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BACHELOR OF ARTS WITH A
MAJOR IN RELIGION
REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements must be fulfilled:
The general requirements stated under Columbian College
of Arts and Sciences, Undergraduate Programs (http://
bulletin.gwu.edu/arts-sciences/#degreeregulationstext).
Prerequisite courses: REL 1001 Introduction to World Religions:
West and REL 1002 Introduction to World Religions: East.
Required: 33 credit hours including:
REL 1009
The Hebrew Scriptures (or another
course in Hebrew Scriptures)
REL 1010
The New Testament (or another course
in New Testament)
REL 3901
Theories and Methods in the Study
of Religion (to be taken in the Fall
semester of junior year)
REL 4101
Senior Capstone Seminar (to be taken
in the Fall semester of senior year)
Four upper-level REL courses chosen from one of the
following religious traditions:
Buddhism
REL 2601
Buddhism
REL 3566
Dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism
REL 3611
South Asian Buddhism
REL 3614
Buddhist Philosophy
Christianity
1
REL 2165
The Canonical Gospels
REL 2169
Lost Gospels
REL 2301
Christianity
REL 3151
Jesus
REL 3161
The Life and Thought of Paul
REL 3321
Christian Ethics and Modern Society
REL 3341
Christianity in the Ancient World
REL 3342
Medieval Faith and Symbolism
REL 3343
Religion in the Renaissance and
Reformation
REL 3344
Christianity in the Modern World
REL 3666
The Book of Revelation and Other
Apocalypses
Hinduism
REL 2562
Mythologies of India
REL 3501
Hinduism
REL 3566
Dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism
REL 3915
Islam and Hinduism in South Asia
REL 3989
The Goddess in India and Beyond
Islam
REL 2401
Islam
REL 3405
Shi’ite Islam
REL 3414
Islamic Philosophy and Theology
REL 3425
Islamic Political Thought
REL 3431
Sufism (Islamic Mysticism)
REL 3475
Islamic Religion and Art
REL 3481
Women in Islam
REL 3482
Gender and Piety in Islam
REL 3915
Islam and Hinduism in South Asia
Judaism
REL 2201
Judaism
REL 2211
Rabbinic Thought and Literature
REL 3141
Second Temple/Hellenistic Judaism
REL 3214
REL 3221
Issues in Jewish Ethics
REL 3291
Modern Jewish Thought
REL 3292
Seminar: Issues in Jewish Thought
East Asian Religions
REL 2811
Confucian Literature in East Asia
REL 2814
Religion and Philosophy of East Asia
REL 3814W
Religion&Philosophy/East Asia
REL 3831W
Daoism in East Asia
Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Religion
REL 3832
Myth, Ritual, and Popular Religion in
China
REL 3841
Religion in Modern China
REL 3881
Women, Gender, and Religion in China
Three additional upper-level REL courses from outside the
chosen tradition
It is recommended that students include the study of foreign
languages in their undergraduate program, including a
language crucial to one of the religious traditions.
GENERAL EDUCATION
The general education curriculum of Columbian College
(https://advising.columbian.gwu.edu/g-pac) engages
students in active intellectual inquiry across the liberal arts.
Students achieve a set of learning outcomes that meaningfully
enhance their analytical skills, that develop communication
competencies, and that invite them to participate as
responsible citizens, attentive to issues of culture, diversity, and
privilege.
WID courses may double count toward the Analysis and/or
Perspective course work. The oral communication course may
count toward the Analysis and/or Perspective requirements, or
it may be met through major requirements.
Courses taken to fulfill any of the general education
requirements may also be counted toward the major. With
some exceptions made for transfer students, courses fulfilling
these requirements must be completed in residence at the
University. A full list of approved courses is maintained by the
Office of Undergraduate Studies. (http://columbian.gwu.edu/
undergraduate/advising/gpac)
SPECIAL HONORS
Special Honors are awarded to students who meet the
requirements stated under University Regulations, maintain a
grade-point average of 3.5 in courses in the major, and receive
a grade of A– or better in REL 4101 Senior Capstone Seminar.
Course work for the general education curriculum includes
24 credits of approved analytic courses in quantitative and
scientific reasoning and in critical and creative thinking.
Students engage diverse viewpoints by incorporating 3 credits
of courses into that program that include global or crosscultural perspectives and 3 credits that include local/civic
engagement. Students must also demonstrate written and oral
communication skills through 13 credits of approved course
work.
The general education curriculum is a “living curriculum” and
therefore will change from year to year. Courses added to the
curriculum are generally available to students immediately
after being approved; some are phased in as deemed
appropriate. As such, it is essential that students consult with
their professional academic advisors. The basic distribution of
the curriculum follows.
Analysis—3 credits in mathematics or statistics (quantitative
reasoning); 6 credits in natural and/or physical laboratory
sciences (scientific reasoning); 6 credits in social sciences
(quantitative, scientific, critical, or creative thinking); 6 credits in
humanities (critical or creative thinking); 3 credits in art: visual,
performing, critical, or historical practices (critical or creative
thinking).
Perspective—3 credits that include a global or cross-cultural
perspective; 3 credits that include local/civic engagement
Communication—4 credits in UW 1020 University Writing;
2 Writing in the Disciplines (WID) courses; 3 credits in oral
communication. Note: UW 1020 University Writing must
be taken before enrolling in the WID courses, and the WID
courses must be taken in separate semesters. One of the two
The George Washington University 2014-15 Academic Bulletin
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