Religious Studies Major

Major Requirements

The major in religious studies requires 9 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Concentration (4 courses)

Four courses in one of the following 4 concentrations or a specialized concentration:

Specialized Concentration

The specialized concentration must be created in consultation with a CMC religious studies faculty member and approved by the department chair. Examples of specialized concentrations include:

Hinduism
South Asian Religions
Jewish Studies
New Testament & Christian Origins
American Religions
Religion and Politics
Religion, Politics, & International Relations
Religion and Film Studies

2. Electives (3 courses)

Majors take any 3 elective courses in religious studies, 2 of which must be outside of the concentration selected above. Students may select off-campus, cross-listed, and other courses in any of the above concentrations for the elective courses with approval of the department chair.

3. Integrative Religious Studies (2 courses)

RLST180 CM - Interpreting Religious Worlds , normally taken in the junior year
RLST190 PO - Senior Seminar in Religious Studies , normally taken in the senior year

Senior Thesis in Religious Studies

The senior thesis is a general education requirement and the capstone experience of a student’s undergraduate education. Students must complete a senior thesis in at least one of their majors under supervision of a faculty reader who teaches within that major, unless granted a special exception.

Special Options for Majors

Dual Major

Students who wish to supplement a major in another discipline - for example, economics, government, history, literature, or psychology - with substantial study in religious studies, are encouraged to complete a dual major including religious studies.

The dual major in religious studies requires a minimum of 7 courses, distributed as follows:

1. Religious Studies (6 courses)

Six religious studies courses chosen in consultation with the student’s departmental advisor.

2. Integrative Religious Studies (1 course)

One course chosen from:

Note:

Students with a dual major including religious studies are encouraged to write their senior thesis on a topic in their major. For further information, see Senior Thesis in Religious Studies above.

Honors in Religious Studies

To be eligible for honors in religious studies, a student majoring in religious studies must:

Earn a grade point average of 3.50 or better in major courses, and
Be voted honors by the members of the department.

Theta Alpha Kappa

Claremont McKenna College is a member of The Claremont Colleges’ chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, honorary Religious Studies/Theology society. Students are elected to membership on the basis of academic standing and regulations for eligibility established by the chapter and the national society. For further information, contact Professor Gilbert.

General Education Requirements for Humanities Majors

For the general education requirement in the social sciences and the humanities, CMC students majoring in a field of the humanities must take designated courses in 3 of the 4 fields of the social sciences (economics, government, history, and psychology), and in 3 of the 4 fields of the humanities (literature, philosophy, religious studies, and literature in a foreign language). Majors with a dual or double major in either the humanities or the social sciences will be required to take an additional course in those categories.

Student Learning Goals and Outcomes of the Religious Studies Program

Students will be able to demonstrate an understanding of the texts, beliefs, and/or practices and trace the historical development of one or more religious traditions.
Students will be able to identify and analyze the intersections between religious traditions and social movements and cultural issues (e.g., political, gender, racial-ethnic, ethical).
Students will show proficiency in and apply a variety of approaches to the study of religion (e.g., historical, textual, political, sociological, philosophical, theological, anthropological, archaeological) and be able to analyze and assess religion through critical theories.