ELEMENTARY COURSE
1. Patterns of Religious Experience
09F, 10W, 10F, 11W: 11
A comparative study of some of the basic patterns of religion. The course will focus upon such themes as religious experience, myths of creation, stories of religious founders and heroes, the origin and resolution of human suffering, and the structure and meaning of religious community and ritual. Source material for these themes will be taken from the literary and artistic resources of the following religious traditions: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV or INT. The staff.
INTRODUCTORY COURSES
3. Modern Religious and Anti-Religious Thinkers
10W, 11W: 12
Critical examination of some of the most influential modern proponents and opponents of religious faith, with special emphasis on the question: what is involved in belief in God?
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 20.3, 23, 24, 25, 29, 32, 35, 36.
4. Religion of Israel: The Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) (Identical to Jewish Studies 4)
09F: 2
An introduction to the religion of ancient Israel through an examination of a number of the books of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), including Genesis, Exodus, Joshua, Samuel, the Psalms, Job, and the prophets. Attention will also be given to the religion of Israel’s Phoenician and Mesopotamian neighbors.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Ackerman.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 20.4, 55-58.
5. Early Christianity: The New Testament
10F: 2
An examination of primitive Christianity as witnessed by the writings of the New Testament. Emphasis will be given to the literary and historical analysis of the Gospels and Epistles and to an understanding of the pre-Christian and non-Christian religions of the Hellenistic world.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Ackerman.
For courses at the Intermediate level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 20.4, 55-58.
6. Introduction to Judaism (Identical to Jewish Studies 6)
10F: 10
This course offers an introduction to Judaism by examining three of its central spiritual manifestations: (1) development, observance, and study of the Halaka (religious law); (2) philosophical contemplation; and (3) mystical experience and theosophical speculation. Ancient and modern challenges to the tradition will be studied in some detail, and an attempt will be made to determine what might constitute a unity of such a diverse tradition.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Judaism, see courses numbered 21-24.
7. First-Year Seminars in Religion
Consult special listings
8. Introduction to Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 8)
10X: 12
This course will provide students with useful tools for reading about, thinking about, or otherwise engaging with Islam and Muslims. It is first a survey of important topics in the study of the religion of Islam, including the Qur’an and the Prophet, the role of Islamic mysticism, Islam and the state, Islamic law, and Islamic theories of family and person. We also discuss Orientalism and the western study of Islam, so that we can understand ourselves as students of the Islamic tradition.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered 25-28.
9. Hinduism (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 9)
11W: 10
An introductory survey of the Hindu religious tradition of South Asia from 1500 B.C.E. down to the present day. Emphasis will be given to the historical development of elite, Sanskritic Hinduism and its constant interaction with popular and local traditions.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 40-42.
10. The Religions of China (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 10)
10S: 11
An introduction to China’s three major religions—Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism—through the reading of classic texts. Also, a look at important elements in Chinese folk religion—ancestor worship, temples, heavens and hells, and forms of divination. Special attention will be paid to the importance of government in Chinese religious thought and to continuity and change in the history of Chinese religion.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Intermediate level in East Asian Religions, see courses numbered 46-49.
11. Religion and Morality
09F: 10A
An examination of the process of moral reasoning and its relationship to religious belief. Emphasis will be given to the analysis of issues that have drawn the special attention of religious ethicists; among these are abortion, stem cell research, the treatment of congenitally impaired newborns, same-sex marriage, and physician-assisted suicide.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV. Green.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Ethics, see course numbered 29.
12. Religion and Society in America
10W: 10A
A study of religious groups and movements in this country, ranging from the major institutional faiths to religious protest groups, cults, and the religions of the ‘counter-culture.’ Special attention is given to the social forces which shape religious expression in America.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Balmer.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Religion in America, see course numbered 61.
15. The Christian Tradition
11W: 12
An introduction to the variety of Christian beliefs, institutions, and practices from the first century to the end of the sixteenth century. Attention will be focused on understanding how Christian communities adapted and developed religious beliefs and practices in the face of changing historical circumstances.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. MacEvitt.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 30-34, 60-62.
16. Modern Islam (Identical to Asian and Middle Eastern Studies 15)
10S: 12
In all the attention focused on Islam at present, a newspaper reader could be forgiven for supposing that between Muhammad and Usamah bin Laden, there has been no change in Islam. This course surveys developments in Islamic religious history, thought, and practice since 1800, with special emphasis on topics of current controversy, including the status of women, the nature of government, and the place of Islamic law. Readings will be mostly from primary texts written by contemporary Muslims, both modernists and Islamists.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Intermediate level in Islam, see courses numbered 25-28.
17. Introduction to Black Religion in the United States (Identical to African and African American Studies 37)
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Intermediate level in Black Religion, see course numbered 61.
18. Indian Buddhism
10W: 2
An introductory survey of the Buddhism of South Asia from its beginnings in the 6th century B.C.E. to its eventual demise in the 12th century C.E. Emphasis will be given to the major beliefs, practices, and institutions characteristic of Indian Buddhism, the development of its different varieties (Hinayana, Mahayana, and Vajrayana), and its impact upon South Asian civilization at large.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Intermediate level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 40-42.
19. Special Topics in Religion—Introductory Level
10W: 2A, 10W: 12
The contents of this course will vary from term to term. Open to all classes. Dist: TMV (except when otherwise noted). WCult: Varies.
In 10W 19.1 at 2A, Evangelicalism. A survey of evangelicalism, America’s “folk religion,” by far the most important and influential religious movement in American history, from its origins in the Great Awakening to its political and cultural influence in recent years. Dist: TMV. Balmer.
In 10W 19.2 at 12, Magic in the Old Testament. Many Old Testament scholars assert that magic in the Old Testament is something opposed to the monotheistic religion of ancient Israel. Nevertheless, the Old Testament mentions various ritual acts either performed by prophets or men of God which seem magical in their essence. This course examines the biblical sources on magic and also comparative texts from the Bible’s ancient Near Eastern environment. The course also covers the theoretical framework that led biblical scholarship to assert that monotheism has overcome “magic.” Dist: TMV. Schmitt.
THEORIES IN THE STUDY OF RELIGION COURSES
20.1. Classic Works in the Study of Religion
10X: 10
In this course we will read the works of a number of the “greats”—Tylor, Durkheim, Freud, Weber, among others—who shaped the modern, scholarly study of religion. We will also read critical literature on their work. The course is designed to give students a grounding in the methods and approaches taken for granted in the field of the study of religion.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Dist: TMV. Reinhart.
20.2. Magic, Science, and Religion
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
20.3. Reason and Religious Belief
10S: 11 11S: 12
A study of the principal religious and philosophical arguments for and against religious belief. The first part of the course will consider the question of the justifiability of religious belief through an appeal to religious experience and mysticism, to rational theistic arguments, and to faith, showing the difficulties in each case. The second part of the course will cover alternatives to classical theism and the contemporary challenge of conceptual relativism and religious pluralism.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Dist: TMV. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
INTERMEDIATE COURSES
21. Judaism in Late Antiquity: The Rabbinic Revolution (Identical to Jewish Studies 60)
10W: 10
The course begins with a survey of the development of Judaism from a Persian-era temple religion into the religion of the synagogue and the academy in response to Greco-Roman civilization and its eventual Christianization. The course engages the students in careful interrogation of texts from the Mishna and the Talmud to recover the theological and experiential contours and concerns of a religious world in formative transition. Some of these developments are then traced through the Middle Ages to early modernity.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
23. Jewish Mysticism (Identical to Jewish Studies 62)
11W: 10
The course examines the nature of claims to mystical experience or knowledge that appear in various aspects of the Jewish tradition, with primary focus on the enchanted and demonic worlds of the Kabbala. Forms of ecstasy and magic will be studied, along with their theoretical and social backgrounds and their impact on elitist and popular Jewish practice. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
24. Jewish Philosophers of Religion (Identical to Jewish Studies 63)
10W: 2
The course is conducted through close reading and discussion of works by Spinoza, Buber, and Levinas that translate insights from the Jewish experience to the idiom of modern European culture and, in so doing, make unique contributions to such subjects of modern religious thought as: God and infinity; religion, morality, and politics; autonomy and transcendence; and the role of Jewish intellectuals in the modern era.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Benor.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3. For courses at the Introductory level in Judaism, see course numbered 6.
25. Islamic Mysticism (Sufism)
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and 16.
27. The Qur’an and the Prophet
10S: 10
The Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad are the source and center of Islam. In this course we will consider the form and content of the Qur’an and the form and content of various accounts of the Prophet’s life: the hadith or anecdotes of the Prophet’s life, the sirah, or biography of Muhammad, and the maghazi, or accounts of the Prophet’s battles and campaigns. Topics covered include the aural Qur’an, the dating of the Qur’an and the hadith, diverse images of the Prophet, and “what can we know about the life of Muhammad?”
Desirable background: A College course on Islamic history, culture, or society, including Religion 8 and Religion 16. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Reinhart.
For courses at the Introductory level in Islam, see courses numbered 8 and 16.
28. Topics in the Study of Islam
11S: D.F.S.P.
This course will focus on a particular topic in Islamic studies, with an emphasis on the most recent research in that field. The topic will vary with each offering, so the course may be taken more than once. Sample topics include: “The Islam of Morocco,” “Shi’ism,” and “Problems in Popular Islam.”
Desirable background: A previous course on Islamic Religion or Islamicate history and culture, or permission of the instructor.
In 11S, The Islam of Morocco. This course is designed to introduce you to Islam as it occurs in the Moroccan environment. Each unit will include either visits from Moroccan scholars or practitioners of the aspect of Islam under consideration, or a visit to a scholar/practitioner or a religiously significant site. Dist: TMV. Reinhart.
29. Kierkegaard and Existentialism
09F: 2A
A study of the thought, writings, and influence of Søren Kierkegaard, who is widely acknowledged to be the founding figure of existentialism. The course will examine the development of Kierkegaard’s philosophical and religious thinking and will follow its influence on both religious and non-religious thinkers, including Martin Buber, Reinhold Niebuhr, Jean Paul Sartre, and Simone de Beauvoir.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. Green.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
31. Sex, Celibacy, and the Problem of Purity: Asceticism and the Human Body in Late Antiquity (Identical to Women’s and Gender Studies 43.2 and Classical Studies 11)
10F: 10A
Late Antiquity (c. 300-500 C.E.) was a time when Christians struggled to understand how gender, family life, and religion could intermesh. Did virgins get to heaven faster than those who marry? Can a chaste man and woman live together without succumbing to lust? Were men holier than women? What about women who behaved like men? This course examines the changing understanding of the body, marriage, sexuality, and gender within Christianity through reading saints’ lives, letters, polemical essays, and legal texts.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: W. MacEvitt.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 5 and 15.
33. Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Age of the Crusades
10W: 2A
This course will focus on the interactions of the three major religious communities of the medieval Mediterranean—Christians, Jewish, and Muslim—beginning with the First Crusade in 1096 and ending with the arrival of the Black Death in 1347. By examining topics such as pilgrimage, crusade, and jihad, the status of minority communities, and intellectual life, we will explore how Christians, Jews, and Muslims clashed, cooperated, influenced, and misunderstood each other.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV. MacEvitt.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 5 and 15.
34. Christianity and Conversion in the Northern World: Vikings, Celts, and Anglo-Saxons
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 5 and 15.
35. Religion and Science
11W: 2
The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of current developments in the natural sciences and religious or theological interpretations of them. Emphasis is given to understanding an emerging consonance between religion and science in contrast to models of dissonance and conflict, or independence and dialogue. Particular attention is given to (1) evolutionary biology, (2) relativity physics, (3) cosmology, and (4) process theology and philosophy.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Dist: TMV. Frankenberry.
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
36. New Directions in American Religious Thought
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in Philosophy of Religion, see courses numbered 2 and 3.
40. Topics in the Religions of India
10S: 2 11S: 11
This course will focus in some depth on a particular aspect of religion in India—for example, a particular religion, sect, time period, body of literature, type of religion, or religious movement. The topic will change with each offering, and students may take the course more than once. Sample topics include: “Gods, Demons, and Monkeys: The Ramayana Epic of India,” “Women In Indian Religions,” and “Modern Hinduism.”
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 10S and 11S, Gods, Demons, and Monkeys: The Ramayana Epic of India. The ancient Indian epic known as the Ramayana is a stirring, martial tale of gods, demons, and monkeys. Beginning with the classical Sanskrit version composed as early as 200 B.C.E., India has produced hundreds of different versions of the Ramayana, in different languages and media, with different agendas and for different audiences. We will examine this epic tradition in all of its complexity, making ample use of different forms of media. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
41. Readings in Buddhist Literature
10S: 10 11S: 2
This course will focus in some depth on a particular body of Buddhist literature from a specific region of the Buddhist world, such as sacred scriptures, philosophical treatises, narrative texts, ritual texts, and sacred biographies. Special attention will be paid to a close and careful reading of the texts, as well as to placing them within their proper historical, social, and cultural contexts. The topic will change with each offering, and students may take the course more than once. Sample topics include: “Indian Buddhist Narratives,” “Mahayana Buddhist Texts,” “Chan/Zen Tradition,” and “Tantra in East Asia.”
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 10S, Mahayana Buddhist Texts. This course offers an in-depth exploration of a wide variety of Mahayana Buddhist texts from premodern India. The Mahayana (or “Great Vehicle”) was a significant movement that profoundly shaped the nature of Buddhism in its original Indian homeland and later exerted an enormous influence upon the further development of Buddhism as it spread to East Asia and Tibet. The readings will include both Mahayana scriptures and Mahayana philosophical treatises. Ohnuma.
In 11S, Indian Buddhist Narratives. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
42. Goddesses of India (Identical to Women’s and Gender Studies 43.4)
10W: 11
This course will use both elite and popular Hindu religious texts in conjunction with contemporary sociological and anthropological accounts, scholarly analyses, visual art, and film to explore the diverse identities and roles of India’s many goddesses, both ancient and modern. Special emphasis will also be given to the relationship between goddesses and women.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ohnuma.
For courses at the Introductory level in the Religions of India, see courses numbered 9 and 18.
46. Daoism: Transformations of Tradition
11S: 10
In this course we will explore the historical developments and transformations of Daoism from its ancient roots to present-day practices. We will begin by looking at early traditions of immortality seekers and self-cultivation and at the religious and philosophical ideas in the ancient Chinese texts of the Laozi, Zhuangzi, and Guanzi. We will also examine recent archaeological findings, imperial religious practices, and the complex interaction of Daoism with Buddhism. We will in addition look at contemporary Daoist practices in China and Taiwan. Along the way we will devote special attention to meditation and divination techniques; alchemy and sexual techniques for transcendence; the place of women and the feminine in Daoism.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course numbered 10.
47. Buddhism in China
10W: 10
A study of the advent of Buddhism in China, its accommodating yet transforming response to Chinese traditions and values, the emergence of the authentically Chinese schools of T’ien-T’ai, Hua-yen, Ch’an, and Pure Land Buddhism, and the enduring Buddhist heritage of China.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in Chinese Religions, see course numbered 10.
48. Body and Sex in Chinese Religions
11W: 11
In this course we will explore how different traditions in China conceptualized the relationship between the human body and the universe, and how individuals can attain immortality and transcendence. After examining different conceptions of the human body in traditional China, we will focus on sexual practices advocated by the traditions of immortality seekers, Daoism, and esoteric Buddhism as ways to enlightenment and transcendence. In our explorations we will look at the earliest records of sexual practices found in tombs of the 3rd century B.C.E. and examine Daoist sexual initiation rites and secret rites practiced by emperors. We will consider how notions of cosmic powers and forces are expressed in sexual rituals and how society views such practices. We will also compare Chinese notions of the body and of sexual practices with those found in West.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Raz.
49. Topics in East Asian Religions
11S: 10A
In this course students will read and discuss the latest research on one of the religions of East Asia, or a particular sect, movement, or time period in the history of East Asian religions. The topic will change with each offering. Thus, students may take this course more than once. Sample topics include: “Literature and Religion in China,” “Politics and Religion in China,” and “The Body in Japanese Religion.”
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW.
In 11S, Apocalyptic Thought in East Asia. Ideas about the cataclysmic end of the world, possible ways to survive such calamities, or to bring them forth appear in several religious traditions in East Asia. This course examines a variety of such eschatological and salvific ideas, beginning with Daoist and Buddhist scriptures in medieval China, proceeding through various religious rebel movements, to modern cults such as Aum Shinrikyo in Japan and Falun Gong in China. Raz.
For courses at the Introductory level in East Asian Religions, see course numbered 10.
55. Ancient Egyptian Religion
10W: 2A
The great civilization of ancient Egypt, which spanned a period of almost 3000 years, has left us a wealth of literary, artistic, architectural, and funerary religious remains. This course will focus on three major aspects of Egypt’s religious heritage: (1) the pantheon and the myths and stories about Egypt’s gods; (2) temple complexes; and (3) tombs, especially the tombs of royalty and other nobles.
Open to all classes. Dist: TMV; WCult: NW. Ackerman.
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
57. Readings in the Biblical Tradition
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
58. Topics in the Bible and Archaeology
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in biblical and ancient Near Eastern religions, see courses numbered 4-5.
61. Martin Luther King, Black Religion, and the Civil Rights Movement (Identical to African and African American Studies 82)
10S: 2A
With special emphasis on the speeches and public work of Martin King, this course will consider how black religious culture, practices, and institutions helped to shape the black freedom movement of the 1950s and 60s. We will explore other figures including Fannie Lou Hamer, James Baldwin, and Malcolm X and consider how they shaped and challenged the role Afro-Protestant culture had in determining the moral language and political strategies associated with the Civil Rights Movement.
Open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors, and to first-year students by permission. Dist: SOC; WCult: CI. Balmer.
62. Contemporary Christianity
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
For courses at the Introductory level in the Christian tradition, see courses numbered 5 and 15.
70. Foreign Study in Religion I
09F, 10F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Dist: TMV.
71. Foreign Study in Religion II
09F, 10F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Dist: TMV.
72. Foreign Study in Religion III
09F, 10F: D.F.S.P.
Credit for this course is awarded to students who have successfully completed a religion course at the University of Edinburgh while a member of the Dartmouth Foreign Study Program in Religion.
Prerequisite: two courses in Religion. Dist: TMV.
74. Special Topics in Religion—Intermediate Level
09F: D.F.S.P. 10S, 10X: 10A 10F: D.F.S.P. 11S: 10A
The contents of this course will vary from term to term.
Dist: TMV (unless otherwise indicated). WCult: Varies.
In 09F, D.F.S.P., Magic, Science, and Religion. Benor.
In 10S, Mormonism. An examination of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, America’s largest and most influential indigenous religion, including its history, its mores, and its sacred texts. We’ll trace the origins of the movement in upstate New York, various waves of persecution, and the Great Trek westward to Salt Lake City, where the Mormons have constructed an extensive empire with an international reach. Dist: TMV. Balmer.
In 10X, to be announced.
In 10F, D.F.S.P., Kierkegaard and Existentialism. Green.
In 11S, The Jew in the Protestant Imagination: The Merchant of Venice. Heschel.
ADVANCED COURSES
80-81. Seminars
80. Seminars
09F: 2A 10S: 10A 10F: 2A 11S: 11
In 09F at 2A, The Sacred City: Rome. Rome is several cities; classical, medieval, and Renaissance Rome are squeezed into the same space. This course explores the multiple Romes through the city’s religious topography. How did the capital city of the Roman Empire become one of Christianity’s holiest cities? We will examine the history of Rome through the lives of emperors, popes, holy women, and aristocratic families, as well as through the landscape of the city itself and its religious monuments. MacEvitt.
In 10S at 10A, The Lotus Sutra. The Lotus Sutra is among the most important of Mahayana scriptures, and its impact pervades East Asian Buddhist thought and practice. Focusing on the Lotus Sutra, this seminar will examine a variety of topics, including the history and development of Mahayana, Buddhism and art, Buddhism and medicine, and the rise of sectarian Buddhist sects in China and Japan. Raz.
In 10F at 2A, Maimonides: 12th Century Enlightenment. Benor.
In 11S at 11, Darwin, Dawkins, and the Challenge of Evolutionary Biology. Frankenberry.
81. Dickinson Distinguished Scholar Seminars
Not offered in the period from 09F through 11S
82. Joint Research in Religious Studies
All terms: Arrange.
Two or more students may enroll in this course to pursue through independent reading and research a topic mutually agreed upon between themselves and the instructor. This course may be used in satisfaction of the seminar requirement.
Permission of the Chair is required.
83. Research in Religious Studies (Independent Study)
All terms: Arrange.
84. Advanced Research in Religious Studies (Independent Study)
All terms: Arrange.
Serves in fulfillment of the Culminating Experience requirement. Open to senior majors only; by permission only. Majors electing this option must submit a research proposal for Departmental approval no later than the end of the Spring term of the Junior year. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 84 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component of the Colloquium. For more information, consult with the Chair.
85. Senior Colloquium
10W, 11W: 10A
As a culminating activity for senior majors, this colloquium serves as a forum for researching and writing the Senior Essay. Two faculty members convene the colloquium and guide the selection of essay topics. Other faculty and guest speakers may visit during the first five weeks of the term for discussion of common readings. The 25-page Senior Essay is expected (1) to display expertise in at least one cultural area, historical period, methodological approach, or body of literature, (2) to build upon previous course preparation, and (3) to engage with one of several approaches or readings discussed in the colloquium. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 84 or Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component.
Prerequisite: Religion 1. Open only to senior majors. Dist: TMV.
In 10W, Truth and Justification. Frankenberry.
In 11W, Performing Religion. MacEvitt and Ohnuma.
86. Honors I (Research)
All terms: Arrange
Open to seniors only; by permission only. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component of the Colloquium.
87. Honors II (Writing)
All terms: Arrange
Open to seniors only; by permission only. Students who choose to enroll in Religion 86 and 87 as their Culminating Experience are normally expected to participate in the Senior Colloquium but are excused from the writing component of the Colloquium.