Effective Autumn Term 2016, the Department of Comparative Studies will offer a single track for undergraduate students interested in the Religious Studies major. Below is the archived listing of requirements for the former two-plan structure of the Religious Studies major: the Study of Religions plan and the Religions and Cultures plan.
Study of Religions requirements
The requirements for the Study of Religions and a worksheet to guide students are available upon request. Please email religion@osu.edu to request a copy.
Relevant Courses for the Upcoming Term
(See also Religious Studies Minor and the other area of concentration in the Religious Studies major, Religions and Cultures.)
The Study of Religions subplan requires a total of 36 credits, which inlcudes 4 foundation courses and 8 electives.
Foundation courses (12 credits)
The following courses are required:
- Religious Studies 2370 Introduction to Comparative Religion
- Religious Studies 4970 Religious Studies Capstone OR Comp St 4990 Senior Seminar in Comparative Studies
- Religious Studies 5970 Foundational Approaches to the Study of Religion
- Religious Studies 5971 Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Religion
*Note: Religious Studies 4972 and an additional elective course may be substituted for Religious Studies 5970 and 5971.
Electives (24 credits)
Elective courses are taught in many different departments and are distributed across different religious traditions and different disciplinary perspectives. At least one course must be chosen from each of the four cross-cultural distribution areas and each of the four interdisciplinary distribution areas.
Cross-cultural distribution. At least one course from each of the following areas is required:
- i. Judaism, Christianity, Islam
- ii. Religions of South and East Asia
- iii. Indigenous, local and newly emergent religions
- iv. Thematic and cross-culturally comparative courses
Interdisciplinary distribution. Among these courses, each of the following categories must be represented by at least one course:
- i. Religions as historical phenomena
- ii. Religions as textual, literary or philosophical phenomena
- iii. Religions as artistic phenomena
- iv. Religions as social and institutional phenomena
A single course may overlap and count for distribution requirements in two areas at once. For example, History 3229, History of Early Christianity, fulfills the requirement for at least one course in “Judaism, Christianity, and Islam” and also fulfills the requirement for one course in “Religions as historical phenomena.” Another example: Classics 3404, Magic in the Ancient World, fulfills the requirement for at least one course in “Indigenous, Local, and Newly Emergent Religions,” and also fulfills the requirement for one course in either “Religions as historical phenomena” or “Religions as social and institutional phenomena.”
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Judaism
Hebrew
- 2205 Art and Ancient Judaism iii.arts
- 2209 The World of the Rabbis i.history
- 2210 The Jewish Mystical Tradition ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 2216 The Medieval Jewish Experience i. history
- 2700 Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2701 Medieval Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2702 Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2703 Prophecy in the BIble and Post-Biblical Literature ii.texts
- 2704 Women in the Bible and Beyond ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 2705 The Holocaust in Literature and Film i.history, ii.texts
- 2708 Biblical and Post-Biblical Wisdom Literature ii.texts
- 4605 Readings in the Mishnah ii.texts
- 5601 Introduction to Hebrew Literary and Cultural Texts ii.texts
- 5602 The Bible as Literature: Selected Readings ii.texts
- 5603 Readings in Rabbinic Literature ii.texts
- 5802 The Problem of Evil in Biblical and Post-Biblical Literature ii.texts
- 5806 Studies in Biblical Law ii.texts
History (Judaism)
- 2450 Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, 300 BCE to 1100 CE i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2451 Medieval and Early Modern Jewish History 700-1700 CE i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2452 Modern Jewish History, 1700 to present i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2453 History of Zionism and Modern Israel i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2454 History of Anti-Semitism i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2455 Jews in American Film i.history, iii.arts
- 2475 History of the Holocaust i.history
- 3110 The Jewish Experience in Latin America i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3353 Jewish Communities Under Islamic Rule i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3450 History of Ancient Israel i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3455 Jewish Life from the Renaissance to the Early Enlightenment i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3460 European Jewish Experience i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3465 American Jewish History i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3470 Messianism and Change in Jewish History i.history, iv.social/inst
- 4450 Readings in Jewish History i.history
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Jewish Studies (Judaism)
- 2201 Intro to Jewish Culture, Thought, and Practice iv.social/inst
- 2209 The World of the Rabbis i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2210 The Jewish Mystical Tradition ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 2216 The Medieval Jewish Experience i. history
- 2241 Yiddish Culture, iv.social/inst
- 2242 Culture of Contemporary Israel, iv.social/inst
- 2245 Israeli Film and Society iii.arts, iv.social/inst
- 2367 Jewish American Voices in American Literature, ii.texts
- 2450 Ancient and Medieval Jewish History, 300 BCE to 1100 CE i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2451 Medieval and Early Modern Jewish History 700-1700 CE i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2452 Modern Jewish History, 1700 to present i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2453 History of Zionism and Modern Israel i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2454 History of Anti-Semitism i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2455 Jews in American Film i.history, iii.arts
- 2475 History of the Holocaust i.history
- 2516 The Medieval Jewish Experience i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2700 Biblical and Post-Biblical Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2701 Medieval Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2702 Modern Hebrew Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 2703 Prophecy in the BIble and Post-Biblical Literature ii.texts
- 2704 Women in the Bible and Beyond ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 2705 The Holocaust in Literature and Film i.history, ii.texts
- 2708 Biblical and Post-Biblical Wisdom Literature ii.texts
- 3110 The Jewish Experience in Latin America i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3111 Jewish Philosophy ii.texts
- 3351 Judaism and Ethics iv.social/inst
- 3371 Yiddish Literature in Translation ii.texts
- 3450 History of Ancient Israel i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3455 Jewish Life from the Renaissance to the Early Enlightenment i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3460 European Jewish Experience i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3465 American Jewish History i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3470 Messianism and Change in Jewish History i.history, iv.social/inst
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Judaism)
- 2516 The Medieval Jewish Experience i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2520 Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Mediterranean World, i.history, iv.,social/inst
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (Judaism)
- 5571 Canon and Communities in the Near East ii.texts
Arabic (Judaism)
- 5703 Common Heritage: Biblical Figures in the Qur’an ii.texts
Philosophy (Judaism)
- 3111 Jewish Philosophy ii.texts
- 3351 Judaism and Ethics iv.social/inst
- 5870 Topics in Jewish Philosophy ii.texts
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Christianity
Classics
- 3405 Christians in the Greco-Roman World i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3407 (History 3218 as of Spring 2016) Paul and His Influence in Early Christianity, iv. social/inst
Greek (Christianity)
- 2110 The Greek New Testament ii.texts
English (Christianity)
- 2280 The English Bible ii.texts
History of Art (Christianity)
- 3005 Christian Art iii.arts
- 3521 Renaissance Art in Italy iii.arts
- 4411 Early Byzantine and Christian Art iii.arts
- 4421 Medieval Art iii.arts
- 4521 Early Renaissance Art in Italy iii.arts
- 4522 High Renaissance and Mannerist Art in Italy iii.arts
- 4531 17th Century Art in the Netherlands iii.arts
- 4541 17th Century Art in Italy and Spain iii.arts
History (Christianity)
- 2045 History of American Religion to the Civil War i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2220 Intro to the History of Christianity, i. history, iv.social/inst
- 2221 (X-listed Classics 2221 as of Spring 2016, replacing Classics 2401) - Intro to the New Testament: History and Literature i.history, ii.texts
- 2230 Decoding the Middle Ages, i.history, iv. social/inst
- 2231 The Crusades i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3045 American Religious History i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3218 (replacing Classics 3407 as of Spring 2016) Paul & His Influence in Early Christianity i.history, ii.texts
- 3219 (replacing Classics 5402 as of Spring 2016) Historical Jesus i.history, ii.texts
- 3225 Early Byzantine Empire i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3226 Later Byzantine Empire, i. history, iv.social/inst
- 3227 Gnostics and Other Early Christian Heresies, i.history, iv.social inst
- 3228 Religion and Society in Late Antiquity i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3229 History of Early Christianity i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3230 History of Medieval Christianity i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3245 The Age of Reformation i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3247 Magic and Witchcraft in Early Modern Europe (1450-1750) i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3306 History of African Christianity i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3640 Medieval Women: Power, Piety, and Production, iv. social/inst
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Christianity)
- 2215 Gothic Paris: 1100-1300 iv.social/inst
- 2250 Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Mediterranean World, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2526 Byzantine Civilization: Constantinople and the Empire of New Rome, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2666: Witchcraft and Magic in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (successor) i.history
Religious Studies (Christianity)
- 4872H Varieties of Christianity i.history
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Islam
Arabic
- 4626 Introduction to the Arabic Qur'an ii.texts
- 5701 The Qur'an in Translation ii.texts
- 5703 Common Heritage: Biblical Figures in the Qu'ran, ii.texts
History (Islam)
- 2350 Islam, Politics, and Society in History i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2351 Early Islamic Society, 610-1258 i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2352 The Ottoman Empire, 1300-1800, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2375 Islamic Central Asia, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2391 Islamic India i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3304 History of Islam in Africa i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3351 Intellectual and Social Movements in the Muslim World i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3353 Jewish Communities under Islamic Rule i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3354 Islamic Spain and North Africa i.history, iv.social/inst
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Islam)
- 2514: The Golden Age of Islamic Civilization i.history, iv.social/inst
- 2520 Christians, Muslims, and Jews in the Mediterranean World, i.history, iv.social/inst
Near Eastern Languages and Cultures (Islam)
- 3201 Islam in the United States iv.social/inst
- 3205 Women in the Muslim Middle East iv.social/inst
- 3230 Introduction to Shi'i Beliefs and History i.history, iv. social/inst
- 3501 Introduction to Islam i.history
- 3502 Islamic Civilization through the Middle Ages, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3508 Sufism i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3702 Literatures and Cultures of the Islamic World, iv. social/inst
- 4597 Islamic Revival and Social Justice: Utopian Ideals and Lived Realities, iv.social/inst
- 5578 Islamic Law and Society iv.social/inst
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Religions of South Asia and East Asia
(Choose at least one course in this category)
East Asian Languages and Literatures (S and E Asia)
- 3223 The Buddhist Tradition i.history, ii.texts
History (S and E Asia)
- 2375 Islamic Central Asia i.history
- 2391 Islamic India i.history
History of Art (S Asia and E Asia)
- 4701 Introduction to Buddhist Art iii.arts
- 5701 Buddhist Art: Theory and History, iii.arts
- 5702 Hindu Iconography iii.arts
- 5711 Art of India 1 (Buddhism and some Hinduism) iii.arts
- 5712 Art of India 2 (Hinduism and Buddhism) iii.arts
- 5723 Art of Nepal and Tibet iii.arts
- 5724 The Buddhist Art of Gandhara and Kashmir, iii.arts
- 5727 The Art of Newar Buddhism,iii.arts
- 5812 Chinese: Buddhist, iii.arts
- 5821 Japapnese Art: Proto-Historic and Buddhist,iii.arts
Religious Studies
- 3671 Religions of India i.history, ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 3673 The Buddhist Tradition i.history, ii.texts
- 3677 South Asian American Religion and Culture i.history, ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 5871 The Japanese Religious Tradition i.history
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Indigenous, Local, and Newly Emergent Religions
(Choose at least one course in this category)
- 3342H Music, Religion, and Ritual in Africa ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 2203 Byzantine Civilization: Constantinople and the Empire of New Rome, i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3401 Ancient Greek Religion iv.social/inst
- 3402 Ancient Gods, Changing Identities i.history
- 3404 Magic in the Ancient World iv. social/inst
- 3408 Ancient Roman Religion, iv. social/inst
- 4031 Sacred Texts of the Ancient World i.history, iv.social/inst
- 5401 Methodologies for the Study of Ancient Religions, ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 3700 Mythology of Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia ii.texts
- 2301 Persian Mythology and Folklore ii.texts
- 3672 Native American Religions i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3674 African Religions iv.social/inst
- 3675 Religions of Mesoamerica i.history, iv.social/inst
- 4874 New Age and New Religious Movements i.history, iv.social/inst
- 3350 Norse Mythology and Medieval Culture ii.texts
Thematic and Cross-Culturally Comparative Courses
(Choose at least one course in this category)
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Anthropology
- 5625 Anthropology of Religion, iv.social/inst
Classics
- 5401 Methodologies for the Study of Ancient Religions iv.social/inst
- 2670 Science and Religion iv. social/inst
- 2677 Religion and Environmentalism iv.social/inst
- 3275 Religion and its Critics in the Modern World iv.social/inst
- 2666: Witchcraft and Magic in the Middle Ages and Renaissance,iv.social/inst
- 2701 Sacred Texts of the Middle East ii.texts
- 5571 Canon and Communities in the Near East iv.social/inst
- 2860 Science and Religion iv.social/inst
- 2660 Metaphysics, Religion and Magic in the Scientific Revolution iv.social/inst
- 5850 Philosophy of Religion iv.social/inst
- 4262 The New Religious Politics iv.social/inst
- 2102.02 Comparative Sacred Texts i.texts
- 3678 Religion and American Culture iv.social/inst
- 4871 Religion and American Politics iv.social/inst
- 4873 Contemporary Religious Movements in Global Context iv.social/inst
- 4875 Gender, Sexuality and Religion iv.social/inst
- 4876 Comparative Sacred Architecture iii.arts
- 4877 Myth and Ritual ii.texts, iv.social/inst
- 4878 Ritual, Rites and Ceremony i.history, iv.social/inst
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Religions and Cultures Requirements
The requirements for the Religions and Cultures and a worksheet to guide students are available upon request. Please email religion@osu.edu to request a copy.
Relevant Courses for the Upcoming Term
(See also Religious Studies Minor.)
The Religions and Cultures subplan requires a total of 36 credits, which includes two foundational courses, 5-6 courses that are comparative and interdisciplinary, and 4-5 courses on specific religious traditions. All Religious Studies students should work with their advisers to develop a strong, coherent, individualized program.
The concentration in Religions and Cultures requires the following:
Foundation courses (6 credits):
- Religious Studies 2370 Introduction to Comparative Religion
- Religious Studies 4972 Theory and Method in the Study of Religion
Comparative and Interdisciplinary Courses (18-21 credits)
These two courses are required (6 credits):
- Comp St 3990 Approaches to Comparative Studies
- Comp St 4990 Senior Seminar
Four to five of the following courses are required, no more than one at the 2000-level (12-15 credits):
- Classics 3404 Magic in the Ancient World
- Comparative Studies 2670 Religion and Science
- Comparative Studies 2677 Religion and Environmentalism
- Religious Studies 2102.02 Comparative Sacred Texts
- Religious Studies 3678 Religion and American Culture
- Religious Studies 4871 Religion and American Politics
- Religious Studies 4873 Contemporary Religious Movements in Global Context
- Religious Studies 4874 New Age and New Religious Movements
- Religious Studies 4875 Gender, Sexuality, and Religion
- Religious Studies 4876 Comparative Sacred Architecture
- Religious Studies 4877 Myth and Ritual
- Religious Studies 4878 Rites, Ritual, and Ceremony
- Comp St 5691 Topics in Comparative Studies (topic to be approved by the student's adviser; course is repeatable)
- Religious Studies 5970 Foundational Approaches to the Study of Religion
- Religious Studies 5971 Contemporary Approaches to the Study of Religon
- Anthro 5625 Anthropology of Religion
- Phil 5850 Philosophy of Religion
Courses on Specific Religious Traditions (9-12 credits):
The remaining 9-12 credits can include courses on any religious tradition (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Native American traditions, etc.) from departments around the University, including at least one course in Comparative Studies. Examples include:
- Religious Studies 3671 Religions of India
- Religious Studies/Hebrew 2210 The Jewish Mystical Tradition
- Religious Studies 3672 Native American Religions
- History 3229 History of Christianity
- Japanese 5271 The Japanese Religious Tradition
- NELC 3501 Introduction to Islam
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The Department of Comparative Studies maintains a complete list of these classes on their website. If you want to take a class that does not appear on this list, check with your advisor.