THE BACHELOR OF ARTS IN RELIGIOUS STUDIES
Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units
See "Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree" in The University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 40 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.
A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. Please request a plan from your major adviser or view it and other current advising information on the CSU, Chico Web.
General Education Requirements: 48 units
See "General Education Requirements" in The University Catalog and The Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Requirements and course offerings. The course requirements marked below with an asterisk (*) may also be applied toward General Education.
Cultural Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units
See "Cultural Diversity" in The University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education.
American Institutions Requirement: 6 units
See the "American Institutions Requirement" under "Bachelor's Degree Requirements." This requirement is normally fulfilled by completing HIST 130 and POLS 155. Courses used to satisfy this requirement do not apply to General Education.
Literacy Requirement:
See "Mathematics and Writing Requirements" in The University Catalog. Writing proficiency in the major is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of a course in your major which has been designated as the Writing Proficiency (WP) course for the semester in which you take the course. Students who earn below a C- are required to repeat the course and earn a C- or better to receive WP credit. See The Class Schedule for the designated WP courses for each semester. You must pass ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a C- or better before you may register for a WP course.
Course Requirements for the Major: 38 units
The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this degree.
DEGREE CORE PROGRAM: 14 units
5 courses required:
| RELS | 100 | Judaism, Christianity, Islam | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 110 | Asian Religions | 3.0 | FS *NW |
| RELS | 322 | Religion and American Society | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 480 | Appr to Study of Religion | 3.0 | SP |
Prerequisites: RELS 100 or RELS 110 or faculty permission.
| RELS | 481 | Res Meth in Religious Studies | 2.0 | FA |
WRITING PROFICIENCY COURSE: 3 units
1 course selected from:
| RELS | 482 | Seminar in Religious Studies | 3.0 | FS WP |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher; concurrent enrollment or prior completion of RELS 480 and RELS 481.
| RELS | 497 | Tutorial in Religious Studies1.0 | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, faculty permission.
Students must take RELS 497 for 3.0 units to meet the Writing Proficiency requirement.
| RELS | 499H | Senior Honors Research Paper | 3.0 | FS WP |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, RELS 480 (may be taken concurrently).
WORLD TRADITIONS: 6 units
1 course selected from:
Western Traditions:
| RELS | 202 | Islamic Religion | 3.0 | FA *NW |
| RELS | 207 | Christianity | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 303 | Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 307 | New Testament | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 407 | History of Christian Thought | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 408 | History of Christian Thought | 3.0 | Inq |
1 course selected from:
Asian Traditions:
| RELS | 210 | Chinese Religions | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 211 | Japanese Religions | 3.0 | Inq |
RELIGION, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE: 6 units
6 units selected from:
| RELS | 264 | Dying/Death/Afterlife | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 265 | Religious Dimensions Lit | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 280 | Myth and Ritual | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 330 | Learning and Values | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 331 | Applied & Prof Ethics Forum | 1.0 | FA |
| RELS | 332 | World Religions & Global Iss | 3.0 | FS *Eth |
| RELS | 334 | Ethics & Environmental Sci | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 341 | Religion/Ethics/Medicine | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 343 | Pwr/Justice in Wrld Religions | 3.0 | Inq * |
| RELS | 345 | Religion/Freedom/Evil | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 346 | Ethical Issues in Religion | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 347 | Cross-Cultural Environ Ethics | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 348 | Jesus/Buddha/Marx | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 355 | Religious Performance | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 356 | Religion and Personality | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 357 | End of the World | 3.0 | Inq * |
| RELS | 358 | Teaching About Religions | 3.0 | FS |
| RELS | 365 | Religion and Film | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 366 | Mysticism: East and West | 3.0 | SP |
| RELS | 375 | Women and Religion | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 381 | Sociology of Religion | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 392 | Contemporary Religious Thought | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 455 | Anthropology of Religion | 3.0 | Inq |
Prerequisites: ANTH 303 or RELS 480 or instructor's permission.
| RELS | 475 | Feminist Theology | 3.0 | Inq |
Prerequisites: RELS 375 or WMST 375.
| RELS | 491 | Contemporary Religious Thought | 3.0 | Inq |
NOTE: A maximum of 3 units of any modern foreign language study at the third-semester college level or beyond, or any 3 units of college-level ancient or classical language study, will be credited toward the 6-unit requirement for this category.
RELIGION IN THE AMERICAS: 3 units
1 course selected from:
| RELS | 304 | Judaism in America | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 323 | Religions in America | 3.0 | FA |
| RELS | 324 | Religion/Amer Eth Minorities | 3.0 | FS *Eth |
| RELS | 325 | Worldviews of American Indians | 3.0 | Inq Eth |
ELECTIVES: 6 units
6 units selected from:
Choose 6 units from any Religious Studies (RELS) courses listed above or from the following electives.
| RELS | 180 | Introduction Religious Studies | 3.0 | FS * |
| RELS | 198 | Special Topics1.0 | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 398 | Special Topics1.0 | 3.0 | Inq |
| RELS | 489 | Internship in Religious Stud1.0 | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
| RELS | 498 | Special Topics1.0 | 3.0 | Inq |
The following course may also be used as an elective in the RELS major:
| PHIL | 204 | Reason and Religion | 3.0 | FS * |
SUPERVISION COURSES
All supervision courses require faculty permission.
A maximum of 3 units of the supervision courses may be counted toward the major, though it is not necessary to take any. Additional units must be requested by petition. (If RELS 497 is taken to fulfill the writing proficiency requirement, a maximum of 6 units of supervision courses will be counted toward the major.)
| RELS | 391 | Reading in Religious Studies1.0 | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: Faculty permission.
| RELS | 497 | Tutorial in Religious Studies1.0 | 3.0 | FS |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, faculty permission.
| RELS | 499H | Senior Honors Research Paper | 3.0 | FS WP |
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or higher, RELS 480 (may be taken concurrently).
Electives Requirement:
To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total university offerings. You should consult with an adviser regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your university experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.
Grading Requirement:
All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.
Advising Requirement:
Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate adviser for specific information.
Honors in the Major
Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It involves 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.
Your Honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair. Most importantly, however, the Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the university for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or competition in shows; such experience is valuable for graduate school and later professional life.
Some common features of Honors in the Major program are
1. You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. At least 3 of these 6 units are independent study (499H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B. 2. You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units. 3. Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5 percent of majors in your department. 4. Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5 percent of majors in your department. 5. Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year. 6. Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your Honors project.
While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major adviser for further information.