Religious Studies (First Year and Transfer)

• Information for Transfer Students
• Religious Studies courses most often transferred

Religious Studies
Academic Bulletin

When advising a student interested in Religious Studies, please note the following:

Entering and other students can’t go wrong with any 100 level course.
*Offered Fall 2021

• RELST 120 The Faith of Ancient Israel serves a role in International Studies major, MENA minor.
• *RELST 130 The New Testament
• *RELST 140 Islam: Faith, History and Culture serves a role in the International Studies major, MENA minor
• RELST 144 Modern Islamic Movements serves a role in the History major and minor, International Studies major, MENA minor  
• RELST 146 Islam in America serves a role in the Black Studies minor
• RELST 147 Judaism serves a role in the International Studies major, Jewish Studies minor, MENA minor
• *RELST 150 Religious Traditions of India
• *RELST 160 Buddhism serves a role in the Chinese Studies minor, International Studies major
• RELST 164 Japanese Religions from A to Zen serves a role in the International Studies major
• RELST 170 Religions of China serves a role in the Chinese Studies minor, the International Studies major
• *RELST 173 Black Faith and Thought 
• RELST 175 Contemporary Religious Traditions
• RELST 180 Religion in American Life serves a role in the Jewish Studies minor

200-level courses should be accessible without prior preparation to entering first year students with stronger than average writing and reading skills. 

• *RELST 200 Christian Ethics
• ​ *RELST 229 Hebrew Bible 

The Minor in Religious Studies consists of at least 20 credit hours, including one course above the 100 level and another above the 200 level and two of five different religious traditions described below.

The Major in Religious Studies is required to complete a minimum of 42 credit hours, and students must take at least one course in each of the following approaches:

• Text: 130, 150, 160, 222, 229, 341, 350
• Context: 120, 140, 144, 146, 147, 150, 160, 165, 170, 173, 180, 200, 225, 250, 288
• Methodical Analysis: 175, 200, 204, 215, 225, 265, 341, 360, 372, 373 

In addition, a Major should include three of the five religious traditions below. Specific courses may appear in multiple traditions, but double-counting courses for multiple traditions is not permitted. Courses that satisfy the approaches requirement can also satisfy the traditions requirement.

• Judaism: 120, 147, 229, 288, 341, 372
• Christianity: 130, 173, 200, 250, 350, 373
• Islam: 140, 144, 146, 215, 222
• India/China/Japan: 150, 160, 165, 170

Required for all Majors:

• 580, 600, 610 and two other courses above the 100 level and an additional course above the 200 level.

Majors in Religious Studies can take an approved cognate course from another discipline in fulfilling major requirements, which, along with carefully chosen electives, can create an emphasis in a specific area of Religious Studies.

Information for Transfer Students

Pathways to the Religious Studies Major

A Religious Studies major might be achieved on a 2 year schedule by a student who transfers in two (3-credit) introductory Religious Studies courses from earlier college experience and pursues the following schedule (for explanation of non-numbered course requirements noted in the table, see further below):

(The schedule above is hypothetical. The pattern of available starred courses varies, and you may choose to take them in whatever order suits you.)

More detail on the Religious Studies major:  The path to a Religious Studies major might best be traced back from its endpoint (graduation!). It requires completion of 42 credits. It requires completion of 580, 600, 610 and two other courses above the 100 level, and an additional course above the 200 level.

In your Fourth (Senior) Year:

You must complete your senior project, a two semester sequence of your own independent work, carried out under the supervision of a faculty member. RELST 610 is the course that completes your senior project.

RELST 610 is preceded by a tutorial half-course (2 credits – RELST 600) that is preparatory work to develop the project. RELST 600 should be taken in the semester before RELST 610. So, RELST 600 may be taken as early as your Junior year spring semester, or in the fall semester of your Senior Year.

In your Third (Junior) or Fourth Year:

Along with RELST 600, you should expect to take at least one 300-level course, one 200-level course, and the junior seminar (RELST 580). RELST 580 is not a regular offering, and is usually designed in consultation with your Religious Studies academic advisor. 

In these years (and earlier years), you may fulfill your requirements by also completing at least one course in each of the following approaches: 

• Text: 130, 150, 160, 222, 229, 341, 350 

• Context: 120, 140, 144, 146, 147, 150, 160, 165, 170, 173, 180, 200, 225, 250, 288

• Methodical Analysis: 175, 200, 204, 215, 225, 265, 341, 360, 372, 373

Traditions: In addition, a major should include three of the four religious traditions below. Specific courses may appear in multiple traditions, but double-counting courses for multiple traditions is not permitted. Courses that satisfy the approaches requirement can also satisfy the traditions requirement.

• Judaism: 120, 147, 229, 288, 341, 372

• Christianity: 130, 173, 200, 250, 350, 373

• Islam: 140, 144, 146, 215, 222

• India/China/Japan: 150, 160, 165, 170

Majors in Religious Studies can take an approved cognate course from another discipline in fulfilling major requirements, which, along with carefully chosen electives, can create an emphasis in a specific area of Religious Studies.

A Religious Studies minor is easily completed in two years. It consists of at least 20 credit hours, including one course above the 100 level and another above the 200 level and two of four different religious traditions described above. Some of these requirements might be satisfied through transfer courses: for details, see the “Religious Studies courses most often transferred” below.

Students transferring to Allegheny College who are considering a Major or Minor in Religious Studies should feel free to ask questions of the Department Chair (Eric Palmer, epalmer@allegheny.edu) to informally discuss courses that may transfer to satisfy specific requirements listed above.

Religious Studies courses most often transferred 

Issues to consider for transfer credits:

1. A 3-credit transfer course with a similar description and course content will be accepted to fulfill a 4-credit requirement in Religious Studies. However, a student must still meet the minimum number of credit hours required for the major (or minor), which might necessitate taking or transferring elective courses in Religious Studies.

2. Cognate courses: Up to one course that counts towards a Major in Religious Studies may be a “cognate course”. A cognate course (from an area outside of the study of religions) will qualify as providing credits towards the Major if your advisor at Allegheny College finds that the course you propose contributes to your work. This arises most frequently when a course contributes towards informing work that will be developed in the Senior Project. So, for example, a Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies course may be a suitable cognate for a student whose religious studies work focuses upon contemporary social contexts. Your academic advisor at Allegheny determines qualification for cognate courses following your arrival, Usually well into your study at Allegheny, so this will not affect decisions regarding qualifying transfer courses. But having a background in relevant courses may reduce the number of courses in Religious studies that will be required to complete the major. 

Students transferring to Allegheny College who wish to consult on courses should feel free to ask questions of the Department Chair (Eric Palmer, epalmer@allegheny.edu) to informally discuss courses that may transfer.