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Religious Studies

The Department of Religious Studies encourages multidisciplinary inquiry into religious ideas, experiences, philosophies, traditions, cultural expressions, and social movements. Religion is a feature of human life that has taken countless forms over the millennia. It continues to wind its way through history in surprising ways.

At Iowa we study a rich array of traditions and paths. These include, for example, South Asian religions, ancient Judaism and early Christianity, African-diaspora and Native American traditions, Chinese Buddhism, modern European Christianity, various Islamic sects, popular religions in Japan, American Christianities, and new forms of religion that many people do not yet think of as religions. 

Students gain many benefits through the critical study of religion. Some of the benefits are immediate and obvious, and some might not be noticed until later in life. For example, students learn how people from around the world have responded to age-old questions about life, love, suffering, and death. They discover new concepts with which to ask and explore such questions themselves. In studying religion, students transcend some of the limits of their own perspective. They learn to appreciate that the way a situation appears to one person or group can be very different from the way it appears to others. Such differences in perspective, if they go unrecognized, can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts. Through the study of religion, students extend their ability to interpret complex psychological phenomena, social structures, group behaviors, and geo-political events. 

Because religious ideas inform every aspect of life, many undergraduate students who major in religious studies choose to earn a second major in another discipline, such as anthropology, classics, journalism and mass communication, English, history, philosophy, political science, psychology, or biology. Any combination is fascinating and worth pursuing. The study of religion will deepen a person’s’ learning in all other areas of inquiry. Our students tend to go on to graduate school, divinity school, law school, medical school, dental school, or into such careers as nursing, social work, human rights/NGO work, counseling, and business, especially human resource management.

The Department of Religious Studies enables students to think creatively and open-mindedly about the many forms that religion takes—and the subtle ways in which it operates. The department does not advocate for or against particular ideas or practices; nor does it shield any religion from honest and fair criticism.

Undergraduate Programs

• Major in religious studies (Bachelor of Arts)
• Minor in religious studies

The major in religious studies helps students gain forms of experience, skill, and knowledge that are needed to  succeed in an increasingly globalized world: curiosity, open-mindedness, critical thinking and effective communication skills, knowledge of diverse religions and their influences,  the growth of global cultural competency, and the ability to use intelligence and creativity in addressing humanitarian concerns.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in religious studies requires a minimum of 120 s.h., including 30 s.h. in work for the major (6 s.h. of required courses, 24 s.h. of elective courses). Students must complete the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education Program; they may count a maximum of three religious studies courses toward General Education Program requirements. Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the major. Courses for the major may not be taken pass/nonpass. Transfer students may count a maximum of 15 s.h. of transfer credit toward the major; transfer credit is evaluated individually.

Required Courses

The following two courses are required.

Religions in a Global Context: The Critical Role of Religion in International Affairs [032:015 (RELS:1015)] is an introduction to the study of the world's religions and should be taken by the student as soon as possible.

032:196 (RELS:4950) is a capstone course offered each spring semester. Students ideally take the course in the senior year, but students may also take the seminar in the junior year.

Elective Courses

Students select eight religious studies courses totaling a minimum of 24 s.h. to complete the major. These electives must be selected following these guidelines:

• at least 6 s.h. must be selected at the foundational level, with courses numbered 1000-1999.
• at least 9 s.h. must be selected from a more advanced level, with courses numbered 2000-4999.
• the remaining 9 s.h. may be selected from any level.

Religious Studies courses are organized into two categories─Religious Traditions and Critical Issues─but students may choose their 24 s.h. of elective courses from either or both categories.

The department recommends that students examine a variety of diverse religious traditions and issues.

Religious Traditions

Courses in this category generally focus on religious traditions or movements in historical perspective, within particular geographical areas or across regions. The courses may address foundational stories of creation and cosmic order, archaeological findings, the compilation and interpretation of revered texts, religious doctrines, social norms, rituals and practices, or conflicts and schisms. 

Critical Issues

Courses in this category generally focus on ideas, arguments, or problems, often with reference to influential texts or oral traditions. The courses may explore religious perspectives on the nature of reality or the meaning of life. They may focus on issues of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, globalization, human rights, or law and politics.

Four-Year Graduation Plan

The University of Iowa Four-Year Graduation Plan is being revised. The original Four-Year Graduation Plan continues to apply to students who have already signed it. Students who commit to the four-year plan beginning fall 2013 will be held to the revised requirements. For information about the plan, visit Four-Year Graduation Plan on the First-Year Experience web site.

Honors in the Major

Honors students in religious studies must be members of the University of Iowa Honors Program, which requires students to maintain a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.33 (contact the University of Iowa Honors Program for more information). To graduate with honors in the major, students must complete the usual requirements for the major plus an additional 3 s.h., for a total of 33 s.h. for the major. They may apply 3 s.h. of 032:195 (RELS:4960) Individual Study: Undergraduates or 032:197 (RELS:4970) Honors Tutorial toward their 12 s.h. requirement in the concentration area. Honors students must take 032:198 (RELS:4975) Honors Essay under the supervision of a faculty advisor; copies of the completed and approved essay are submitted to the Department of Religious Studies and to the University of Iowa Honors Program. 

Minor

The minor in religious studies requires a minimum of 15 s.h. in religious studies courses, including a minimum of 12 s.h. taken at The University of Iowa. Students are encouraged to complete 032:015 (RELS:1015) Religions in a Global Context: The Critical Role of Religion in International Affairs and 032:196 (RELS:4950) Senior Majors Seminar.

Students must complete a minimum of 6 s.h. of foundational religious studies courses, selected from courses numbered 1000-1999.

Students must complete an additional 6 s.h. of coursework in advanced religious studies courses, selected from those numbered 2000-4999.

Students must maintain a g.p.a. of at least 2.00 in the minor. Courses for the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass. With the recommendation of the department's undergraduate committee and approval of the faculty, students may count a maximum of 3 s.h. of transfer credit toward the minor.

Graduate Programs

• Master of Arts in religious studies (with or without thesis)
• Doctor of Philosophy in religious studies

Graduate study in the department places religion in a broad intellectual and cultural context, provides a substantial methodological dimension, and helps students develop necessary research skills. Graduate study is flexible. Students build individual study programs in consultation with their advisors and in accordance with available faculty expertise, which is clustered in four general areas:

Islamic and Judaic multidisciplinary studies;
Religion, ethics, and society;
Religion in Asia; and
Religion in Europe and the Americas.

Departmental knowledge and expertise in these areas is supplemented by faculty from other departments. For detailed information about resources in each area, see Graduate Study on the department's web site.

Master of Arts

The Master of Arts program in religious studies requires a minimum of 30 s.h. of graduate credit and is offered with or without thesis. The program is designed for students who wish to advance their understanding of a particular area of religious studies.

Students must complete 24 of the required 30 s.h. at The University of Iowa and must maintain a cumulative g.p.a. of at least 3.20. Requirements for languages and other research tools vary according to the student's study focus. M.A. students are supervised by a three-person faculty committee. 

All M.A. students complete the following four courses. 

The following course is optional for M.A. students.

In the M.A. thesis, students demonstrate and refine their research and writing skills. They may count a maximum of 6 s.h. of thesis credit toward the degree. Students who do not write a thesis must pass an M.A. examination that tests their competence in completed course work.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy program in religious studies requires a minimum of 72 s.h. of graduate credit. Students may transfer up to 24 s.h. of credit from another accredited graduate school.

The Ph.D. program prepares students to become specialists in the study and teaching of religion. Students are trained in the research skills and methods they will need to become productive scholars in their chosen fields of study. They also are trained to teach religious studies across a broad range of traditions.

Course requirements for the Ph.D. vary according to concentration area. However, all students must complete the following eight required courses. 

During their fourth semester in residence, students must submit a departmental program of study, which must be approved by the religious studies faculty. For approval, students must satisfy the following requirements: they must have completed three of the required Ph.D. courses listed above and two of the graduate seminars; they must show satisfactory progress toward the language and course requirements of their individual programs; they must show evidence of the ability to write scholarly papers at a level satisfactory for the Ph.D., as assessed by the advisor and core committee members (at least two papers must be submitted to the committee); and they must have a cumulative University of Iowa g.p.a. of at least 3.40 (language courses that do not count toward the Ph.D. are excluded).

For more detailed information on graduate programs in religious studies, contact the Department of Religious Studies or the University's Office of Admissions.

Admission

Applicants must meet the admission requirements of the Graduate College; see the Manual of Rules and Regulations of the Graduate College or the Graduate College section of the Catalog.

Applicants to the M.A. program ordinarily must have a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1050 on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test and a g.p.a. of at least 3.00.

Applicants to the Ph.D. program ordinarily must have a combined verbal and quantitative score of at least 1150 on the GRE General Test and a g.p.a. of at least 3.40.

Application materials must include an application form; a transcript of all undergraduate and graduate work (one copy must be sent to the University's Office of Admissions and a second copy must be sent to the Department of Religious Studies); an application or waiver of consideration form for graduate assistantships; three letters of recommendation; and a writing sample that demonstrates the applicant's ability to engage in critical thinking. Applicants also must submit a brief personal essay that explains their objectives for graduate study and states which area of graduate study in religion will suit their objectives best. For details, see Graduate Admission and Financial Aid on the department's web site.

All application materials must be received by February 1 for fall admission.

Financial Support

All Ph.D. students in religious studies receive funding. Ordinarily, no departmental funding is available for M.A. students.

The department offers financial support for graduate students in the form of teaching assistantships. The department may nominate eligible applicants for the Presidential Graduate Fellowship or for the Dean's Graduate Fellowship, which promotes recruitment of students from underrepresented groups.

The Gilmore Scholarship, for doctoral students interested in the relationships among religion, the visual arts, and humanistic values, pays up to full tuition for one year. It is awarded every few years.

Language Study at the University

The University offers a variety of modern European languages (see French and Italian, German, and Spanish and Portuguese in the Catalog) as well as Greek and Latin (see Classics in the Catalog); Arabic and Swahili (see French and Italian in the Catalog); and Chinese, Czech, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and Sanskrit (see Asian and Slavic Languages and Literatures in the Catalog).

Courses