Overview
The subject matter of Religious Studies is the world's religions. Religious Studies seeks both to understand religion as a universal human phenomenon and to explore the variety of ways in which people express their religious commitments in thought and action. Since Religious Studies students study a wide variety of societies and cultures, this is a subject which can be profitably included within most courses of study.
Papers in Religious Studies are designed to be accessible to everyone, irrespective of religious background. The subject would be particularly useful to students of History, Philosophy, Political Studies, Classical Studies, Education, Psychology, Anthropology and Art History. Students who have majored in Religious Studies at Otago have gone on to careers in teaching, religious and social work, counselling, librarianship, business (especially marketing) and government.
Contact details
Website: http://www.otago.ac.nz/religion
Email: religion@otago.ac.nz
Qualifications
- Bachelor of Arts (BA)
- Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons))
- Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts)
- Master of Arts (MA)
Papers
See the full list of Religious Studies (RELS) papers.
Programme Requirements
Bachelor of Arts (BA) majoring in Religious Studies
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | RELS 101 Judaism, Christianity and Islam RELS 102 Hinduism and Buddhism | 18 18 |
| 200-level | Three 200-level RELS papers PHIL 229 Philosophy of Religion, may be substituted for one 200-level RELS paper | 54 |
| 300-level | Four 300-level RELS papers BIBS 317 God, Suffering and Justice, may be substituted for one paper | 72 |
| Plus | 198 further points; must include 18 pointsin BIBS or CHTH and 54 points at 200-level or above. Up to 90 points may be taken from outside Arts Note: Every programme must also include at least one BIBS or CHTH paper. | 198 |
| Total | 360 |
Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA(Hons)) in Religious Studies
| Papers |
|---|
|
Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) in Religious Studies
The Postgraduate Diploma in Arts Subjects (PGDipArts) programme in Religious Studies is the same as the programme for the degree of Bachelor of Arts with Honours.
Minor Subject Requirements
Religious Studies as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Applied Science (BAppSc) or Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) degree
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | RELS 101 Judaism, Christianity and Islam RELS 102 Hinduism and Buddhism | 18 18 |
| 200-level | Two 200-level RELS papers | 36 |
| 300-level | One 300-level RELS paper BIBS 317 God, Suffering and Justice, may be substituted for one paper | 18 |
| Total | 90 |
