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The major in Religious Studies examines culture at its broadest and in terms of its core values, providing an opportunity to explore and analyze the written and oral traditions of many of the world's religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and African religions. Students in the major aim to describe, compare, and interpret the beliefs and practices of various religious traditions and to understand the world in which those traditions emerged and thrive. They study how religion has shaped human behavior within cultures in matters such as family life, ideas of right and wrong, sexual roles and relations, relations between individuals and society, and artistic expression.
Real World
With an emphasis on critical thinking skills and clear written expression, the Religious Studies major provides excellent preparation for graduate study and professional schools in law or business. Since the major integrates many different academic areas, Religious Studies majors are well prepared enter careers ranging from human service and education to private-sector professions.
Major Requirements
The Religious Studies major integrates religion courses with a broad spectrum of other courses from the history, philosophy, sociology, anthropology, American studies, classics, and medieval studies departments. From the start, students have a chance to design their own focus. At the lower division level, students take several courses that introduce them to the major world religions. At the upper division level, students move on to more specialized courses which deal with the more complex issues surrounding religion. Some courses include "Myth, Ritual, and Symbolism," "Contemporary American Religion," "Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism" and "Religious Ethics."
Major Adviser
Name: Maria Saldana-Seibert
Contact: msaldana@ucdavis.edu, (530) 752-1219
A Student Perspective
One of the strengths of the Religious Studies major is that it examines traditions and beliefs from the perspective of those practicing them, not from an observers point of view. Another strength is its excellent, knowledgeable professors.
~ David Giles
A Faculty Perspective
An undergraduate education begins with asking big questions. In this regard, few disciplines are as ambitious as religious studies. Indeed, religion often holds that for every right answer, there's another even better answer. In a world of scientific proofs and certainties, how can religious practitioners possibly maintain such a stance? Could this be why people are so passionate about religions today? Such questions, along with their many extraordinary answers, are what students in our program examine. What better way to explore the diversity of human interaction, culture, and history than to begin with the proposition that our accepted truths are mere props upon a much grander stage!
Religious studies offers students the rare opportunity to pursue such a possibility in close coordination with faculty members who specialize in a wide variety of world faiths.
~ Flagg Miller, assistant professor
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