College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences

Department of Religion and Culture

Overview

The Department of Religion and Culture critically investigates religion, culture, and their relationships by problematizing what is commonly considered self-evident, especially since these subjects are intrinsic to understanding the human condition both locally and globally. In our research, teaching, and engagement, we seek to craft and apply new forms of critical inquiry that advance integrative intellectual thought. These paths of inquiry inform our engagement with students, who become well prepared to understand complex transformations throughout their lives, whether they pursue graduate studies or other life trajectories.


The Department of Religion and Culture offers an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies (IDST) with an option in Religion and Culture (RLC).

The department offers minors in (alphabetically) American Studies, Appalachian Studies, Asian Area Studies, Humanities, Humanities & the Arts, Judaic Studies, Medieval & Early Modern Studies, Middle East Studies, Popular Culture, and Religion.


The department also offers graduate certificates in Liberal Arts and in Religious Studies and participates in the Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought (ASPECT) Ph.D. program.

Interdisciplinary Studies Major (IDST): Religion and Culture Option (RLC)

The Interdisciplinary Studies Major (IDST): Religion and Culture Option (RLC) is the undergraduate major leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interdisciplinary Studies: Religion and Culture Option. This major provides an opportunity for students to explore topics and issues related to courses in Appalachian Studies (APS), the Humanities (HUM), Judaic Studies (JUD), and Religion (REL). Most students who choose this major are more interested in developing complex problem solving skills, critical thinking, and acquiring a broad education, than in gaining specialized skills for a single occupation. The global focus of the major affords career opportunities in education, business, government, industry, and the service sector, including the nonprofit sector. The major has a strong academic and career advising component.

Degree Requirements

The requirements of the Interdisciplinary Studies Major (IDST): Religion and Culture Option (RLC) are completed by (a) the Curriculum for Liberal Education requirements; (b) departmental courses (see below); (c) an approved minor (the approved list of minors attached to the major checksheet as posted on the department website); and (d) a foreign language requirement (2105-2106 or equivalent in a language studied in high school or 1105-1106 in a new language). A complete checksheet showing all degree requirements in detail is available on the department website and in 115 Lane Hall. Required departmental course comprise the following:

6 credits from APS, HUM, JUD, and/or REL courses at the 1000 level or above
9 credits from APS, HUM, JUD, and/or REL courses at the 2000 level or above
9 credits from APS, HUM, JUD, and/or REL courses at the 3000 level or above
6 credits from APS, HUM, JUD, and /or REL courses at the 4000 level

While completing the above requirements students must take two non-Eurocentric courses (see the checksheet for the list of these courses).

Study Abroad

Students are strongly encouraged to complete an approved study abroad program outside of the U.S.

Honors Program

Eligible students are encouraged to participate in the University Honors Program. Completing a degree "In Honors" is an excellent way for outstanding students to integrate the knowledge from several disciplines. Honors students have considerable flexibility in completing the degree requirements.

Double Majors

For information on earning a double major or second degree, contact the Department Chair.

Religion and Culture Minors

The department offers the following minors. Additional information about each can be found on our website at www.rc.vt.edu/undergrad.html. Students in any major may opt to declare them as minors.

American Studies
Appalachian Studies
Asian Area Studies
Humanities
Humanities and the Arts
Judaic Studies
Medieval and Early Modern Studies
Middle East Studies
Popular Culture
Religion

American Studies

American studies is an interdisciplinary field that draws upon a number of academic disciplines, including history, literature, sociology, to consider relationships between culture and society in the United States as it is embedded in global processes and issues. Students work closely with an advisor to plan a coherent program tailored to each student’s interest.


To complete a minor in American studies at Virginia Tech, students take HUM 2504: Introduction to American Studies and HUM 4104: Explorations in Advanced Humanities Topics.

Students then choose twelve hours of course work from at least two of four areas: literature; history; the arts and communications; and cultural studies. The approved list includes a variety of courses with a North American emphasis from literature, history, art history, architecture, Africana studies, communications, humanities, music, political science, religion, women’s studies, landscape architecture, and urban affairs. Students work in close association with an advisor who will help plan a coherent program tailored to each student’s interests. Appropriate special topics courses and honors colloquia may be substituted with permission of the minor coordinator. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.

Coordinator: Emily Satterwhite

Appalachian Studies

Religion and Culture Faculty: Elizabeth Fine, Elizabeth Hahn, Stevan Jackson Anita Puckett, Emily Satterwhite
Affiliated Faculty: Danny Axsom (Psychology), Kathy Combiths (English), Wilma Dunaway (School of Public and International Affairs), Serena Frost (English), Rosemary Goss (Apparel, Housing, and Resource Management, A. L. (Tom) Hammett (Wood Science and Forest Products), Alice Kinder (English), Jeff Mann (English), Steve Mooney (English), Aaron Purcell (University Libraries, Special Collections), Richard Rich (Political Science), John Seiler (Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation) and Barbara Ellen Smith (Sociology)


Appalachian Studies is an academic program supporting teaching, research, and service on issues pertaining to Appalachia. The Appalachian Studies minor provides students with the opportunity to study complex social, political, economic, and environmental issues important to the region from a number of disciplinary perspectives. Appalachian Studies faculty focus on these issues from a critical regionalism perspective in which the relationship between these issues and region is considered problematic and open to investigation.


The Appalachian Studies minor focuses on complex cultural, political, economic, and environmental issues in the study of an important American region. The course of study ranges from mythic to modern Appalachian America and also provides opportunity for cross-cultural study of mountain cultures worldwide. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Director, or from the Religion and Culture main office.


Director: Anita Puckett

Asian Area Studies

The interdisciplinary minor in Asian Area Studies focuses on the great cultural traditions of the Middle East, South Asia (including India), East Asia (China, Japan, Korea), Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. The majority of the earth's peoples belong to one of these cultures, influential for many centuries and representing some of the world's most unique, sophisticated, and important visions of the human experience. Students explore how various Asian traditions explain and represent this experience in literature, philosophy, religion, history, the social sciences, and the arts.


Students work closely with an advisor to shape a program that reflects the student's interest within the range of offerings available for the program. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinator: Peter Schmitthenner

TOP

Humanities

Humanities offers interdisciplinary courses, many of which are in Area 2 of the Curriculum for Liberal Education. Courses lead to the understanding of cultural legacies from ancient through modern civilizations, explored through the traditional humanities disciplines: philosophy, history, and the arts, including languages, literatures, fine arts, architecture, music, and theatre arts.


The Humanities minor gives students the opportunity to create a focused package of Humanities coursework within the following broad guidelines:


18 hours (6 courses) of courses designated HUM are required. At least 9 hours (3 courses) must be at the 3000-4000 level; HUM 4974: Independent Study is strongly suggested as a means of integrating coursework in the minor. Suggested tracks are Historical, Modern and Cross-cultural, but students may design their own combinations of courses with an advisor, who will make substitutions to the courses within the tracks, as appropriate. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinator: Elizabeth Fine

Humanities and The Arts

The minor in Humanities and the Arts was developed in cooperation with faculty from the departments of Art and Art History, Communication Studies, English, Music, Theatre Arts, and the College of Architecture and Urban Studies. It aims to acquaint students with the historical, critical, and practical dimensions of the arts, while simultaneously examining the relation of the arts to other human endeavors (cultural, philosophical, political, religious, scientific, and social).


The minor Humanities and the Arts (HART) helps students explore the worlds of the arts, culture (including popular culture), and the humanities within the following broad guidelines:


18 hours (6 courses) of courses are required: 9 of these hours (3 courses) include HUM 1604 and 2204, plus either HUM 3014 or 3024. At least 6 hours (2 courses) of additional courses must be at the 3000-4000 level; these upper-level courses, plus one additional course, may include offerings in Art and Art History, English, Music, Philosophy, and Theatre and Cinema as well as in Religion and Culture. HUM 4974: Independent Study is strongly suggested as a means of integrating coursework in the minor. Students may design their own combinations of courses with an advisor, who will make substitutions to the courses within the tracks, as appropriate. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinator: Michael Saffle

Judaic Studies

Affiliated Faculty: C. Kiebuzinska (English); S. Knapp (English); E. Meitner (English); E. Sheinberg (Music)


Endowed in 1996, the Malcolm and Diane Rosenberg Program in Judaic Studies offers students the opportunity to explore, examine, and critically engage the rich and multifaceted history, religion, and culture of the Jewish people. As members of a community that has crossed a number of borders and cultures, the Jews have served as transmitters of texts and ideas, as agents of cultural and intellectual cross-fertilization and innovation. Judaic culture has significantly contributed to Western and other civilizations.


The program is multidisciplinary in nature and complements various existing courses and programs dedicated to major religions and cultures at Virginia Tech.


The minor in Judaic Studies is an option for students in all majors. The student who chooses a minor in Judaic Studies will work closely with a faculty advisor to tailor an academic program that fits the interests of the student while also ensuring the students acquaintance with the diverse topics of Judaic Studies. The minor requires 18 credit hours. Students will take the two required courses: JUD 2134: Judaism: A Survey of History, Culture and Heritage, and JUD/REL 2414: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament. Then they choose four additional courses from two units, at least one course from each unit. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.

Coordinator: Benjamin Sax

Medieval and Early Modern Studies

The Medieval and Early Modern Studies Minor was developed in conjunction with faculty from participating departments. The minor allows students to gain a broad interdisciplinary understanding and appreciation of events and ideas between the fourth and seventeenth centuries, although it encourages some degree of specialization. Students work in close association with an advisor who will help plan a coherent program tailored to the student's interests, but which also reflects the range and variety of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.

Coordinator: Matthew Gabriele

Middle East Studies

The Middle East Studies minor was developed in conjunction with faculty from participating departments. The interdisciplinary minor in Middle East Studies allows students to gain a broad understanding and appreciation of the languages, religions, and cultures of the Middle East and of the region’s history and its place in international relations. Students work in close association with an advisor who will help plan a coherent program tailored to the student’s interests. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinator: Rachel M. Scott

Popular Culture

The minor in Popular Culture provides students with interdisciplinary tools that enable them to recognize popular culture as a site of ongoning political and social struggle. Popular culture includes all widely practiced and distributed expressions: news; entertainment; religion; sports; popular art and styles of decoration, dress, and architecture. Familiarity with the forces that shape the productions and reception of popular culture allows students to develop skills fundamental to life in a consumer-capitalist economy and citizenship in an information age. Minors explore how popular culture generates and articulates our understandings of race, class, gender, and consumer capitalism. Students learn to think critically about the ways in which images and stories sustain and contest societal norms.
The minor has two required courses, HUM 2504: Introduction to American Studies and HUM 3034: Theories of Popular Culture.


Students work in close association with an advisor who will help plan a coherent program tailored to each student’s interests. Appropirate courses may be substituted with permission from the minor coordinator. A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinators: Michael Saffle and Emily Satterwhite

Religion

Religion is a topic as broad as the study of people, their histories, literatures, arts, and ways of thinking. To study religion is to explore the many ways people in various cultures and times have expressed their deepest convictions about life and death, the universe, law, politics, and identity.


Studies in religion offer an examination of the values and sacred traditions that have been cherished and contested throughout history. Academic courses in religion studies use a variety of approaches. Some are descriptive in character, dealing with historical or contemporary forms of religious phenomena and thought. Others employ literary methods in the study of sacred texts or engage the student in reflection about contemporary religious and secular thought and issues. Still others pose normative questions about certain issues or controversies concerning religious traditions themselves (e.g., Why do many religions that are practiced in America differ from their counterparts elsewhere? Is homosexuality compatible with Christianity? Does feminism in Islam coincide with its founding?) By examining a diversity of traditions and viewpoints, the study of religion provides the resources for an intellectually responsible appraisal of one's own value commitments. Students choose Religion courses as a part of a broad liberal arts education, and some who have minored in Religion have gone on to pursue graduate study in a variety of fields (including the academic study of religion) or to professional training in ministerial or social service vocations.


Any student whose major requires or permits a minor may complete the Religion minor. For the minor, a student must complete a total of 18 semester hours (usually 6 courses) in Religion, including 6 hours at the 1000 level, 6 hours at the 2000-4000 level, and 6 hours at the 3000-4000 levels. In the process of meeting these requirements, the student must also satisfy a diversity requirement by successfully completing one of the following REL courses: 1014, 2144, 2234, 2734, 2744, 3214, 3224, 3234, or 4074 or 4324 with an appropriate and approved topic.


Many Religion courses fulfill requirements for the Curriculum for Liberal Education. The following courses are approved for Area 2 (Ideas, Cultural Traditions, and Values): REL 1014, 1024, 1034, 1044, 2124, 2234, 2414, 2424, 3024, 3214, 3224, 3414, and 3424. REL 1024, 2234 and 2464 are also approved for Area 7 (Critical Issues in a Global Context). A check sheet for this minor is available online, from the Religion and Culture main office, or from the minor coordinator.


Coordinator: Ananda Abeysekara

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (APS)

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (HUM)

Introductory Courses: Introductory culture courses focus on the culture of a particular age and place through critical examinations of a wide range of human activities: the arts, philosophy, history, politics, religion, economics, science, and technology. Emphasis is placed on the interrelationships among these endeavors and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of their, and our, age and culture. Humanities and the Arts courses explore relationships between the arts and other human endeavors. Classes emphasize writing and classroom discussion of issues raised in readings, lectures, and multi-media presentations, including music, drama, film, and slides of art and architecture.

1004 (REL 1004): INVESTIG IN RELIGION & CULTURE
Introduction to the study of religion and culture through multiple academic approaches in humanities and social sciences. Critical investigations of appropriate issues through scholarly collaboration, with emphasis on reading, discussion, and undergraduate research skills. (3H,3C)

1104 (AINS 1104): INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
Introduces students to the richness and complexity of American Indian societies past and present. The course begins by considering the critical question of what it means to be "American Indian" or "Native American," comparing externally produced stereotypes with a wide variety of indigenous discourses and narratives. Through a special focus on specific indigenous groups and regions, the course examines American Indian experiences with and reactions to colonial confrontations, government policies, and cultural interchanges with non-Indians. (3H,3C)

1114: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE CLASSICAL AGE
The world of classical Athens through its embodiments in the arts, philosophy, politics, history, literature, and religion. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the various forms of cultural expression and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1124: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE ROMAN WORLD AND EARLY CHRISTIANITY
The Roman world and early Christian culture. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1214: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE MEDIEVAL WORLD
The medieval synthesis in Western European thought and the transition to the world of the Renaissance. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1224: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE RENAISSANCE
The interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science of the Renaissance in Western Europe, and how they reflect and contribute to the shaping of the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1314: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: ENLIGHTENMENT AND ROMANTICISM
Major notions and cultural expressions of the Enlightenment and of Romanticism. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science. (3H,3C)

1324: INTRODUCTORY HUMANITIES: THE MODERN WORLD
The shifts in thought and values over the past century in the Western imagination. Emphasis on the interrelationships among the arts, literature, philosophy, history, religion, and science, and their contributions toward shaping the values and aspirations of the age. (3H,3C)

1604: INTRODUCTION TO HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS
Explores the verbal, visual, and aural arts of several important periods in Western history, setting them in the context of their times. Introduces the structural principles of each art form. (3H,3C)

1704 (APS 1704): INTRODUCTION TO APPALACHIAN STUDIES
Traces the idea of Appalachia in American and world consciousness and its expression in the humanities and arts. Through comparison with other cultural groups, explores humanistic problems of cultural identity, assumptions, change, and manipulation. (3H,3C)

1914: EXPLORATIONS IN TRADITIONAL ASIAN CULTURES
An introduction to salient cultural characteristics of the major premodern Asian civilizations of the Middle East, India, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia. Differing visions of the human condition represented by these traditions are compared in case studies incorporating historical, literary, philosophical, and artistic works. (3H,3C)

1924: EXPLORATIONS IN MODERN ASIAN CULTURES
An introduction to the cultural modernization of major Asian societies since the eighteenth century. The cultural transformation of the Middle East, South Asia, China, Japan, and Southeast Asia are exemplified and compared in case studies that incorporate modern Asian historical, literary, philosophical, sociopolitical, and artistic works. (3H,3C)

2004 (REL 2004): CASE STUDIES IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Significant case studies in the study of religion and culture with an emphasis on influential and emerging research. Focuses engagement with humanities and social sciences research grounded in analysis, comparison, and evaluation of relevant case studies. Pre: REL 1004 or HUM 1004. (3H,3C)

2104 (AINS 2104) (COMM 2104): ORAL TRADITIONS AND CULTURE
Examination of the world's great oral traditions, both ancient and contemporary. Emphasis on performance contexts, relationships among multicultural traditions, including American Indian oral traditions, and the relationships among orality, literacy, technology, media, and culture. I (3H,3C)

2204: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Explores the theory and the experience of the creative process. Studies both essays on the process of creative activity and examples of its product. Includes a personal creative project. (3H,3C)

2214: EXPERIENCES IN THE ARTS
Guided exposure to selected works of art, including painting and sculpture, literature, and the performing arts as well as participation in arts events; exploration of ways in which individual works of art embody and help explain human experience. May not be repeated for credit. Pass/Fail only. (1H,1C)

2444 (CLA 2444) (ENGL 2444): ANCIENT GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHOLOGY
Survey of Ancient Greek and Roman mythology and modern interpretations. In English. No knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin required. Not for credit toward a Latin Minor. (3H,3C)

2454 (CLA 2454) (ENGL 2454): ANCIENT GREEK AND LATIN LITERATURE IN ENGLISH TRANSLATION
A variable content course devoted to the study of major works of Ancient Greek and Latin literature in English translation. May be repeated for credit with different content. In English. No knowledge of Ancient Greek or Latin required. Not for credit toward a Latin Minor. (4H,3C)

2504: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN STUDIES
Methodology and tools of American Studies, emphasizing interrelations among social, cultural, and technological history, values, and artistic creation. Intensive study of a specific topic or period in American culture since 1850. (3H,3C)

2514: ASIAN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Critical overview of diverse Asian-American experience, the complexity of minority status, and meaningful citizenship in the USA. Topics include different historical tracks of various Asian ethnicities, experience of racism, activism, cultural adaptation and conflict, and economic survival and success. (3H,3C)

2714 (FR 2714): INTRODUCTION TO FRENCH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
French culture and civilization from the Middle Ages to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, and theatre in the context of French cultural history. In English. (4H,3C)

2724 (GER 2724): INTRODUCTION TO GERMAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
German culture and civilization from the earliest period to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, music, and theatre in the context of German cultural history. In English. (3H,3C)

2734 (RUS 2734): INTRODUCTION TO RUSSIAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Russian culture and civilization from the Middle Ages to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to Russian literature, art, architecture, music, film, and theatre in the context of Russian cultural history. In English. (4H,3C)

2744 (SPAN 2744): INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Introduction to Spanish culture and civilization from the Middle Ages to the present. Interdisciplinary approach combining the study of literature, the arts, architecture, music, theatre, and film in the context of Spanish cultural history. In English. (4H,3C)

2754 (SPAN 2754): INTRODUCTION TO SPANISH-AMERICAN CULTURE AND CIVILIZATION
Spanish-American culture and civilization from the discovery of the New World to the present. Interdisciplinary approach to literature, film, art, architecture, music, and theatre in the context of Spanish-American cultural history. (3H,3C)

2964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3014: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: RENAISSANCE AND EARLIER
Focuses on interdisciplinary topics involving interrelationships among various arts and/or artists (to the end of the Renaissance). (3H,3C)

3024: HUMANITIES AND THE ARTS: POST RENAISSANCE
Focuses on interdisciplinary topics involving interrelationships among various arts and/or artists (from the end of the Renaissance). (3H,3C)

3034 (COMM 3034): THEORIES OF POP CULTURE
Relationship of popular culture to communication; ways to classify, analyze, and evaluate popular culture; history of main themes with emphasis on the United States; cultural evolution of the electronic revolution. Junior standing required. I (3H,3C)

3204 (COMM 3204): MULTICULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Exploration of communication in various cultural groups through the medium of performance. Emphasis on understanding cultural differences and similarities in styles of communication, aesthetics, worldviews, and values. (3H,3C)

3464 (AHRM 3464) (APS 3464) (GEOG 3464) (HD 3464) (SOC 3464) (UAP 3464): APPALACHIAN COMMUNITIES
The concept of community in Appalachia using a multidisciplinary approach and experiential learning. Interrelationships among geographically, culturally, and socially constituted communities, public policy, and human development. Must have completed one 2000-level course in any cross-listing department. (2H,3L,3C)

3504 (HIST 3504) (REL 3504): THE AGE OF THE CRUSADES
The origins and development of religious violence examined from an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective; that place of that phenomenon in medieval society. Christianity, Islam, Judaism and their interactions in the medieval world. Junior standing or permission of instructor required. (3H,3C)

3684 (HIST 3684): CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE SOVIET UNION AND THE SUCCESSOR STATES
History and main characteristics of cultural life and the arts in the former Soviet Union, with emphasis on film, music, literature, and the relationship between elite and popular culture. Taught alternate years. (3H,3C) II.

3704 (JUD 3704) (REL 3704): CHRISTIANS, JEWS, AND THE IDEA OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY
The relationship between Judaism and Christianity through time and the idea of Judeo-Christianity, all examined from an interdisciplinary academic perspective; the problems of the "separation" of Judaism and Christianity in antiquity and the Middle Ages and the religious and cultural implication of the relationship between Jews and Christians in the modern world. (3H,3C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

4004 (AINS 4004): TOPICS IN AMERICAN INDIAN STUDIES
A variable topics course in which students will engage an interdisciplinary methodology to pursue a critical and in-depth examination of various topics concerning and pertinent to American indigenous peoples. This course is repeatable for up to 6 hours credit with different topics. Must meet prerequisite or have permission of the instructor. Pre: AINS 1104. (3H,3C)

4034 (COMM 4034): FUNCTIONS OF POPULAR CULTURE
Popular culture as a humanistic discipline; emphasis on archetypes, formulas, and genres; the function of ideas, images, and icons on the popular imagination. Senior standing required. (3H,3C)

4044: TOPICS IN HUMANITIES AND FILM
This course introduces students to critical issues in film from a humanistic but interdisciplinary perspective, examining its production, consumption, and effects on various societies. The specific thematic content is variable. Course may be repeated for up to 9 credits. Pre: 2504, 3034 or COMM 2054. (3H,3C)

4104: EXPLORATIONS IN ADVANCED HUMANITIES TOPICS
In-depth study of special interdisciplinary topics. Topics vary but involve a close and extensive study of the interrelationship between important cultural ideas and movements, and formative myths and values, and their expression in several of the following forms: literature, philosophy, religion, art, music, drama. May be taken only once for credit. (3H,3C)

4324 (REL 4324): TOPICS IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Selected topics from the religions of the world such as time and the sacred, preliterate religions, women and religion, religion and science, mysticism. May be taken three times for credit with different topics. Pre: 3 REL credits. (3H,3C)

4404 (APS 4404): APPALACHIAN FOLK CULTURE
Examination of informal learning systems and traditional aesthetic expressions in Appalachia. Investigation of worldview and cultural premises as expressed in traditional artifacts. (3H,3C)

4414 (APS 4414): CRITICAL ISSUES IN APPALACHIAN STUDIES
Examination of dominant value conflicts in contemporary Appalachia, focusing on questions of exploitation of human and natural resources. Comparative study of Appalachia, other mountain cultures worldwide, and the Third World. Pre: 1704. (3H,3C)

4554: SCIENCE CAPSTONE SEMINAR
Seminar for advanced undergraduates majoring in the natural sciences. Students and faculty representing several natural science disciplines (including biochemistry, biology, chemistry, geology, physics) participate in the preparation, presentation, and discussion of topics representing a wide range of interdisciplinary scientific interests. Invitation of student's major department required. Pass/Fail only. (3H,3C)

4964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (IDST)

1114: INTRODUCTION TO INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Introduces the concept of interdisciplinarity. Explores the ways of knowing particular to disciplinary and interdisciplinary fields of inquiry. Emphasizes the integration and application of disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to examine and resolve an issue or group of issues. (3H,3C)

1814 (AFST 1814): INTRO AFRICAN STUDIES
Introduces students to the study of sub-Saharan Africa-- history, politics, economics, arts, and cultures--and to Africa's place in the world. Required first course in the African (Area) Studies concentration. (3H,3C) I,II.

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3004: IDST INTERNSHIP
Placement in a work setting, on or off campus, for an internship that will serve as a practical experience for eligible students. May be repeated for elective credit up to a maximum of 12 credit hours (1 academic credit earned for every 45 hours worked per 15 week semester); cannot be used for core or minor requirements. Junior or Senior standing and instructor consent required. Variable credit course. X-grade allowed. I,II,III,IV.

3114: TOPICS IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Variable content, variable credit course that addresses a complex issue or problem through more than one discipline or intellectual domain. Places at the foreground the discussion of how several different methodological approaches inform our understanding of an issue or group of related issues. Often taught by teams of instructors in distinct, instructional modules or learning experiences. Three credit version is writing intensive. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of 6 credits. Variable credit course. Pre: 1114. I,II,III.

3114H: HONORS TOPICS IN INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
Variable content course that addresses a complex issue through more than one discipline or intellectual domain. Places at the foreground the discussion of how several different methodological approaches inform our understanding of an issue or group of related issues. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of nine credit hours. (3H,3C)

3954: STUDY ABROAD
Variable credit course.

3984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4114: SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR
Senior seminar designed to integrate assumptions, theories, and methods of more than one disciplinary perspective. Includes exploration of interdisciplinary research methods, such as case study and ethnography. Includes developing a proposal for an interdisciplinary senior project. Senior standing required. Pre: 3114 or 3114H. (3H,3C)

4224: SENIOR PROJECT
This seminar is designed to assist students to complete an interdisciplinary senior project. The project may be a thesis, undergraduate research, action-oriented project, or expressive project in the humanities or the arts such as a video, performance, or a photography or visual art exhibit. Pre: Senior standing and IDST 4114 or completion of a preliminary proposal through an approved independent study. (3H,3C)

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Repeatable with different course content. Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (JUD)

1104 (HEB 1104): INTRODUCTION TO HEBREW LANGUAGE, CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE
Fundamentals of Modern Hebrew language with emphasis on grammar, reading, composition, and conversation. For students with no prior knowledge of the language. (3H,3C)

1114 (HEB 1114): ACCELERATED ELEMENTARY HEBREW LANGUAGE
Complementary introduction to the fundamentals of Modern Hebrew language with continued emphasis on grammar, reading, composition, and conversation. This course is for students who have completed 1104 or with permission from instructor. 1114 is a four-credit course with a self-instruction component that demands student time outside of class. Pre: 1104. (3H,2L,4C)

2134: JUDAISM: A SURVEY OF HISTORY, CULTURE AND HERITAGE
A thematic and historical introduction to ancient, medieval, and modern Judaism, up to the founding of the State of Israel. Themes will include monotheism, exile, mysticism, Kabbala, Hasidism, anti-Semitism, the Holocaust, and Judaism in Israel and America. I (3H,3C)

2414 (REL 2414): HEBREW BIBLE/OLD TESTAMENT
Introduction to the academic study of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament); a variety of scholarly approaches to the Bible, including historical-critical, literary, and gender studies. Emphasis on developing skills in critical thinking, reading, and writing about the Bible. Previously taught as 2405. I (3H,3C)

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3404 (REL 3404): TORAH AND TRADITION
Detailed study of the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah or Pentateuch. Scholarly approaches will include historical-critical research; comparative mythology; form and canon criticism; gender and literary studies; and the reception of these books in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament and beyond. Pre: REL 2414. (3H,3C)

3424: TOPICS IN JEWISH CULTURE, HISTORY & THOUGHT
Selected topics in Jewish culture, history and thought. The courses will focus on a variety of specific issues and will tend to be held as an in-depth seminar in affiliation with the Honor Student's Program. Possible topics include: Jewish thought and philosophy in one of the three periods- ancient, medieval or modern; the American Jewish experience; Jewish music and art (Judaica); Jewish mysticism, and various cultural movements and religious traditions. Taught alternate years. I (3H,3C)

3494 (HIST 3494): THE HOLOCAUST
This course provides a historical account, a psychological analysis and an occasion for philosophical contemplation on the Holocaust. We will examine the deliberate and systematic attempt to annihilate the Jewish people by the National Socialist German State during World War II. Although Jews were the primary victims, Gypsies, the handicapped, homosexuals, Jehovah's Witnesses and political dissidents were targeted, we will discuss their faith as well. The class will be organized around the examination of primary sources: written accounts, photographic and film, personal testimony. Taught alternate years. (3H,3C)

3544 (PSCI 3544): THE STATE OF ISRAEL: A POLITICAL HISTORY
This course provides a survey on the political history of the State of Israel and highlights major themes uniquely characterizing the specific events surrounding its establishment and its first 50 years of existence. Additionally, the course will add a comparative dimension by using the political history of Israel as a case study to discuss major themes in political science such as democracy, government, political economy, etc. Taught PSCI 1024 or JUD 2134. Alternate years. Pre: or 2134). (3H,3C) II.

3704 (HUM 3704) (REL 3704): CHRISTIANS, JEWS, AND THE IDEA OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY
The relationship between Judaism and Christianity through time and the idea of Judeo-Christianity, all examined from an interdisciplinary academic perspective; the problems of the "separation" of Judaism and Christianity in antiquity and the Middle Ages and the religious and cultural implication of the relationship between Jews and Christians in the modern world. (3H,3C)

4424: ADVANCED TOPICS IN JEWISH CULTURE, HISTORY & THOUGHT
Selected topics in Jewish culture, history and thought. The courses will focus on a variety of more advanced and more specific issues than those offered in JUD 3424. These courses will be held as an an-depth seminar in affiliation with the Honor Student's Program. Possible topics includes: the Philosophy of Maimonides, Spinoza or Buber, or a course dedicated to one of the following topics Kabbalah, Hasidism, The American Jewish experience in the first half of the 20th century, and Oriental Jewish art and folklore. Two JUD courses or senior standing required. Alternate years. (3H,3C) II.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

Undergraduate Course Descriptions (REL)

1004 (HUM 1004): INVESTIG IN RELIGION & CULTURE
Introduction to the study of religion and culture through multiple academic approaches in the humanities and social science. Critical investigations of appropriate issues through scholarly collaboration, with emphasis on reading, discussion and undergraduate research skills. (3H,3C)

1014: ASIAN RELIGIONS
The nature of "religion," approaches to understanding "religion," traditional and contemporary features of Asian "religions" (including Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto), including their manifestations in the USA and their involvement in critical issues in a global context. Previously taught as 1015. I (3H,3C)

1024: JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM
The nature of "religion," approaches to understanding "religion," traditional and contemporary features of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, including their manifestations in the USA and their involvement in critical issues in a global context. Previously taught as 1016. (3H,3C) II.

1024H: HONORS JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM
(3H,3C)

1034: RELIGION AND THE MODERN WORLD
Modern challenges to traditional religion and responses to these challenges, including conservative, liberal, and radical responses; science and religion; issues of race and gender; church and state issues. Previously taught as 1025. (3H,3C) I,II.

1034H: HONORS RELIGION AND THE MODERN WORLD
(3H,3C)

1044: RELIGIOUS ETHICS
Influential representative social and religious ethical perspectives from the mid-sixties to the present; ethical reasoning on current pressing and perennial social issues based on historical and ethical analysis of case studies; theoretical assumptions about morality as the relation between justice and the good. Previously taught as 1026. (3H,3C) I,II.

2004 (HUM 2004): CASE STUDIES IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Significant case studies in the study of religion and culture with an emphasis on influential and emerging research. Focused engagement with humanities and social sciences research grounded in analysis, comparison, and evaluation of relevant case studies. Pre: 1004 or HUM 1004. (3H,3C)

2104 (GR 2104): GREEK NEW TESTAMENT
Readings from the New Testament in Greek, with attention to grammatical analysis, historical background and other clues to interpretation. Taught even years. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of 9 credits. Pre: GR 1106. (3H,3C)

2124: RELIGION IN AMERICAN LIFE
The role of religion in American life in selected periods from the original settlements to the present; the influence of religious institutions and movements in American history and the impact of the "American experience" on religious life and expression. Alternate years. Pre: 1034. (3H,3C)

2144 (AFST 2144): AFRICAN RELIGIONS
The role of religious (or belief) systems in African societies, especially the three predominant religious traditions in Africa: the so-called African Traditional Religions, Islam, and Christianity; the universe of religious systems and religious experiences and processes of Africa, in particular, Sub-Saharan Africa; critical examination of the mythic stature of Africa's "religions" within Western cultural (and scholarly) world views and institutions. (3H,3C)

2234 (WGS 2234): WOMEN, ETHICS, AND RELIGION
Women's religious ethical formation; the roles and understanding of women in traditional and major modern religious traditions; authoritative writings and practices of various traditions as they focus on issues of sex and gender; gynocentric methods of study of women, ethics, and religion; feminist and womanist approaches to liberation and social change. (3H,3C)

2324: ISLAM
The rise of Islam under the Prophet Muhammad in Arabia and its spread across Asia and Africa. The development if Islam in the Middle Ages and its resurgence in the 20th century. (3H,3C)

2414 (JUD 2414): HEBREW BIBLE/OLD TESTAMENT
Introduction to the academic study of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament); a variety of scholarly approaches to the Bible, including historical-critical, literary, and gender studies methods. Emphasis on developing skills in critical thinking, reading, and writing about the Bible. Previously taught as 2405. I (3H,3C)

2424: NEW TESTAMENT
Introduction to the academic study of the New Testament; a variety of scholarly approaches to the New Testament, including historical-critical, redaction critical, and literary methods. Emphasis on developing skills in critical thinking, reading, and writing about the New Testament as a way of understanding the faith and history of early Christianity. Previously taught as 2406. (3H,3C) II.

2464 (AAEC 2464) (STS 2464): RELIGION AND SCIENCE
Exploration of the relationships between religion and science in the western tradition. Topics include: basic frameworks for relationships between religion and science in historical and cultural context; types of human knowledge and truth; similarities and differences between science and religion; evolution; ecology; and contemporary issues. (3H,3C)

2734 (AFST 2734) (WGS 2734): THE BLACK WOMAN IN THE U.S.
The emerging womanist perspective of "interstructured oppression" (i.e., the simultaneous effects of racism, sexism, and classism) as relevant to the contributions of Black women in the United States of America; views of Black women from African backgrounds, the Atlantic slave trade, and the progressive rise of womanist/feminist liberation movements in Black culture; contributions of Black women in the U.S. and globally. (3H,3C)

2744 (AFST 2744): THE BLACK CHURCH IN AMERICA
Interdisciplinary approach to African American religious experiences, utilizing traditional theological disciplines to analyze the ethos, pathos, logos, and theos that members of the African American faith communities pass down from generation to generation; the cultural, philosophical, and spiritual values of African American peoples viewed through the lens of Black non-fiction and fiction narratives; impact of the contexts of slavery and racism on Black life and religious expression. (3H,3C)

2954: ENGAGING MULTI-RELIGIOUS WORLD
Intensive, two-week study abroad course that explores the interaction of religious traditions and groups in a non-US, non-European country and provides students with background readings; on-site visits, lectures, and discussions; and a service learning experience in that culture. (3H,3C)

2964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

2974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

2984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

3014 (WGS 3014): WOMEN AND GENDER IN ISLAM
An examination of women and gender in Islam from a variety of perspectives including Muslim women in Islamic history, normative constructions of the role of women in Islam, and women's role in contemporary Muslim societies. Understanding of women in classical Islam; feminist and reformist approaches; and Western constructions of the "rights of women in Islam." Pre: WS 2324. (3H,3C)

3024: RELIGION AND LITERATURE
Analysis of literary works and critical debates in such areas as: pilgrimage, myth, disaster, and transcendence. Students will make presentations, develop their own research projects, and design sessions--with short reading assignments--later in the semester. As a final project, students will assemble a portfolio charting their work in the course. Alternate years. (3H,3C) II.

3214: RELIGION AND CULTURE IN INDIA
Interaction of religion and culture from Indus Valley civilization to the present; Brahmanism and Hinduism, the Buddha and his teachings, Parsis, Jains, Sikhs, and their respective literatures and rituals; modern reforms and recent trends. Alternate years. I (3H,3C)

3224: RELIGIONS OF CHINA AND JAPAN
Religious movements in East Asia with reference to specific situations in China and Japan; Confucianism, Taoism, Mahayana Buddhism, Vajrayana, Shinto, Japanese Folk Religions, the "New Religions" of Japan; recent trends. Alternate years. (3H,3C)

3404 (JUD 3404): TORAH AND TRADITION
Detailed study of the first five books of the Bible, known as the Torah or Pentateuch. Scholarly approaches will include historical-critical research; comparative mythology; form and canon criticism; gender and literary studies; and the reception of these books in the Hebrew Bible, the New Testament, and beyond. Pre: 2414. (3H,3C)

3414: JESUS AND THE GOSPELS
Academic study of the four canonical gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke, John; several scholarly methodologies; the problem of the historical Jesus; noncanonical gospels. Alternate years. I Pre: (2424). (3H,3C)

3424: PAUL AND HIS INTERPRETERS
Academic study of the New Testament letters by or attributed to Paul; historical, literary, and theological context of the letters; classic and contemporary interpreters. Alternate years. Pre: 2424. (3H,3C)

3504 (HIST 3504) (HUM 3504): THE AGE OF THE CRUSADES
The origins and development of religious violence examined from an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural perspective; that place of that phenomenon in medieval society. Christianity, Islam, Judaism and their interactions in the medieval world. Junior standing or permission of instructor required. (3H,3C)

3704 (HUM 3704) (JUD 3704): CHRISTIANS, JEWS, AND THE IDEA OF JUDEO-CHRISTIANITY
The relationship between Judaism and Christianity through time and the idea of Judeo-Christianity, all examined from an interdisciplinary academic perspective; the problems of the "separation" of Judaism and Christianity in antiquity and the Middle Ages and the religious and cultural implication of the relationship between Jews and Christians in the modern world. (3H,3C)

4074 (HIST 4074): TOPICS IN RELIGIOUS AND INTELLECTUAL HISTORY
Selected topics in the role of religion and intellectual systems in human history. May be repeated with different content. 3 other hours of history required. Junior standing or above required. (3H,3C)

4324 (HUM 4324): TOPICS IN RELIGION AND CULTURE
Selected topics from the religions of the world such as time and the sacred, preliterate religions, women and religion, religion and science, mysticism. May be taken three times for credit with different topics. Pre: 3 REL credits. (3H,3C)

4414: TOPICS IN BIBLICAL STUDIES
Selected topics concerning either the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) or the New Testament or both; a specific subject, theme, or biblical book chosen for careful, detailed analysis. Alternate years. Pre: 2424 or 3414. (3H,3C)

4414H: HONORS TOPICS IN BIBLICAL STUDIES
Selected topics concerning either the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) or the New Testament or both; a specific subject, theme, or biblical book chosen for careful, detailed analysis. Alternate years. Pre: 2414 or 2424 or 3414 or 3424. (3H,3C)

4424: ISLAM AND THE MODERN WORLD
The most significant issues facing the contemporary Islamic world, with a focus on the Islamic resurgence and the concept of Jihad. The variety of ways in which Muslims reformulate the Islamic tradition as a response to the pressures of modernity. Pre: 2324. (3H,3C)

4964: FIELD STUDY
Pass/Fail only. Variable credit course.

4974: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4974H: INDEPENDENT STUDY
Variable credit course.

4984: SPECIAL STUDY
Variable credit course.

4994: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

4994H: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Variable credit course.

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