Religious Studies
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- Minor/Individualized Major in Religious Studies
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Goals of the Program
The graduate with a minor in Religious Studies will use the knowledge, experience, and skills obtained when this program is completed to:
- Recognize differences between the academic study of religions and the personal or corporate practice of religions.
- Reflect upon personal values and value systems in a global environment by using symbolic approaches to describe problems, identify alternative solutions, and make reasoned choices among those solutions.
- Compare and contrast definitions of religion and the opinions of scholars within the fields of Religious Studies.
- Demonstrate awareness and recollection of a wide variety of religious beliefs and practices within a global, pluralistic, non-racist, and non-sexist perspective.
- Recognize conflicts within and between value systems that may have their roots within religious traditions.
- Comprehend a variety of methodologies used in the study of religions which will help to develop skills in problem solving, analyzing, and interpreting data.
- Interpret primary religious texts and experiences by summarizing, evaluating, and articulating a point of view.
- Consider multiple perspectives, recognize biases, and cope with ambiguous points of view while listening carefully and thoughtfully to the ideas of others.
- Develop a vocabulary rooted in the study of religions that will facilitate understanding of literatures, themes, and influences upon our society and the world.
- Converse in an intelligent manner about a variety of cultures, beliefs, rituals, religious literature, world systems and ethical issues with people from around the globe.
