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Undergraduate Bulletin College of Arts and Sciences
Department of Religious Studies

Minor in Religious Studies

Students on Summer 2018, Fall 2018, or Spring 2019 requirements RELMIN
The Minor in Religious Studies offers students an opportunity to explore and understand the religious traditions of the world, as well as to study expressions of religious life and thought that may not fall within traditional patterns. The program teaches a variety of approaches to the academic study of religion and religion's intersections with other aspects of human society and culture. Students minoring in religious studies will not only be better equipped to understand people of different backgrounds, but will also learn about themselves: how their ideas and values were formed, how they differ from others, and the significance of these differences. A minor in Religious Studies prepares students for a wide variety of careers, including those in education, the social sciences, law, medicine, and politics.

Requirements

The minor requires at least 15 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
  1. Core courses. One (1) course at the 200–499 level chosen from three of the four areas (3 courses total):
    • Area A (Africa, Europe, and West Asia).
      • Any REL-A 100–499
    • Area B (South and East Asia).
      • Any REL-B 100–499
    • Area C (The Americas).
      • Any REL-C 100–499
    • Area D (Theory, Ethics, Comparison).
      • Any REL-D 100–499
  2. Electives. Additional courses, as needed, to complete remaining requirements.
    • No more than two courses at the 100–299 level.
    • Critical Approaches courses taught by Religious Studies faculty can be counted toward the minor. COLL-C 103 and COLL-C 104 count as 100-level courses.
  3. Minor GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
    1. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
    2. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed at the 300–499 level.
    3. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the minor.
    4. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the minor—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
    5. Exceptions to minor requirements may be made with the approval of the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.