Study of Religion (REL) College of Letters & Science

REL 200A — Historical Roots of the Study of Religion (4 units)

Course Description: Consideration of the historical and philosophical formation of religion as a concept. Treats the emergence of religion as a category of analysis and understanding from the Reformation through the Enlightenment.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 200B — Foundational Theories of Religion (4 units)

Course Description: Survey of classical 19th and 20th century approaches to the study of religion.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 200C — Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Religion (4 units)

Course Description: Consideration of major themes, issues and methods in the contemporary study of religion. Perspectives from diverse cultural settings employed to consider modern historical, philosophical, and social contexts that inform understandings of religion.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 200D — Field Profile Seminar I & II (1-2 units)

Course Description: Individually guided research to survey the field of study, under the supervision of a faculty member. Four units total over two or more quarters are required by the end of the second year.

  • Learning Activities: Project.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 210A — Special Topics in American Religious Cultures (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of specific topics in American religious cultures.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 210B — Special Topics in Asian Religious Cultures (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of specific topics in Asian religious cultures.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 210C — Special Topics in Mediterranean Religious Cultures (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of specific topics in Mediterranean religious cultures.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230A — Thematic Topics: Body & Praxis (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to the body and praxis.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230B — Thematic Topics: Language, Rhetoric, & Performance (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to language, rhetoric, and performance.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230C — Thematic Topics: Modernity, Science, & Secularism (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to modernity, science, and secularism.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230D — Thematic Topics: Theory & Method (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to theory and method.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230E — Thematic Topics: Values, Ethics, & Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to values, ethics, and human rights.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 230F — Thematic Topics: Visual Culture, Media, & Technology (4 units)

Course Description: Comparative, interpretive study of the treatment of religion through specific topics and themes relating to visual culture, media, and technology.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated when topic differs.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 231B — Theories of Language (4 units)

Course Description: Focuses on historical theories of language that precede and accompany post-structuralist theory. Intended to introduce graduate students to the context of modern theory formation. May cover structuralism, integrationalism, and grammaticalization.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 231E — History, Theory & Criticism of Human Rights (4 units)

Course Description: Introduces the advanced study of Human Rights and the theoretical and practical elaboration of the international Human Rights system. Seminar engages with criticism of Human Rights and develops research and teaching within disciplinary and interdisciplinary frameworks.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Seminar 3 hour(s), Term Paper.
  • Enrollment Restriction(s): Restricted to graduate students.
  • Cross Listing: HMR 200A.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.

REL 298 — Group Study (1-5 units)

This version has ended; see updated course, below.
Course Description: Group study.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.
  • REL 298 — Group Study (1-5 units)
  • Course Description: Group study.
  • Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated for credit.
  • Grade Mode: Letter.
  • This course version is effective from, and including: Spring Quarter 2025.

REL 299 — Research (1-12 units)

Course Description: Research.

Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of instructor.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.

REL 299D — Dissertation Writing (1-12 units)

Course Description: Dissertation Writing.

Prerequisite(s): Consent of instructor; advanced to candidacy for the Ph.D. program.

  • Learning Activities: Variable.
  • Repeat Credit: May be repeated.
  • Grade Mode: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory only.