Introduction to the Department of Religious Studies

Welcome to the Department of Religious Studies at CSU, Chico. Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary field that examines religious ideas, symbols, practices, and institutions from the perspectives of history, textual studies, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and other disciplines. Our program is cross-cultural and comparative, and highlights the complex relationship of religion to other areas of culture. In addition to courses exploring the development of all the major religious traditions of the world, we offer courses that probe the role of religion in ethics and law, gender constructs, literature, the visual arts, and a variety of contemporary social and political issues.

The Department has grown from its establishment in 1974 to a Department of 13 active scholars working in many areas of the discipline. We offer programs of study leading to a BA or minor in Religious Studies, and a minor in Ethics. Browse our website for information on courses, faculty, on- and off-campus resources, and information about careers and graduate school in Religious Studies.

Our award-winning faculty consistently earn the highest marks for quality teaching and student-faculty encounters. We invite you to drop by the Department for a meeting with the academic advisor or any member of the faculty. They will be happy to talk with you about what they teach and what excites them about our field.

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