jews, Judaism, and Social Justice
• RELS:2330: Wealth, Inequality, and Islam
• RELS:3745: Twentieth- and Twenty-first Century African American Religion

Religion in History

• RELS:1001: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• RELS:1225: Medieval Religion and Culture
• RELS:1250: Modern Religion and Culture
• RELS:2152: The Gnostic Religion: Knowledge, Institution, and Salvation
• RELS:2775: The Bible and the Holocaust
• RELS:2930: Digital Media and Religion
• RELS:3190: Medieval to Modern: The Birth of Protestantism

Religion in Global Context

• RELS:1130: Introduction to Islamic Civilization
• RELS:1404: Introduction to Asian Religions
• RELS:1506: Introduction to Buddhism
• RELS:1670: Korea in the World
• RELS:2515: Introduction to Chinese Religious Thought: How Best to Live
• RELS:2852: Women in Islam and the Middle East
• RELS:3655: Zen Buddhism
• RELS:3850: Perspectives on Migration

Religion, Values, and Culture

• RELS:1070: Introduction to the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
• RELS:1080: Introduction to the New Testament
• RELS:1702: Religion in America Today
• RELS:1903: Quest for Human Destiny
• RELS:2240: Introduction to Jewish Studies
• RELS:2260: Hard Cases in Healthcare at the Beginning of Life
• RELS:2265: Hard Cases in Healthcare at the End of Life
• RELS:2272: Gods and Superheroes: Mythologies for a Modern World
• RELS:2877: Sport and Religion in America

Special Topics and Current Events

• RELS:1050: Big Ideas: Introduction to Information, Society, and Culture
• RELS:2122: The Place of Animals in the Hebrew Bible
• RELS:2674: Food, Body, and Belief: A Global Perspective
• RELS:2980: Religion and Contemporary Popular Culture
• RELS:3055: Death, Dying, and Beyond in Asian Religions
• RELS:3267: Dissent and Rebellion in Islamic Societies: Was There an Arab Spring?
• RELS:3325: Bioethics and Religious Diversity
• RELS:4893: Classical Arabic: Vocabulary, Syntax, and Grammar
• RELS:4930: Internship in Research on Rights and Remedial Justice
• RELS:4960: Individual Study: Undergraduates

Additional Coursework

Students select another 15 s.h. from any core area list or any other Religious Studies course.

Honors in the Major

To graduate with honors in the Religious Studies major, students must have a UI cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 3.33, a minimum requirement set by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students must also maintain a UI Religious Studies GPA of at least 3.50. Beyond the 30 s.h. required for the major, students must take the 3 s.h. course RELS:4975 Honors Essay under the supervision of a faculty advisor and complete an approved honors thesis.

University of Iowa Honors Program

Students also have the opportunity to pursue advanced studies and activities through the University of Iowa Honors Program.

GE CLAS Core Requirements

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences GE CLAS Core requirements provide students with a broad foundation of knowledge and a focused practice of transferable skills necessary for a lifetime of learning.

Communication and Literacy

• Understanding Cultural Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Interpretation of Literature: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Rhetoric: a minimum of 4 s.h.
• World Languages Pathways: required credit varies

Sustainability

Students complete this requirement by choosing an approved GE CLAS Core course that integrates Sustainability (with no additional semester hours) with a course from the Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences category or the Culture, Society, and the Arts category.

Natural, Quantitative, and Social Sciences

• Natural Sciences: a minimum of 7 s.h.; must include one lab
• Quantitative or Formal Reasoning: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Social Sciences: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Culture, Society, and the Arts

• Historical Perspectives: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• International and Global Issues: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts: a minimum of 3 s.h.
• Values and Society: a minimum of 3 s.h.

Career Advancement

Because religion and religious traditions impact every aspect of culture and society, a major in Religious Studies can prepare students for many different career paths while at the same time enhancing the quality of their everyday lives and interactions with others. Most employers look for employees who have some experience with different cultures, are comfortable interacting with people from various religious backgrounds, have curious, open, and creative minds, and collaborate well with others, all of which are fostered through the academic study of the world's religions.

Graduates have gone on to careers in media and communication, social work, nursing, public health, government, and nonprofit organizations. They have also pursued advanced degrees in the humanities, social sciences, law, and medical professions.

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The following checkpoints list the minimum requirements students must complete by certain semesters in order to stay on the university's Four-Year Graduation Plan.

• Before the fifth semester begins: one or two courses in the major.
• Before the seventh semester begins: three to six courses in the major and at least 90 s.h. earned toward the degree.
• Before the eighth semester begins: five to seven courses in the major.
• During the eighth semester: enrollment in all remaining coursework in the major, all remaining GE CLAS Core courses, and a sufficient number of semester hours to graduate.

Sample Plan of Study

Sample plans represent one way to complete a program of study. Actual course selection and sequence will vary and should be discussed with an academic advisor.

Religious Studies, BA

Plan of Study Grid (Manual) Academic Career

• Any Semester: GE CLAS Core: Sustainability
• First Year:
  • Fall: Major: core area course, ENGL:1200 or RHET:1030, GE CLAS Core: Understanding Cultural Perspectives, GE CLAS Core: Values and Society, CSI:1600
  • Spring: Major: core area course, ENGL:1200 or RHET:1030, GE CLAS Core: Natural Sciences with Lab, GE CLAS Core: Social Sciences, Elective course
• Second Year:
  • Fall: Major: core area course, GE CLAS Core: Quantitative or Formal Reasoning, GE CLAS Core: World Languages First Level Proficiency or elective course, Elective course, Elective course
  • Spring: Major: core area course, GE CLAS Core: International and Global Issues, GE CLAS Core: World Languages Second Level Proficiency or elective course, Elective course, Elective course
• Third Year:
  • Fall: Major: core area course, Major: religious studies course, GE CLAS Core: Natural Sciences without Lab, GE CLAS Core: World Languages Third Level Proficiency or elective course, Elective course
  • Spring: Major: religious studies course, Major: religious studies course, GE CLAS Core: World Languages Fourth Level Proficiency or elective course, Elective course, Elective course
• Fourth Year:
  • Fall: Major: religious studies course, GE CLAS Core: Historical Perspectives, Elective course, Elective course, Elective course
  • Spring: Major: religious studies course, GE CLAS Core: Literary, Visual, and Performing Arts, Elective course, Elective course, Elective course, Degree Application: apply on MyUI before deadline