Religious Studies Minor

The Religious Studies minor is for students who are curious about the religions of the world, the impact of religious belief on the world at large, and the nature of belief. As an interdisciplinary minor, students can take courses in Philosophy, History, Ethnic Studies, Sociology, and other programs. This minor provides a deeper understanding of other cultures, helps students read and write about complex ideas, develop logical thinking skills, and become people capable of thinking through ethical dilemmas. These are traits that employers need and want. This minor can provide depth to any major program. The courses that students can take in this minor will help them understand the diversity of ideas and human experience that we all need to understand and respond to no matter our professions. For example, many nursing and health care programs require at least one course in Religious Studies to help their graduates better understand the religious beliefs that people hold that impact the health care that they seek or refuse.

Required Courses

Students can earn a Minor in Religious Studies by selecting a total of 21 units from the listed courses. Students must take at least 12 units from the courses with PHIL prefix.

DANC 332 - World Dance and Cultures Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
ENGL 311 - Dante’s Worlds Units: 4
ENGL 430 - Bible as Literature Units: 4
ENGL 431 - World Mythology Units: 4
ES 307 - God is Red: American Indian Worldview Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Sustainability
ES 344 - Malcolm X: Third World Revolutionary Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-D; Social Justice
HIST 332 - Tolerance and Intolerance in the Roman Empire Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
HIST 334 - Ancient Egyptian Civilization Units: 4 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Sustainability
HIST 335 - Rome and Christianity Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
HIST 362 - Modern South Asia Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
HIST 363 - The Middle East and the Rise of Islamic Societies Units: 4 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
HIST 364 - The Modern Middle East Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
HIST 375 - Religion and Diversity in America Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
MLL 352 - Japanese Folktales and Culture Units: 4 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
MLL 362 - Chinese Folktales and Culture Units: 4 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 300 - Reasoning and Writing for Philosophy Majors Units: 3
PHIL 337 - Science and Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 338 - Atheism, Agnosticism, and Theism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 340 - Philosophy of Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 341 - Abrahamic Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 342 - Religions of Asia Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 343 - Contemporary Religious Thinkers Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 344 - Mysticism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 345 - Comparative Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 346 - Cults and New Religious Movements Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
PHIL 347 - Religion, Monsters, and Horror Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 348 - Views of the Afterlife Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 349 - Africana Philosophy and Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 365 - Existentialism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 381 - Shamanism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
PHIL 490 - Independent Study Units: 3
PHIL 497 - Issues in Philosophy or Religion Units: 3
PHIL 499 - Senior Seminar Units: 3

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Philosophy and Religious Studies Courses

Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies

Go to information for this department.

Courses

Philosophy

• PHIL 100 - Workshop in Critical Thinking Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-A3
• PHIL 110 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy and the Arts Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C1
• PHIL 120 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 130 - Freshman Topics in Philosophy, Religion, and Social Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-D1-2
• PHIL 201 - Introduction to Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 211 - Introduction to Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 241 - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 242 - Introduction to Asian Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-C2
• PHIL 300 - Reasoning and Writing for Philosophy Majors Units: 3
• PHIL 301 - Modern Logic Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 310 - Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 311 - Environmental Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Sustainability
• PHIL 312 - Bioethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 313 - Philosophy of Business and Professional Ethics Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 320 - Philosophy of Art Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 321 - Philosophy and Science Fiction Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 324 - Philosophy and Sex Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 330 - Epistemology: Knowing and Not Knowing Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 331 - Metaphysics: Being and Not Being Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 332 - Philosophy of Social Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 333 - Philosophy of Language Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 335 - Philosophy of Science Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 336 - Philosophy of Cognition and Artificial Intelligence Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 337 - Science and Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 338 - Atheism, Agnosticism, and Theism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 340 - Philosophy of Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 341 - Abrahamic Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 342 - Religions of Asia Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 343 - Contemporary Religious Thinkers Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 344 - Mysticism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 345 - Comparative Religion Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 346 - Cults and New Religious Movements Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 347 - Religion, Monsters, and Horror Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 348 - Views of the Afterlife Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 349 - Africana Philosophy and Religions Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 351 - Social and Political Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 353 - Human Rights in the U.S. Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 354 - Global Human Rights and Social Justice Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 355 - Race and Justice Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 361 - The Birth of Philosophy: The Greeks & Their Legacy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 362 - Exploring Modern Thought: From Descartes to Kant Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 365 - Existentialism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 371 - Philosophy of Education Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 373 - African-American Philosophical Perspectives Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Diversity
• PHIL 375 - Feminist Philosophy Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 377 - Philosophy of Law Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C; Social Justice
• PHIL 378 - Evil Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 381 - Shamanism Units: 3 ; Breadth Area: GE-UD-C
• PHIL 490 - Independent Study Units: 3
• PHIL 497 - Issues in Philosophy or Religion Units: 3
• PHIL 499 - Senior Seminar Units: 3