Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Major in Religious Studies

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

General Requirements

  1. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.
  2. In addition to the general education core curriculum requirements, the Bachelor of Arts degree (B.A.) requires three additional hours of English literature, three hours of mathematics, science, logic, or computer science courses, a minor, and six hours of 2000-level modern language courses. Most students will have to complete 1410 and 1420 as prerequisites before attempting 2310.
  3. Students must select a minor from the approved list of Undergraduate Minors.
  4. Students must complete a minimum of 36 advanced hours (3000 or 4000 level courses).
  5. Nine hours of writing intensive (WI) courses are required for graduation.
  6. The degree program requires 30 hours of major coursework, with at least 21 hours of coursework in REL courses and at least 18 of the 30 hours at the 3000 or 4000 level.
  7. The minimum number of hours required for this degree program is 120. The number of free elective hours a student will complete depends on the number of hours a student may need to achieve the required 120 total or 36 advanced hours.
  8. Graduating seniors must submit a portfolio of their work and participate in an exit interview with the Religious Studies faculty. Details about the portfolio are available in the Department’s main office.

Course Requirements 

Freshman
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301])3ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302])3
US 11001PHIL 1305 or 1320 (Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 040 [TCCN PHIL 1301 or 2306])3
Modern Language 14104Modern Language 14204
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303
REL 1300 (TCCN PHIL 1304)3REL 23303
Elective3 
 17 16
Sophomore
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
Mathematics Component Code 0203ENG Literature (Component Area Option Code 090/094) [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3
POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306])3POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305])3
Modern Language 23103Modern Language 23203
Group A Elective3Group B Elective3
American History Component Code 0603American History Component Code 0603
 15 15
Junior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component Code 050 [TCCN HUMA 1315])3Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 0803
PHIL 2330 (TCCN PHIL 2303)3Group D Elective3
ENG Literature [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3Group E Elective3
Group C Elective3Minor6
Minor3 
 15 15
Senior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
REL 43003Minor6
Group E Electives6Electives6
Minor3 
Elective3 
 15 12
Total Hours: 120

Prescribed Electives

GROUP A - ASIAN TRADITIONS
HIST 3374CHistory of Religion in India3
REL 2360Asian Religious Traditions3
REL 3381The Philosophical and Spiritual Heritage of India3
REL 3383An Introduction to Chinese Religions3
REL 3385Buddhism3
REL 3386Yoga: Principles and Practice3
GROUP B - LEVANTINE AND EUROPEAN TRADITIONS
HIST 3374AHistory of Christianity 1300-17003
HIST 4320Origins of Christianity3
HIST 4325Islamic History to 17983
PS 4331Islamic Law and Politics3
REL 2310Introduction to the Hebrew Bible3
REL 2315Introduction to the New Testament3
REL 2350Mediterranean and European Religions3
REL 3320Judaism3
REL 3361CPhilosophical Issues in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam3
GROUP C - PRE-MODERN TRADITIONS
ANTH 3335The Anthropology of Native American Belief Systems3
ANTH 3349The Incas3
HIST 4320Origins of Christianity3
HIST 4325Islamic History to 17983
REL 2310Introduction to the Hebrew Bible3
REL 2315Introduction to the New Testament3
REL 2350Mediterranean and European Religions3
REL 2360Asian Religious Traditions3
REL 3342The Homeric Epic: The Illiad and the Odyssey3
REL 3361CPhilosophical Issues in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam3
GROUP D - MODERN TRADITIONS
GEO 4393FGeographies of the Holocaust and Genocide3
HIST 3374BAmerican Religious History3
HIST 4348Mahatma Gandhi and Nonviolence3
HON 3395SGeographies of the Holocaust and Genocide3
PHIL 3317Science and Religion3
PS 4313The Holocaust3
PS 4327Religion and American Public Life3
REL 3330Religious Controversy in America3
REL 3335Cults and New Religious Movements3
REL 3361AReligion and Film3
SOCI 3375PSociology of Religion: A Global Perspective3
GROUP E - RELIGIOUS STUDIES
ANTH 3305Magic, Ritual and Religion3
ANTH 3322Peoples and Cultures of Africa3
ANTH 3327Anthropology of Religion and Fundamentalism3
ANTH 3332Myths and Moundbuilders3
ANTH 3335The Anthropology of Native American Belief Systems3
ANTH 3349The Incas3
ANTH 4320Rise of Civilization3
ARTH 2301Ancient to Medieval Art3
ARTH 2302Renaissance to Modern Art3
ARTH 4303Pre-Columbian Art3
ARTH 4306Renaissance Art3
ARTH 4316Islamic Art3
ENG 3329Studies in Mythology3
FR 4370French Civilization3
GEO 4393FGeographies of the Holocaust and Genocide3
HIST 3312Renaissance and Reformation3
HIST 3374AHistory of Christianity 1300-17003
HIST 3374BAmerican Religious History3
HIST 3374CHistory of Religion in India3
HIST 4320Origins of Christianity3
HIST 4325Islamic History to 17983
HIST 4348Mahatma Gandhi and Nonviolence3
HON 2304AThe Meaning of Death3
HON 2305CItaly and Arts of the Islamic World3
HON 3390HNature of Society: The Problem of Evil3
HON 3392YThe Nature of the Human Experience I: Immortality3
HON 3395JThe Meaning of Death3
HON 3395SGeographies of the Holocaust and Genocide3
HON 3396DMythology, Science and Creation3
HON 3397SHuman Language: its evolution, mental representation, and learning3
HON 3398NThe Anthropology of Religion and Fundamentalism3
PHIL 3317Science and Religion3
PHIL 3318Reason, God, and Nature3
PHIL 3324Meaning of Life3
PHIL 4371Asian Philosophy3
PS 4313The Holocaust3
PS 4327Religion and American Public Life3
PS 4331Islamic Law and Politics3
REL 2310Introduction to the Hebrew Bible3
REL 2315Introduction to the New Testament3
REL 2321Founders, Prophets and Saints3
REL 2350Mediterranean and European Religions3
REL 2360Asian Religious Traditions3
REL 3320Judaism3
REL 3330Religious Controversy in America3
REL 3335Cults and New Religious Movements3
REL 3340Religion, Literature, and the Arts3
REL 3342The Homeric Epic: The Illiad and the Odyssey3
REL 3361AReligion and Film3
REL 3361BMysticism3
REL 3361CPhilosophical Issues in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam3
REL 3370Mythology and Cosmology3
REL 3372Apocalypticism3
REL 3381The Philosophical and Spiritual Heritage of India3
REL 3383An Introduction to Chinese Religions3
REL 3385Buddhism3
REL 3386Yoga: Principles and Practice3
REL 3390Religion, Health, and Embodiment 3
REL 4388Issues in Religion3
SOCI 3375PSociology of Religion: A Global Perspective3
SPAN 3301Literatures of Spain I3
SPAN 3302Literatures of Spain II3
SPAN 3305Latin American Literatures I3
SPAN 3309Introduction to Hispanic Literature and Literary Analysis3
SPAN 3370Spanish Civilization3
SPAN 3371Latin American Civilization3
SPAN 4302The Spanish Novel3
SPAN 4380GWomen, Minorities and Marginal Groups in Medieval Spanish Literature3