RLHI - History of Religions Major
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Program Description
Major effective Fall 2025
History of Religions is an interdisciplinary program that examines how people shape and interpret religion through various media in order to apply religion in the world. The program fosters knowledge about religion by analyzing the ways in which billions of people lead and evaluate their lives within U.S. pluralism and across the world.
Starting in the 19th century, the History of Religions approach developed from within the academic study of religion. Today’s updated History of Religions retains the original methods of history and comparative study while engaging multiple disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to explore cultural, social, historical, artistic, political, philosophical and ethical dimensions of religion. It is committed to pluralistic inquiry both in terms of its interdisciplinarity and its consideration of multiple religions, societies, and cultures. As a liberal arts course of study, it is nonsectarian.
Our study teaches students how to ask analytical and critical questions about religion and to understand its connections to other ways of social thought and practice. The skills developed are ones that employers say they want in national surveys, including: civic knowledge, global knowledge, awareness of ethical issues, ethical decision-making, problem solving in diverse settings, written and oral communication, critical thinking and analytic reasoning, and information literacy. In order to develop connections between theory and practice, the major requires an internship or other immersive experience in an area of the student’s choice.
After Drew, History of Religions majors enter a number of careers as evidenced by our graduates, including law, education, development, communications, journalism, public relations, cultural institutions, and social service organizations. Majors also go on to graduate or professional study in many related fields.
Requisites
Requirements for the Major (36-40 credits)
I. Required Courses (16 credits)
Complete all of the following:
course - Introduction to World Religions
course - Cultural Diversity: Cultural Anthropology and Linguistics OR course - Introduction to Ethics
course - Religion in Conversation OR course – Religion and Society: Secularism, Spirituality, Cults
course – History and Practice of Mindfulness in U.S. Healthcare, Education, Business OR course - Anthropology of Religion OR course - Philosophy of Religion OR course – The Meaning of Life
II. Experiential Learning (0-4 credits)
An internship, global education study abroad, Community-Based Learning courses, or similar with the approval of the program chair.
III. Electives (20 credits)
Choose five courses (20 credits) from the following list, under the following guidelines. No more than two courses (8 credits) from any single subject code. Only one elective course (4 credits) may be at the introductory level. At least two elective courses (8 credits) must be at the 300 level.
course – Cultural Diversity
course - Society and Social Change in Sub-Saharan Africa
course - Native Arts and Archaeology of Latin America
course - Anthropology of Religion
course - Islamic Art
course – The Art of Ancient Egypt: History and Myth
course - Medieval Art
course - Italian Renaissance Art
course - Baroque and Rococo Art
course - Classical Mythology
course - Selected Topics in the History of Religions
course - History of the Islamic Middle East, 600-1800
course - History of the Modern Middle East
course – Modern Jewish History
course - Utopia and Dystopia
course – History and Practice of Mindfulness in U.S. Healthcare, Education, Business
course – The European Middle Ages
course - Forms of Humanism: Renaissance to Enlightenment
course - Introduction to Philosophy
course - Introduction to Ethics
course - History of Ancient and Medieval Philosophy
course - Business Ethics
course - Ethics and Society
course - Biomedical Ethics
course - The Shattering of Reason: From Hegel to Nietzsche
course - Philosophy of Religion
course – The Meaning of Life
course - Muslims and the West
course/course - Religion and Society: Secularism, Spirituality, Cults
course – Theatre Histories 1: Global Perspectives
course - Dramaturgy
Notes: No more than one course (4 credits) may be applied from a study abroad program. Students may petition the program director in advance to count one 200 or 300 -level course (4 credits) not listed here, such as a course that is not regularly offered; the program director must approve the petition in order for the course to be applied to the major. Students may petition the program director in advance to count one 500-level course that fits the student’s interests and for which the student has preparation; the program director must approve the petition in order for the course to be applied to the major.