The department major requires REL 301 Introduction to the Study of Religion (preferably taken at the beginning of the student’s major courses) and REL 401 Seminar in Religious Studies. Further, students must take six additional courses from the list below. The total unit requirement for the major is 32 units (at least 24 units must be upper-division).

    • REL 111g The World of the Hebrew Bible Units: 4
    • REL 112g Religions of Ancient Egypt and the Near East Units: 4
    • REL 114g The Mediterranean: A Religious History Units: 4
    • REL 115g Jerusalem, City of Three Faiths Units: 4
    • REL 121g The World of the New Testament Units: 4
    • REL 125gp Introduction to Christianity: Antiquity to 1500 Units: 4
    • REL 132g Origins of Western Religions Units: 4
    • REL 134g Introduction to Buddhism Units: 4
    • REL 135g Chinese Religions and Culture Units: 4
    • REL 136g Sense and Sensuality in Indian Religions and Culture Units: 4
    • REL 137g Introduction to Islam Units: 4
    • REL 138g Japanese Religions and Culture Units: 4
    • REL 141g Global Religions in Los Angeles Units: 4
    • REL 147g Religion, Media and Popular Culture Units: 4
    • CLAS 323 Aegean Archaeology Units: 4
    • COMM 426 Religion, Media and Hollywood: Faith in TV Units: 4
    • EALC 431 The Taoist Tradition Units: 4
    • JS 321 Gender and Judaism Units: 4
    • JS 361 Scripture and Polemic in Judaism, Christianity and Islam Units: 4
    • JS 382g Judaism as an American Religion Units: 4
    • JS 467 Modern Jewish Thought Units: 4
    • REL 302 Religions of Ancient Egypt and the Near East Units: 4
    • REL 303g Exploring Ancient Ways of Living: Experimental Archaeology Units: 4
    • REL 304 Ethics and Global Heritage Units: 4
    • REL 311g The Bible in Western Literature Units: 4
    • REL 312 Biblical Wisdom Literature Units: 4
    • REL 314 Introduction to Shiism Units: 4
    • REL 315 Thought and Life of Islam Units: 4
    • REL 316 Women and the Islamic Tradition Units: 4
    • REL 317g The Bible in Its Ancient Context Units: 4
    • REL 324g Sex and the Bible: Gender, Sexuality, and Scripture Units: 4
    • REL 325g Religious Experience in the Greco-Roman World Units: 4
    • REL 326gp Historical Jesus Units: 4
    • REL 327g Heretics, Martyrs, and Miracles Units: 4
    • REL 329 Themes in the Religions of China Units: 4
    • REL 330 Introduction to the Religions of India Units: 4
    • REL 331 Religions of East Asia Units: 4
    • REL 332 Religions of Japan Units: 4
    • REL 334g Religion and Colonial Encounter Units: 4
    • REL 335 Gender, Religion, and Sexuality Units: 4
    • REL 336w Re-Viewing Religion in Asian America Units: 4
    • REL 338 Mysticism and Religious Desire Units: 4
    • REL 339 Studies in the History of Christianity Units: 4
    • REL 340 Introduction to Indian Philosophy Units: 4
    • REL 341 Technology, Culture, and Ethics Units: 4
    • REL 342g Buddhist Modernism Units: 4
    • REL 345p Islamic Mysticism: Sufism Units: 4
    • REL 350 Drugs, Alcohol, Visions and Altered States in Religion Units: 4
    • REL 359g Culture in Diaspora: The Jews of Spain Units: 4
    • REL 361 Law and Religion Units: 4
    • REL 364 Religion and Ethics Units: 4
    • REL 366 Religion and Social Change Units: 4
    • REL 370 Religion and Visuality Units: 4
    • REL 371 Religion and the Supernatural Units: 4
    • REL 376g Religion and Human Rights Units: 4
    • REL 394 Archaeology of Egypt and the Near East Units: 4
    • REL 402 Cultural Heritage, Religion, and Politics in the Middle East Units: 4
    • REL 414 History of Islamic Law Units: 4
    • REL 415 Seminar in Buddhism Units: 4
    • REL 417 Seminar in South Asian Religions Units: 4
    • REL 435 Religious Thought After the Enlightenment Units: 4
    • REL 440 Christian Thought in the 20th Century Units: 4
    • REL 441 Origins of Modern Theology Units: 4
    • REL 442 Religion and Science Units: 4
    • REL 462 Religion and Violence Units: 4
    • REL 468 Sociology of Religion Units: 4
    • REL 469 Black Religion in America Units: 4
    • REL 473 Advanced Hebrew Bible Studies Units: 4
    • REL 474 Advanced New Testament Studies Units: 4
    • REL 475 Religion, Material Culture and the Senses Units: 4
    • REL 479 Seminar in Christian Thought Units: 4
    • REL 481 History of Religion in America Units: 4
    • REL 483 Religion and Popular Culture in the United States Units: 4
    • REL 493 Art and Archaeology of Religion Units: 4
    • REL 494 Lab Methods and Theories in Archaeology Units: 4
    • REL 495 Field Methods and Theories in Archaeology Units: 4
    • REL 499 Special Topics in Religion Units: 2, 3, 4

  • Students who intend to do graduate work in some area of religious studies are encouraged to concentrate their course selections in the area of their preference and to begin learning the languages that are essential for study in that area. This includes modern languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German or Japanese, and perhaps an ancient language.

For More Information

 

General Questions
Linda Wootton
825 Bloom Walk
ACB 130
(213) 740-0272
wootton@usc.edu

Chair

Prof. James McHugh

ACB 226
(213) 740-0272
jmchugh@usc.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies

Prof. Sheila Briggs

ACB 232
sbriggs@usc.edu

College Advisement Religion Advisor

Jessica Kanoski

(213) 740-2534
jkanoski@usc.edu

Jewish Studies Advisor

Prof. Leah Hochman

(213) 765-2114
louchheim@huc.edu

Contact Us

Donate to the School of Religion

Administrative Assistant II
Linda Wootton
wootton@usc.edu

Project Specialist
Johnna Tyrrell
johnnaty@usc.edu

USC School of Religion

825 Bloom Walk, ACB 130
Los Angeles, CA 90089
religion@usc.edu

Director of Undergraduate Studies
Sheila Briggs
sbriggs@usc.edu

Director of Graduate Studies
Cavan Concannon
concanno@usc.edu