Undergraduate Study in Religion

Study image
Read about some current students and recent graduates in Religion at Otago.

Studying religion at Otago

There are several ways to include papers on religion in your degree. Many students simply take one or more papers alongside their other major subjects. It is also possible to specialise in the study of religion by taking it as the major subject of the Bachelor of Arts (BA) or the Bachelor of Arts with Honours (BA Hons). We also offer minors in Religious Studies, Buddhist Studies and Islamic Studies which may be taken with one or more other subjects. Graduates in other disciplines who are planning research in the study of religion may be admitted to the Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad). The regulations for all of these qualifications are listed below.

Papers currently on offer are listed below. Most papers above 100 level are taught in alternate years.

Papers offered in 2013

Click on the paper code for further information about the paper, including prescriptions and timetables.

Summer School
100
200
300
400
Distance
Women in Islam
First semester
100
200
300
400
Distance
Hinduism & Buddhism
Introductory Sanskrit I
New Religious Movements
Mahayana Buddhism
World Christianity
Life of the Buddha
Mysticism and Monotheism
Method & Theory in the Study of Religion
Second semester
Judaism, Christianity & Islam
Introductory Sanskrit II
The Religion of Islam
Zen Buddhism
Religion, Science and Magic
Religion, Identity, Community
Full year
Research Essay

A full list of RELS/RELX papers (including those not currently offered) is also available.

Religious Studies imageProgramme requirements

Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Religious Studies *

The papers that have to be included in a BA (Hons) in Religious Studies are as follows:

100-level: RELS 101 and RELS 102
200-level: Four 200-level RELS papers (72 points)
300-level: Five 300-level RELS papers (90 points)
400-level: RELS 415, RELS 490 and two further 400-level RELS papers (48 points)

At least 18 points in either Biblical Studies or Christian Thought and History must be included. An approved paper may be substituted for 24 400-level RELS points.

* Note: these regulations apply to students enrolling for the BA (Hons) from 2012.

Major subject requirements: BA in Religious Studies

The papers that have to be included in a BA in order to major in Religious Studies are as follows:

100-level: RELS 101 and RELS 102
200-level: Three 200-level RELS papers (54 points)
300-level: Four 300-level RELS papers (72 points)

Minor subject requirements: Religious Studies

The papers that have to be taken in order to include a minor in Religious Studies in your degree are as follows:

100-level: RELS 101 and RELS 102
Plus at least 54 points of RELS papers (three papers), including at least 18 points (one paper) above 200-level.

Minor subject requirements: Buddhist Studies

The papers that have to be taken in order to include a minor in Buddhist Studies in your degree are as follows:

RELS 102 and 72 further points (four papers) from ANTH 105, ASIA 101, CHIN 131, CHIN 132, HIST 106, JAPA 131, JAPA 132, SANS 111, SANS 112, RELS 104, RELS 202, RELS 209, RELS 216, RELS 226, RELS 227, RELS 309, RELS 316, RELS 319, RELS 326, and RELS 327.
At least 54 points (three papers) must be above 100-level, including at least 18 points above 200 level.

Minor subject requirements: Islamic Studies

The papers that have to be taken in order to include a minor in Islamic Studies in your degree are as follows:

100-level: RELS 101 and one of RELS 104, ARAB 131, ARAB 132, ANTH 105
Plus at least 54 points (three papers) from RELS 207, RELS 220, RELS 221, RELS 225, RELS 234, POLS 210, POLS 214, RELS 320, RELS 321, RELS 322, RELS 323, RELS 324, RELS 325, RELS 334, HIST 303, POLS 310 including at least 18 points (one paper) above 200-level.

Regulations

Regulations for the following programmes are available elsewhere on the University website.

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Study and Style Guide

Download the Study and Style Guide for Theology and Religious Studies (PDF format)

University of Otago Religious Studies Programme