Religious Studies Undergraduate Major (BA, BS, HBA, HBS)
This program is available at the following locations:
- Corvallis
- Ecampus
The School of History, Philosophy, and Religion offers a BA or BS degree in Religious Studies. Courses emphasize skills in critical thinking, argumentative and expository writing, cultural literacy, citizenship, and global diversity. Majors in religious studies pursue graduate studies and careers in numerous fields, including education, government, humanitarian services, journalism, law, medicine, and politics.
Major Code: 977
Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:
- Acquire and further develop core humanities skills of critical thinking, textual analysis, expository and persuasive writing, and organized research, that displays academic knowledge of religious studies.
- Articulate the roles of religiosity in a secular democratic society and cultivate characteristics of engaged citizenship.
- Articulate the basic tenets of at least three classical world religions, including at least one religious cultural tradition outside of European/American culture.
- Utilize various disciplinary approaches – historical, literary, philosophical, religious, ethical – to articulate the concept and meaning of “religion” and the nature of its academic study
- Apply scholarly methods to understand how religious communities address concrete issues such as environment, gender, violence, and secularity.
- 48 total credits are required for the major and a minimum of 24 credits must be upper-division.
- No courses counted towards the major can be taken Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory (S/U).
- A maximum of two courses may be shared with any other minor or major.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core | ||
| REL 160/PHL 160 | +*RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD | 4 |
| REL 210/HST 210/PHL 210 | +*RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES | |
| REL 407 | ^SEMINAR | 4 |
| REL 467/PHL 467 | +DECOLONIZING THE CANON | 4 |
| REL 497/HST 497/PHL 497 | +PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT | 2 |
| Electives | ||
| Category A | ||
| Select a minimum of 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
| *THE BIBLE AS LITERATURE | ||
| A HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY IN AFRICA | ||
| +ISLAM IN THE UNITED STATES | ||
| +*INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC TRADITIONS | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO JEWISH TRADITIONS | ||
| +INTRODUCTION TO CHRISTIAN TRADITIONS | ||
| *WORLD-VIEWS AND VALUES IN THE BIBLE | ||
| *ANCIENT JEWISH HISTORY | ||
| *EARLY CHRISTIANITY: ORIGINS TO 600 | ||
| *HISTORY OF CHRISTIANITY | ||
| HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE | ||
| HISTORY OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE | ||
| *FIRST FREEDOM: RELIGIOUS LIBERTY AND INTOLERANCE | ||
| *UNITED STATES RELIGION AND SOCIAL REFORM | ||
| *AFRICAN AMERICAN RELIGION | ||
| *ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION | ||
| *ISLAMIC CIVILIZATION | ||
| +RELIGION IN THE AMERICAN WEST | ||
| *POLITICS AND RELIGION IN THE MODERN MIDDLE EAST | ||
| Category B | ||
| Select a minimum of 8 credits from the following: | 8 | |
| *INDIGENOUS HISTORY OF LATIN AMERICA | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO BUDDHIST TRADITIONS | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO HINDU TRADITIONS | ||
| *GANDHI AND NONVIOLENCE | ||
| *PHILOSOPHIES OF CHINA | ||
| HISTORY OF BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHY | ||
| BUDDHISM, NON-VIOLENCE, AND SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| *YOGA AND TANTRIC TRADITIONS | ||
| *THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MODERN YOGA | ||
| *SPIRITUALITY AND ECOLOGY: GREEN YOGA | ||
| YOGA PHILOSOPHY | ||
| ADVANCED YOGA TEACHING SEMINAR I | ||
| ADVANCED YOGA TEACHING SEMINAR II | ||
| NATIVE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| Uncategorized Courses | ||
| Select 18 credits from the following courses or additional courses from Category A and B: | 18 | |
| SHPR Courses | ||
| *SLAVERY IN THE AMERICAS | ||
| RELIGION AND U.S. FOREIGN RELATIONS | ||
| +*THE IDEA OF GOD | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
| STUDY OF PEACE AND THE CAUSES OF CONFLICT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO RELIGIOUS STUDIES | ||
| *RELIGIOUS ETHICS AND MORAL PROBLEMS | ||
| +NEWER RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD | ||
| +RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FLOURISHING | ||
| LEGAL PERSPECTIVES | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
| *INTRODUCTION TO CONTEMPLATIVE STUDIES | ||
| *CRITICS OF RELIGION | ||
| INTELLECTUAL ISSUES OF MEXICO AND MEXICAN AMERICANS | ||
| HISTORY OF EARLY MODERN EUROPE | ||
| MEDIEVAL AND EARLY MODERN SPANISH HISTORY | ||
| *PACIFISM, JUST WAR, AND TERRORISM | ||
| *EARLY LATIN AMERICA | ||
| *RELIGION AND GENDER: A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE | ||
| INTERNSHIP | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| READING AND CONFERENCE | ||
| GREAT FIGURES IN PHILOSOPHY | ||
| SELECTED TOPICS | ||
| *THE HOLOCAUST IN ITS HISTORY | ||
| PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION | ||
| *WORLD VIEWS AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES | ||
| *BIOMEDICAL ETHICS | ||
| *PANDEMICS, PLAGUES, AND PHILOSOPHIES | ||
| DEATH AND DYING | ||
| *HUMAN TECHNOLOGICAL ENHANCEMENT | ||
| *HISTORY OF WHITE SUPREMACY & WHITE NATIONALISM IN THE US & OR | ||
| +PSYCHEDELICS, SPIRITUALITY, AND HEALING | ||
| RELIGION AND LAW | ||
| *SCIENCE AND RELIGION | ||
| Non-SHPR Courses | ||
| No more than 8 credits from the following courses may be counted towards the major: | ||
| FOLKLORE AND EXPRESSIVE CULTURE | ||
| CONTEMPORARY NATIVE ISSUES | ||
| *THE HOLOCAUST IN LITERATURE AND FILM | ||
| *NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE | ||
| SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION | ||
| *FEMINISM AND THE BIBLE | ||
| *MUSLIM WOMEN | ||
| Remaining Core Ed, CLA Core, BA/BS Requirements and Electives | 132 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course
Major Code: 977
Degree plans are subject to change and the following is only an example of how students may complete their degree in four years. Students should consult their advisor to determine the best degree plan for them. Contact details for advisors can be found on the Academic Advising page.
Bachelor of Science
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| REL 160/PHL 160 | +*RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Category A Course | 4 | |
| BS Math or Stats | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Category B Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Category A Course | 4 | |
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Category B Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Uncategorized Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| REL 210/HST 210/PHL 210 | +*RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES | 4 |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| BS Computer Science | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| BS Science | 4 | |
| BS Math or Stats | 4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 3 | |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| REL 407 | ^SEMINAR | 4 |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 467/PHL 467 | +DECOLONIZING THE CANON | 4 |
| REL 497/HST 497/PHL 497 | +PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT | 2 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
Bachelor of Arts
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | |
| REL 160/PHL 160 | +*RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD | 4 |
| WR 121Z | +*COMPOSITION I | 4 |
| Language 111 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Transitions | 2 | |
| Credits | 14 | |
| Winter | ||
| Language 112 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Communication, Media & Society | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Quantitative Literacy & Analysis | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| Category A Course | 4 | |
| Language 113 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Arts & Humanities General | 3-4 | |
| CLA Core: Humanities | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Category B Course | 4 | |
| Uncategorized Course | 3 | |
| Language 211 | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Category A Course | 4 | |
| Category B Course | 4 | |
| Language 212 | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| Language 213 | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Difference, Power & Oppression Foundations | 3-4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| REL 210/HST 210/PHL 210 | +*RELIGION IN THE UNITED STATES | 4 |
| Core Ed: Scientific Inquiry & Analysis | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Non-Western Culture | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| Core Ed: Social Science | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 467/PHL 467 | +DECOLONIZING THE CANON | 4 |
| Uncategorized Course | 4 | |
| CLA Core: Additional Course | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| Uncategorized Course | 3 | |
| CLA Core: Fine Arts | 3-4 | |
| Core Ed: Seeking Solutions | 3-4 | |
| Upper-Division Elective | 4 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Winter | ||
| REL 407 | ^SEMINAR | 1 |
| Core Ed: Writing Elevation | 3-4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 497/HST 497/PHL 497 | +PROFESSIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT | 2 |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 180 | |
- *
Baccalaureate Core course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in a catalog year up to 2024-2025
- +
Core Education course. Applies to general education requirements for undergraduate students in catalog year 2025-2026 and beyond
- ^
Writing Intensive Curriculum (WIC) course