Major, Concentration, and Interdisciplinary Studies
Requirements for the major: Sixty-nine credits in the department, including Religion 110; a minimum of one course numbered 111-169 taken before the senior year; two courses numbered 211-299; two advanced seminars (311-379); Religion 300: Issues in the Study of Religion; Religion 399: Senior Research Seminar; and Religion 400: Intgrative Exericise.
Students planning to major in Religion should consult with their advisor in the spring of their sophomore year; a sequence of at least three courses in a religious tradition, theme, or topic is to be designed in consultation with an academic adviser by the end of the junior year, and majors are expected to build some cross-cultural diversity into their programs of study. Religion 300 is normally taken during the winter term of the junior year, Religion 399 during the winter term of the senior year, and Religion 400 in the spring term of the senior year. Since Religion 110 is a prerequisite for Religion 300, those planning to major in Religion must take Religion 110 before the winter of their junior year.
Student Departmental Advisors (SDA’s) can be very helpful in guiding newer students in the Department in the planning of their programs. They may offer insights about the benefits (and costs) of off-campus study related to the major, recommend courses that suit a student’s interests, and offer advice about the sequencing of courses. SDAs for the 2009-2010 academic year are Jared Christensen (christja@carleton.edu) and Carolyn Frischer (frischec@carleton.edu).
The Department recommends that most students without prior background in the academic study of religion begin with a 100-level course, perhaps a first-year seminar or “Introduction to Religion” (Religion 110). Many other courses as the introductory level focus on a single religious tradition (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) or on the religious traditions of a specific region (Religions of South Asia, Chinese Religion and Culture, Japanese Religion and Culture). Many intermediate level (200-level) courses also may provide a suitable entrée to the study of religion. Most of these courses treat a specific religious text, a particular period in the history of a religious tradition, or a theme/topic that cuts across many traditions. Most of these courses have no prerequisites, though beginning students should be aware that many of the students in 200-level courses will have had some prior work in the Department. Seminars (300-level) provide a still more focused learning experience and always presuppose some prior background in the subject. Taken mostly by juniors and seniors, seminars typically require a significant piece of research (15-20 page paper) and often an oral presentation.
Students may request that faculty teach a “reading course” or “independent study” course. Forms for this purpose may be obtained from the Registrar’s office. The precise requirements for such courses, as well as the number of credits earned, must be negotiated with the individual faculty member. Students should also be aware that such teaching arrangements are over and above a faculty member’s regular teaching load.
Many courses in the Department are offered only every second or third year due to faculty interest, sabbatical leaves and other constraints. Students with special interests in a particular course should consult with the faculty member who teaches that course to find out when it will next be offered. This sort of pre-planning is especially helpful for students who intend to spend some time on an off-campus studies program.
In general, students majoring in Religion are encouraged to plan ahead and to consult with faculty about their programs of study. The Department encourages all Religion majors to strive for coherence and integration in their major by selecting some courses that cluster around a particular tradition, topic or theme. At the same time, students are encouraged to explore traditions that may be quite remote from their primary areas of interest. In this way, it is hoped that all majors will acquire both some acquaintance with religions and religious studies in general as well as a deeper understanding of some area of special interest.
Concetration and Interdisciplinary Studies:
The study of religion is, by definition, an interdisciplinary enterprise and a majority of courses offered by the department connect to the work of other College departments or contribute to various concentrations and programs. Faculty members’ own research stems from a variety of methodological viewpoints such as anthropology, history, philosophy, and theology. Our scholarly work also contributes to interdisciplinary programs that concentrate on regions of the world or on topics such as the study of women and gender, medieval and renaissance studies, etc. The multifaceted nature of our work is reflected strongly in our teaching as well and many courses in the department, particularly those at the introductory level, include materials from various disciplinary perspectives.
The department encourages students to develop a broad view of religion by seeking connections between different methodologies used in studying religious phenomena both within the department and across the college. Moreover, students can develop depth in particular areas by combining the major in religion with work done in the College’s interdepartmental programs and concentrations.
We ask students to think carefully and deliberately about their interests while choosing their course of study at all stages of their career at Carleton. A double major with religion may sometimes be acceptable, though this is discouraged across the college because fulfilling requirements in two departments is onerous and leaves very little room for a broad liberal arts education. We recommend concentrations, although these should also be undertaken with attention to the coherence of a student’s overall educational aims at the College. We discourage concentrations done merely for the sake of acquiring credentials on transcripts. Students should work with their advisers to select concentrations and to utilize them in an optimal way. In many cases, the religion major and a concentration may work very well with opportunities for off-campus study.
The following interdisciplinary venues currently available at Carleton are particularly suitable for students of religion:
