Mar 29, 2024  
Undergraduate Catalog | 2020-2021 
    
Undergraduate Catalog | 2020-2021 Previous Edition

Religious Studies, B.A.


Admission Requirements


Freshmen

  • Minimum GPA:  2.0; students with a GPA below 2.0 should consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies
  • Declaration of Major:  Change of major form accepted year-round; appointment with Director of Undergraduate Studies required prior to declaration for students already attending UNC Charlotte, freshmen who declare when applying, appointment at SOAR, or within first week of classes at UNC Charlotte

Transfers

  • Minimum GPA:  2.0
  • Declaration of Major:  Transfer students declare when applying, appointment at SOAR, or within first week of classes at UNC Charlotte.
  • Transferable Credit Hours:  24

Degree Requirements


A Major in Religious Studies leading to the B.A. degree requires 30 credit hours in RELS courses.  At least five (5) courses, including RELS 4600, must be at the 3000-level or above.

Two 3-credit hour courses that are cross-listed with Religious Studies courses but taught in another department or program (e.g., History, Anthropology, Africana Studies, Women and Gender Studies, etc.) may count toward the Major in Religious Studies.  These courses may have the designation of the cross-listed department.  For these courses to be counted toward the Religious Studies major, students must request from their advisor a “Request for Cross-Listed Courses in Another Department to Count Toward The Major in Religious Studies” form and submit it to their advisor who will include it in their advising file.  The form must be submitted no later than October 1 for graduation in December; March 1 for graduation in May; and June 1 for graduation in summer.

Additionally, one LBST course that is also a General Education course taught by a Religious Studies instructor may also count toward the Major in Religious Studies.  Included are:  LBST 2101 , LBST 2102 , LBST 2211 , LBST 2212 , LBST 2213 , LBST 2214 , LBST 2215 , and LBST 2301 .

General Education Courses (37-41 credit hours)


For details on required courses, refer to the General Education Program 

Foreign Language Requirement (0-8 credit hours)


For details, refer to the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Foreign Language Requirement .  

Major Courses (24 credit hours)


Academic Study of Religion Courses (6 credit hours)


Two courses to orient the student to the academic study of religion.

Note:

Students are encouraged to take RELS 2600 as early as possible in their program; students typically take RELS 4600 during their final year.

Textual Analysis Courses (6 credit hours)


Courses designated as Textual Analysis [T]* focus on reading texts closely and carefully, examine methods and histories of textual interpretation, and consider how religious groups and cultures have composed, transmitted, and been shaped by texts.  Select from two of the following:

Historical Analysis Courses (6 credit hours)


Courses designated as Historical Analysis [H]* focus on a particular historical period or figure; consider a movement, idea, or institution across several historical periods; and examine questions of historiography more generally.  Select from two of the following:

Cultural Analysis Courses (6 credit hours)


Courses designated as Cultural Analysis [C]* focus on how religious discourses, practices, institutions, and communities interact with, influence, and are influenced by the larger culture of which they are a part.  Select from two of the following:

Note:


*Depending on how respective sections are taught, a course could fulfill the requirement for Cultural Analysis [C], Historical Analysis [H], or Textual Analysis [T]. Students must consult the course descriptions circulated each semester to determine which designations have been assigned to a particular course.

Elective Courses (6 credit hours)


Students select two RELS elective courses in consultation with their academic advisor. 

Degree Total = 120 Credit Hours


Grade Requirements


A GPA of 2.0 is required for the major.

Honors Program


For details about the Honors Program in Religious Studies, visit the program page .