Courses in the Program in Religion
The Program in Religion offers three core courses. Below you can find the general description of these courses as they appear in the academic calendar. Use the menu on the left to find out how these courses will look in the upcoming year.
RGST 200: Introduction to the Study of Religion
Study of religion through a comparative, cross-cultural, and interdisciplinary approach to humans’ engagement with the sacred. Examines religions as complex systems that share certain fundamental common features.
RGST 300: Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
Theories and methods for the critical study of religion as believed and practiced in different times and places. Explores methodologies for studying dimensions of religion such as space, bodily practices, cognition, and material culture. Prerequisite: RGST 200.
RGST 330: The Science of Religion
This course introduces students to many of the foundational questions concerning the nature of religious belief and practice, drawing on new scientific advances from various fields. Topics to be covered will include traditional and contemporary theories of religion, with a special emphasis on cultural evolutionary models.
RGST 400: Advanced Seminar in the Study of Religion
Seminar focused on a special theme in the interdisciplinary study of religion (e.g., religious violence, religion and the secular, religious space). Analysis of the theme’s contemporary manifestations and implications, through discussion of recent scholarship, both theoretical and case studies.
Prerequisite: RGST 300.