About Religious Studies
The academic study of religious traditions, texts, and practices. Courses carry the RELS subject code and are offered through the College of Arts, Design & Communication. Numbers below 300 are introductory, 300–499 advanced undergraduate, and 500 and above graduate. Prerequisites are enforced at registration.
How the sequence works
Of the 8 RELS courses listed, 3 are introductory (numbers under 300), 3 are advanced undergraduate (300–499). 1 course has no prerequisite and is a reasonable first step. Later courses assume the earlier ones, so read prerequisites before you plan a term — they are enforced at registration and an override from the Religious Studies department is the only way around them.
RELS 1000 — Introduction to World Religions 3 cr
Beliefs, practices, texts, and histories of the major religious traditions, studied comparatively.
Prerequisite: none.
RELS 2100 — Hebrew Bible / Old Testament 3 cr
The literature, history, and interpretation of the Hebrew scriptures in their ancient context.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 2200 — New Testament 3 cr
The Gospels, Paul, and early Christian writings, and the methods used to study them.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 2300 — Islam 3 cr
The Qur'an, the life of Muhammad, law and theology, and the diversity of Muslim societies.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 2400 — Religions of Asia 3 cr
Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, Confucian, and Daoist traditions in historical and contemporary practice.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 3100 — Religion and Science 3 cr
Historical and contemporary encounters between religious and scientific accounts of the world.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 3300 — Religion, Ethics, and Public Life 3 cr
How religious communities engage questions of justice, politics, and the environment.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
RELS 3500 — Method and Theory in the Study of Religion 3 cr
Major approaches — sociological, anthropological, psychological, philosophical — to explaining religion.
Prerequisite: RELS 1000.
Planning and advising
Your degree audit shows exactly how RELS courses apply to your requirements; this list only shows what is offered. If you are choosing between two courses, deciding when to take a heavy one, or wondering whether a course will run next term, your academic adviser can tell you. Course availability by term is set close to registration and is not guaranteed by anything on this page.
Fictional information
UW–Porter Falls is a work of parody. Every course, prerequisite, credit value, and department on this page is invented; nothing here describes a real curriculum or a course you can enroll in.