Undergraduate Course Catalog 2015-2016

College of Liberal Arts

» http://cola.unh.edu

http://cola.unh.edu/interdisciplinary-studies/program/religious-studies-minor

The religious studies program at the University of New Hampshire currently offers an interdisciplinary minor, bringing together courses in several fields that address religion as a cultural, logical, or expressive phenomenon in human history. A religious studies major is available through the self-designed major program. Religious studies courses at UNH avoid theological or confessional biases and emphasize multicultural tolerance and diversity.

Requirements of the religious studies minor include the basic two-semester sequence, History of World Religions (RS/HIST 483) and Patterns in World Religions (RS/HIST 484); the advanced Minors’ Seminar in Religious Studies to be taken in the student's senior year (RS 699); and at least two other courses either cross-listed in religious studies or otherwise relevant to the study of religion (by student’s petition to the program director). Students especially interested in religious studies are encouraged to combine the minor with further pertinent coursework in one of the established departments contributing to the program: history, philosophy, anthropology, and English. The religious studies self-designed major involves seven courses beyond the minor requirements, at least five of which are 600 level or higher. The program director can aid in advising such a major program.

Courses ordinarily have some degree of focus on issues related to the academic study of religion, conceptualizing religion, or religious influences as a principal problem, asking comparative questions, and/or developing models of cross-cultural usefulness. Courses listed here generally are offered at least once every two years:

Historical-Cultural
RS/HIST 483, History of World Religions
HIST 585, Middle East History to the Medieval Islamic Era
HIST 587, Africa South of the Sahara
HIST 589, Islam in Africa
HIST 642, Religious Conflict in Early Modern Europe
HIST 688, African Religions

Theoretical
PHIL 417, Philosophical Reflections on Religion
ANTH 616, Religion, Culture, and Society
RS/HIST 682, Cults and Charisma
RS 699, Senior Seminar in Religious Studies

Textual
ENGL 518, The Bible as Literature
HIST/RS 576, The Hebrew Bible in Historical Context
HIST/RS 601, Seminar in Religious Texts

Interested students also should be alert for special topics courses in history (HIST 600), English (ENGL 697/698), anthropology (ANTH 500), religious studies (RS 600), and other disciplines that might be relevant to the study of religion.

Students interested in the religious studies minor should see the director to fill out an intent-to-minor form by the beginning of their junior year. For more information, consult the director, Funso Afolayan, Department of History, 415 Horton Social Science Center, (603) 862-3026, e-mail funso.afolayan@unh.edu.