DEPARTMENT OF RELIGION

Undergraduate Department of Religion

COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

Chair: Kavka; Professors: Corrigan, Cuevas, Day, Gaiser, Goff, Kalbian, Kavka, Kelsay, Yu; Associate Professors: Balthrop-Lewis, Cecil, Hellweg, Kelley, Kellison, Levenson, McTighe, McVicar, Newheiser; Assistant Professors: Durdin, Hazard, MacCormack, Prakash, Shinnar; Professors Emeriti: Moore, Porterfield; Teaching Faculty: Cole

Since its founding in 1965, the Department of Religion at Florida State University has been a leader among America's public institutions in the academic study of religion. The courses offered by the department examine the diverse array of religious cultures around the globe from anthropological, ethical, historical, philosophical, and social perspectives. In addition, the department offers students, if they desire, the opportunity to study the languages relevant to religious traditions, with regular introductory and advanced classes in biblical Hebrew, classical Chinese, Ethiopic, New Testament Greek, Sanskrit, and Tibetan, as well as advanced classes in Aramaic, classical Arabic, Coptic, and Syriac.

Located in the humanities area of the College of Arts and Sciences, the department participates actively in the University's CoreFSU Curriculum program. Several religion courses are approved for CoreFSU Curriculum credits for the diversity, ethics, humanities and cultural practice, oral communication, scholarship in practice, and writing requirements. The department is committed to offering several CoreFSU Curriculum honors courses and honors augmented courses each term. Members of the department regularly teach in the Bryan Hall living and learning community. Students are encouraged to take advantage of the University's international programs, especially those in London, Florence, and Valencia; we have also arranged for student research in Ghana, Ivory Coast and Spain through funding from the IDEA Grant and Center for the Advancement of Human Rights. The department encourages students to consider participating in the Honors in the Major and IDEA Grant programs and applying for fellowships and grants through our Office of National Fellowships.

A concentration in religion provides students the opportunity to acquire a broad liberal arts education, whether through our religion major or human rights and social justice major. Inside the classroom, the department emphasizes clear and critical thinking and excellence in writing and speaking, in classes that range in content from action research, cultural studies, ethical thought, ethnography, and philosophical analysis to religious history. Additionally, the curriculum in either major encourages students to broaden their horizons by thinking about the complexity and diversity of our globalized world, wherein religion plays a central role. The skills that students cultivate in our courses have benefited our graduates in the various fields that they have gone on to pursue, from anthropology, bioethics, business, education, health, journalism, and law to medicine, ministry, politics, public and university administration, religious studies, theology, and social work.

The department is housed in Dodd Hall with facilities that include a small library of standard reference works for our religion students' use.

College Requirements

Please review all college-wide degree requirements summarized in the “College of Arts and Sciences” chapter.

Digital Literacy Requirement

Students must complete at least one course designated as meeting the Digital Literacy Requirement with a grade of “C–” or higher. Courses fulfilling the Digital Literacy Requirement must accomplish at least three of the following outcomes:

Evaluate and interpret the accuracy, credibility, and relevance of digital information
Evaluate and interpret digital data and their implications
Discuss the ways in which society and/or culture interact with digital technology
Discuss digital technology trends and their professional implications
Demonstrate the ability to use digital technology effectively
Demonstrate the knowledge to use digital technology safely and ethically

Each academic major has determined the courses that fulfill the Digital Literacy requirement for that major. Students should contact their major department(s) to determine which courses will fulfill their Digital Literacy requirement. Undergraduate majors in religion satisfy this requirement by earning a grade of “C–” or higher in CGS 2060, CGS 2100, or HUM 2831.

State of Florida Common Program Prerequisites

No statewide common program prerequisites have been identified for this program; however, the faculty in this program recommend that students take several lower-level religion courses with the REL prefix.

Requirements for a Major in Religion

Advisors: Religion: David Levenson and Nicole Kelley

To complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with a major in religion, a student must complete (in addition to other college requirements) 30 credit hours of religion courses structured in the following manner:

Western: REL 2121, 2210, 2211, 2240, 2292, 2462, 3128r, 3209, 3224, 3293r, 3363, 3367, 3430, 3505, 3541, 3607, 4203r, 4214, 4215, 4290r, 4324r, 4366, 4393, 4510, 4511, 4613, 4914r; IDS 2342, 2420, 3317
Asian or African: REL 2315, 2350, 3333, 3337, 3340, 3345, 3351, 3358, 3370, 3935r, 4335, 4357r, 4359r, 4912r; IDS 3466
Issues and Approaches: REL 3112, 3142, 3145, 3155, 3152, 3160, 3170, 3171r, 3180, 3194, 3431, 3484; IDH 2119, 2140, 2611; IDS 2679, 3197, 3326, 3392, 3671; PHI 3700

At least three credit hours in each of the three areas: Western, Asian or African, Issues and Approaches. For purposes of the major requirement, religion courses are categorized as follows:

Note: Either REL 3194 or IDS 3197 (but not both) may count toward the major.

Note: The areas in which REL 3936r, 4190r, 4304r, 4491r, 4905r, and 4932r fall depend on the topic. Students should inquire at the department office or consult with the departmental undergraduate advisors for a current list of all courses and their areas.

At least 18 credit hours at the 3000/4000 level
REL 4044, which can only be taken after successful completion of at least 12 hours of coursework in the department
At least one religion course with a seminar format (either a course listed as a seminar or one approved as such by the department)
An exit interview or survey

Note: Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the major.

Requirements for a Major in Human Rights and Social Justice

Advisor: Rosemary Kellison (Department of Religion)

To complete a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree with an interdisciplinary major in human rights and social justice, anchored in the Department of Religion, a student must complete (in addition to other college requirements) 30 credit hours of coursework in religion and other fields in the following manner:

Four Core Courses (12 Credits)

“Who Is Human? What Are Rights?” (REL 3494) (anthropological, ethnographic, and historical approaches to human rights), offered by the Department of Religion
“International Human Rights and State Crime” (CCJ 4938-section number varies), offered by the College of Criminology & Criminal Justice
One course in the Religion Department among those that meet the “Issues and Approaches” requirement for the religion major. These courses cover comparative, ethical, literary, and/or philosophical themes in religious studies. See the “Issues and Approaches” list above under “Requirements for a Major in Religion.”

AND

“Foundations of Human Rights” (REL 3171—section number varies) (human rights from a religious studies perspective), offered by the Department of Religion

“Philosophy of Human Rights” (PHM 3351) (philosophical approaches to human rights), offered by the Department of Philosophy

Six Electives (18 Credits)

Six elective courses will come from other departments at FSU. Two (6 credits) may overlap with another major that the student is pursuing if those courses are also among those approved for the human rights and social justice major. These six courses may include the following:

One 3-credit Directed Individual Studies (DIS) course with an affiliated FSU faculty member
Courses taught at FSU that include a human rights framework or a significant rights-based dimension, including any of the courses listed in Appendix B, under the “Requirements for the Human Rights in Social Justice Major” tab on the Religion Department website.

Student Plan of Study

Each student must propose a provisional plan of study, comprised primarily of a list of eligible courses, by the end of their second semester in the major based on the major requirements as listed above and with reference to the lists of approved courses. The undergraduate advisor(s) for the major must approve the plan, understanding that it may change along with department course schedules.

Note: Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the major.

Minor Requirement for the Religion Major or the Human Rights & Social Justice Major

The religion major and human rights and social justice major require the completion of a minor in another department or program unless the student is pursuing a double-major. Check the appropriate department for minor requirements.

Minor in Human Rights and Social Justice

Advisor: Rosemary Kellison (Department of Religion)

Students majoring in other disciplines and wishing to minor in human rights and social justice must take a minimum of 12 credit hours in the multidisciplinary human rights and social justice curriculum (see appendices A and B, which also pertain to the major). At least six credit hours of credit must be earned in courses at the 3000 level or higher. Courses in which the student receives a grade below "C–" will not count toward the minor.

Joint Major in Religion and Classics

The Departments of Religion and Classics cooperate in a joint major designed for students with a special interest in religion in the ancient world. Students interested in this program should discuss it with David Levenson in the Department or Religion or the undergraduate director in the Department of Classics.

Honors in the Major

The Department of Religion offers an honors program in both the religion major and the human rights and social justice major to encourage talented juniors and seniors to undertake independent and original research as part of the undergraduate experience. For requirements and other information, see the “Discipline-Specific Honor Societies” tab of the Honors chapter.

Cooperation with Other Programs and Departments

Because religion touches upon many facets of human life, the study of religion is inherently interdisciplinary. The department therefore participates in several interdepartmental programs, including the following: American Studies, Asian Studies, African American Studies, History and Philosophy of Science, Humanities, Middle Eastern Studies, and Women's Studies. In addition, students of religion will find related courses in other departments, including Anthropology, Art History, Classics, English, French, German, History, International Affairs, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Middle Eastern Studies, Museum Studies, Philosophy, Russian and Slavic Languages, Sociology, and Spanish. Students undertaking a major in either religion or human rights and social justice, or seeking a minor in religion, should discuss such courses with the undergraduate advisor(s) in religion.

Minor in Religion

Advisors: David Levenson and Nicole Kelley (Department of Religion)

Students majoring in other disciplines and wishing to minor in religion must take a minimum of 12 credit hours in the religion curriculum. At least six credit hours of credit must be earned in courses at the 3000 level or higher. Courses in which the student receives a grade below “C–” will not count toward the minor.

Minor in Jewish Studies

Advisor: Martin Kavka (Department of Religion)

The Jewish Studies minor is concerned with the diversity and complexity of Jewish religious and cultural expression from the time of the Bible to the present day. The minor is interdisciplinary, allowing students to take classes with faculty in various departments at FSU (including but not limited to the departments of religion, history, modern languages, and political science) and to begin to deepen their knowledge of Biblical and/or Modern Hebrew.

Requirements for Jewish Studies Minor

The minor consists of 15 credit hours, including two terms of Biblical or Modern Hebrew, or of another Jewish language approved by the advisor for the minor, unless equivalent competence is demonstrated. Courses fulfilling the minor requirements can be comprised of any of the core courses listed below, and any additional courses approved by the advisor for the minor. No more than eight credit hours of 1000-level or 2000-level language courses may count toward the minor, and no language courses taken toward the minor may fulfill any University language requirement. Each term, additional courses will count as core classes (Examples: REL 3293 “Topics in Biblical Studies”; REL 4290 “Undergraduate Biblical Studies Seminar”; or HIS 4935 “Senior Seminar”). To receive a list of such courses, or request that a course count as a core course for the minor, please contact the advisor for the minor.

Students may count toward the minor three credit hours of courses with significant, yet not majority, Jewish-studies content (Examples: ASH 4223 “Modern Middle East”; EUH 4465 “Weimar and Nazi Germany”; or FOW 4930 “Transnational Literature”). Note that either REL 3194 or IDS 3197 may count toward the minor, but not both. Students who are not applying any language classes to the minor may count six credit hours of such classes toward the minor. To receive a list of such courses for a given term, or to request that a course count in this category, please contact the advisor for the minor.

History

EUH 4241 The Holocaust In Historical Perspective (3)

Modern Languages

HBR 1120 Elementary Modern Hebrew I (4)

HBR 1121 Elementary Modern Hebrew II (4)

HBR 2220 Intermediate Modern Hebrew (4)

IDS 3188 German Society Through Film: The Legacy of Nazi Crimes Against Humanity (3)

Political Science

INR 4272 Studies in International Politics: The Middle East (3)

Religion

HBR 1102 Beginning Hebrew I (4)

HBR 1103 Beginning Hebrew II (4)

HBR 2222 Intermediate Hebrew (4)

IDS 3197 Responses to the Holocaust (3)

REL 2210 Introduction to the Old Testament (3)

REL 3194 The Holocaust (3)

REL 3209 The Dead Sea Scrolls (3)

REL 3224 The Hebrew Prophets (3)

REL 3607 The Jewish Tradition (3)

REL 4203 Readings in Classical Hebrew Texts (1–3)

REL 4212 The Book of Genesis: Literary and Historical Approaches (3)

REL 4215 Judaism in the Greco-Roman World (3)

REL 4613 Modern Judaism (3)