Allen Hertzke, Professor of Political Science, Director
Barbara Boyd, Director of Outreach
804 Dale Hall Tower
Norman, OK 73019
Phone: (405) 325-3349
FAX: (405) 325-1502
Internet: http://www.ou.edu/religiousstudies/
e-mail: RELS@ou.edu
Professor Hertzke; Emeritus Professor T. Boyd; Associate Professor Irvine; Assistant Professor Vishanoff; Adjunct Assistant Professor B. Boyd. In addition, the faculty of the Religious Studies Program is made up of approximately 30 faculty members from departments across the University of Oklahoma.
Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary program, which provides students the opportunity for academic study and examination of the role of religion as it affects every aspect of life. The Religious Studies program draws on the faculties of Anthropology, Classics, English, History, History of Science, International and Area Studies, Modern Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, Native American Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology (College of Arts & Sciences); Art History, Music (Weitzenhoffer Family College of Fine Arts); Educational Leadership (College of Education); and Honors. The program seeks to enhance the student’s knowledge of religious traditions and approaches, and is intended to help students develop the understandings, perceptions, and attitudes for living more successfully in an increasingly multi-cultural society and the world. Understanding the current global environment will depend on the ability to share and use knowledge about religion and culture; communicating effectively across cultures requires an understanding of the religions that inform them.
The Religious Studies program will provide a basis for students interested in religious vocations, such as ministry, chaplaincy, music, education, and religious institution management (including non-profit administration); Graduate school in Religious Studies, the humanities, or the social sciences; college and secondary teaching; as well as careers in foreign service, business, law, journalism, and public service.
Choosing the right courses and combination of courses is very important. The student should consult with the Religious Studies academic counselor as well as faculty members and directors. Students may choose to complete the Religious Studies major as a complement to another degree program, such as Political Science or Anthropology. The Program also offers room, through its elective options, to provide a concentration in preparation for religious vocation, seminary, or graduate work in Religious Studies.
Students are required to declare their intent to pursue the degree program and complete a minimum of 36 hours, of which at least 21 must be upper-division. A grade of “C” or better must be obtained in all courses for the major, including Capstone, and no course may be used more than once to satisfy major requirements in other majors or minors.
The Religious Studies major requires four areas of study; additional courses from these may be chosen for elective credit within the Program.
All students must complete RELS 1113 (Introduction to Religious Studies), the prerequisite for many of the courses in the Religious Studies program. Students choose a second introductory course from ANTH 1823 (Religion in Everyday Life), PHIL 1203 (Philosophy & Human Destiny, East and West), PHIL 2403 (Introduction to Philosophy of Religion), RELS 2413 (Religion, Culture, and the Meaning of Life), RELS 2003 (Special Topics in Introduction to Religious Studies) or RELS 2403 (Comparative Religions).
A second category of vital importance to the Religious Studies major is the variety of religious traditions. Students will complete three courses from different groups of traditions, chosen from Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Asian Traditions, or Indigenous/Folk Traditions.
Additional Religious Studies courses required are grouped conceptually. Students must choose a minimum of nine hours from three of the following four groups:
A. Religion, Literature, and the Arts — represented by such courses as World Religious Texts or offerings from Art History and Modern Languages, Literatures and Linguistics;
B. Religion, Social Organization, and Politics — includes courses from Political Science, Sociology, Anthropology, or Honors;
C. Religion and History—course offerings from History and History of Science; and
D. Religion and Philosophy — including topics covering Ethics and Philosophy of Religion.
Any additional courses taken from these categories fall into the category of electives, of which nine hours are required. Students also have the option of choosing specifically offered Religious Studies courses, such as internship, independent study credit, study abroad, honors or directed reading, which would fall into the elective category. Internship, independent study, and honors or directed reading/ research allows student to complete independent but guided work under the supervision of a Religious Studies faculty member. Hours vary and influence the workload and activities of independent study or honors/directed reading. Internship credit is three hours and a significant written project is required.
The student’s final requirement, the Capstone, is a culmination of the work the student has completed in the major, requiring satisfactory seminar attendance and participation, and a significant written research project, combining synthetic and analytical skills. To complete the Capstone requirement the RELS major must successfully complete RELS 4323, Capstone in Religious Studies.
A minor may be earned in Religious Studies by completing one of the introductory courses from the major checksheet and 15 additional hours approved for use in the major. A minimum of nine hours (a minimum of three courses) must be at the upper-division level (courses numbered at the 3000- or 4000-level). The minor may be declared through the College of Arts & Sciences Academic Services office, 124 Ellison Hall. For more information, contact Lee Green-Hall at (405) 325-4594, e-mail leegreen-hall@ou.edu.