Minor in Religious Studies
Explore religion as a prominent component of human life and culture.
“All of my professors, whether they teach philosophy or religion, have made me feel like a scholar rather than just a student. They really care about having deep conversations.”
Mary Boyle (B.A. in Philosophy with an emphasis in Religious Studies)
About this Program
The Department of Philosophy and Religion in the College of Liberal Arts offers the minor in Religious Studies. It is the academic study of religion, which aims to understand sympathetically, yet critically, the world’s religions. Students explore the phenomenon of religion itself as a prominent component of human life and culture.
Religious studies at UM is non-sectarian and without ties to any theological seminary or church body.
The Value of a Religious Studies Minor
Religious Studies cultivates skills such as critical thinking, textual analysis, debating skills, curiosity, open-mindedness, ethics, decision making, and understanding other cultures and ways of life.
Religious Studies minors have pursued career paths in:
- conflict resolution
- religious training
- non-profit work
- law
- medicine
- education
- business
- corporate training
- public relations
- journalism
- counseling
- social services
On this Page…
Program Information
Program Type
Minor
Area of Study
Humanities
School
Degree
Program Location
Required Credit Hours
18
Academic Requirements
Students in the Religious Studies minor complete 18 credit hours of courses.
- Rel 101: Introduction to Religion
- Rel 102: Introduction to Asian Religions
- Rel 103: Intro to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
- Rel 110: Biblical Hebrew I
- Rel 111: Biblical Hebrew II
- Rel 300: Comparative World Religions
- Rel 307: Topics in Medieval Philosophy
- Rel 308: Buddhism
- Rel 310: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament
- Rel 311: Women and the Goddess in Asian Religions
- Rel 312: The New Testament & Early Christianity
- Rel 320: Hinduism
- Rel 323: Islam
- Rel 325: Chinese Religions: Confucianism & Daoism
- Rel 326: Saints and Sexuality
- Rel 327: Sacred Texts in Islam
- Rel 328: Biomedical Ethics
- Rel 330: Racism and Religion
- Rel 340: Pilgrimage: Sacred Journeys
- Rel 341: Bible and Qur'an
- Rel 342: Jesus and Muhammad
- Rel 345: Religion & Politics
- Rel 350: Judaism
- Rel 351: Philosophy of Religion
- Rel 353: Sacred Texts in East Asian Religions
- Rel 358: Religious Implications of the Holocaust
- Rel 360: Philosophical Issues: Science & Religion
- Rel 363: Religious Perspectives on Aging & Death
- Rel 366: Sex, Gender, and the Bible
- Rel 368: Feminism, Women, and Religion
- Rel 370: Topics in Biblical Studies
- Rel 372: Rise of Christianity
- Rel 375: Christianity in America
- Rel 376: End Times: Apocalypticism in America
- Rel 378: Global Christianity
- Rel 379: Christianity in Africa
- Rel 380: Community-Based Internship
- Rel 386: Religion and Film
- Rel 387: Religious Ethics: Issues and Methods
- Rel 389: Religious Responses to Poverty
- Rel 390: Topics in Religion and the Environment
- Rel 395: Topics in Religious Studies
- Rel 396: Philosophical Topics in Religion
- Rel 399: Topics in Religion Abroad
- Rel 490: Directed Readings in Religion
- Rel 491: Honors Thesis
- Rel 497: Advanced Seminar in Religious Studies
- Rel 601: Topics in Religious Studies
A maximum of 6 of the 18 hours may be from courses taught outside the department.
- AH 330: Medieval Art
- AH 332: Early Christian, Byzantine & Islamic Art
- Anth 308: Death and Dying in the Ancient World
- Anth 312: Muslims in the West
- Anth 314: Islam and Global Politics
- Anth 323: Indians of North America
- Anth 327:Archaeology of South America
- Anth 404: Southern Folklore
- Clc 327: Greek and Roman Religions
- Eng 376: Studies in Asian Literature
- Hst 310: History of Medieval Christianity
- Hst 311: Medieval Church and Empire
- Hst 319: Reformation Europe
- Hst 355: Water in the Middle East
- Hst 434: US Religious History
- Hst 455: History of Religion in the South
What is the Study of Religion?
Next Steps
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