Religious Studies Major

Program Director: Philip L. Barlow
Location: Main 331
Phone: (435) 797-3406
FAX: (435) 797-3899
TTY: (435) 797-1290
E-mail: philip.barlow@usu.edu
www.religiousstudies.usu.edu 

College of HaSS Advising Center: Mary Leavitt
Location: TSC 302
Phone: (435) 797-3883
E-mail:mary.leavitt@usu.edu
Utah State University, 0107 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322-0107
www.hass.usu.edu/advising.aspx

Degrees offered: Bachelor of Science (BS), Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Admission Requirements

1. New freshmen admitted to USU in good standing qualify for admission to this major.

2. Transfer students from other institutions or transferring from other USU majors need  an overall GPA of 2.5 for admission to this major in good standing.

Program Description

The Religious Studies BS or BA degree requires a total of 36 credits for the major.

Students commonly begin their course of study by completing one lower-division course (RELS 1010 , Introduction to Religious Studies).

Students must take 30 credits of upper-division coursework, chosen from the following four areas: Cultural Inquiry (humanistic approaches), Scientific Inquiry (social scientific approaches), Doctrinal Inquiry (philosophical and theological approaches), and General Inquiry.

To culminate the program, students completing either the BA or the BS degree must take a capstone seminar.

Purpose and Outcomes

Students completing the BA or BS degree in Religious Studies should be able to demonstrate the ability to:

1. 1. understand the influence of religion upon culture, and the influence of culture upon religion;
2. 2. analyze the influence of religious value systems on individuals and peoples;
3. 3. apply appropriate methods of research and argumentation to questions concerning religion and culture;
4. 4. communicate their findings in clear, well-reasoned writing; and
5. 5. express cultural literacy concerning the major religions of the world.

Degree Options

Students in the program may work toward one of the following two degrees:

Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree

Students enrolled in the BA degree focus their work on cultural questions within religious studies. Since sufficient coursework in a foreign language is required, students should consider completing courses offered by USU in Latin, Greek, Arabic, Chinese, or other appropriate languages. The BA degree requires a minimum proficiency in a foreign language. This proficiency may be established in one of the following ways:

1. Sixteen credits in a single language
2. Documentation of a proficiency level of “intermediate low” or better through an examination administered by the USU Department of Languages, Philosophy, and Speech Communication.
3. Completion of any upper-division foreign language course constituting a third-year course of study with a grade of C or better

Note: Demonstration of proficiency in American Sign Language will not meet the foreign language requirement for the BA degree in history.

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree

Students enrolled in the BS degree focus their work on quantitative or clinical questions within religious studies. Students should consider completing upper-division courses in social science  methods or statistics. Students must complete 15 credits of math and science beyond the University Studies requirements.

Sample Four-year Plan for Religious Studies Major

A suggested semester-by-semester four-year plan for students working toward a bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies is available in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Students should consult with their advisor and with Ms. Mary Leavitt at the Advising Center to develop a plan of study tailored to their individual needs and interests.

Minimum University Requirements