Minor in Religious Studies
The Minor in Religious Studies introduces you to religion and religious issues in a scholarly environment, creating a much needed space for debate, growth and critical thought. It empowers you with a variety of thinking tools that prepare you to understand the phenomenon of religion as a subject for investigation and critique, not just for worship and belief or disbelief.
The minor will allow you to discern for yourselves religion’s assumptions and dimensions, the use and abuse of religion in today’s world and over the recorded human history, and the dynamic relationship between religion and cultures.
Program objectives
After graduation, you are expected to:
- Foster a critical outlook towards religion, demonstrate accurate knowledge of the basics of various religious traditions, and appreciate the varied expressions of religious plurality in society.
- Help students to access the various components of religion from an intellectual scholarly perspective.
- Provide students with the interdisciplinary resources to understand the phenomenon of religion and its varied expressions in human life and society.
Learning outcomes
At the completion of the program, you will be able to:
- Demonstrate a basic understanding of recurring themes in religious traditions.
- Write and speak in a critical and open-minded manner about religions and their role in human life.
- Apply all human faculties critically to religion and religious-related issues.
Curriculum
Students must complete a minimum of 18 credits, distributed as follows:
Core courses (minimum of 9 credits)
Elective courses
Core Courses:
Students must choose at least 9 credits from the below courses:
| Number | Title | Cr. |
|---|---|---|
| REL312 | Religious Literature | 3 |
| REL318 | Religious Thought and its Cultural Expressions | 3 |
| REL411 | Myth, Ritual and Faith | 3 |
| REL412 | Development of Religious Thought | 3 |
| REL413 | Representatives of Christian Thought | 3 |
| REL414 | Representatives of Islamic Thought | 3 |
Elective Courses:
| ARA327 | Sufi Literature | 3 |
| HST241 | History of Islam in the Middle East | 3 |
| HST342 | Topics in the History of Religion | 3 |
| PHL202 | Medieval Philosophy | 3 |
| PHL311 | Philosophy of Religion | 3 |
| PHL327 | Philosophy and Mythology | 3 |
| PHL328 | Arabic and Islamic Philosophy | 3 |
| SOC304 | Sociology of Religion | 3 |
Suggested Study Plan (for current students)
|
Fall I |
Spring I |
|
Fall II |
Spring II |
|
Fall III |
Spring III |
Duration
This program requires 18 credits.
Location
This program is offered in Beirut and Byblos.
