Religious Studies Minor

Program Requirements

• Total Units Required: 18 units; 12 must be at the 3000 level or higher.

• Grade Requirement: C– or better; Pass/No Pass grades do not count for the minor.

Required Courses

Elective Courses

Minors complete 12 units of electives in Arts & Sciences Religious Studies courses; 9 units must be at the 3000 level or higher. Electives are generally courses offered in the College of Arts & Sciences, either by the Religious Studies program directly or by departments that offer courses related to the study of religion (e.g., Anthropology; Classics; Comparative Literature and Thought; East Asian Languages and Cultures; English; History; Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies; Philosophy; Religion and Politics). Minors choose electives based on their individual interests and in consultation with their minor advisor.

Additional Information

The Religious Studies program gives students the opportunity to learn about diverse religions with a critical but open mind.

Religious Studies covers a wide range of subjects. It could include religion and American or international politics, religion and music, unbelief, religion and literature, issues of race or climate change, or scriptural studies. As such, Religious Studies embraces research in all its interdisciplinary complexity. Our courses are taught by faculty from a variety of disciplines, including the Danforth Center on Religion and Politics; Anthropology; Classics; East Asian Languages and Cultures; English; History; Jewish, Islamic, and Middle Eastern Studies; Music; Philosophy; Political Science; and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Religious Studies empowers students to understand how religion informs people's thought and behavior. A double major or a minor will also enhance a broad range of studies, from politics and law to business and medicine. If a student is preparing for the advanced academic study of religion, seeking to complement another area of study, or simply feeling the need to acquire a greater knowledge of religions, a major or minor in Religious Studies is excellent preparation for living and working in a pluralistic society and global culture.

Transfer Credit

A maximum of 3 units of coursework completed elsewhere — whether at another college or university or through a Washington University–approved study abroad program — may be applied toward the minor. Credit will be awarded only for those courses that have been approved by the Religious Studies program.