There is no prescribed route or prerequisite to the major; students typically find themselves majoring after taking courses in the department and becoming acquainted with department faculty. Students contemplating the major or joint major are invited to consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The undergraduate student services associate in Building 70 can also field questions regarding the declaration procedure within the department.
A Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies requires 60 units of course work. At least 44 units are to be taken in courses numbered above 100. Ten units out of the 60 may be taken for the grade of C/NC.
one course in each of the following categories: introduction to religious traditions (courses numbered 11-50) and introductory topics in the study of religion (courses numbered 51-99). In consultation with the Undergraduate Director, one Stanford Introductory Seminar in Religious Studies may be applied to this introductory requirement.
At least 29 units are to be taken in intermediate lecture and seminar courses numbered 100-289. Of these, at least two seminars are required from courses numbered above 200. With approval of the Undergraduate Director, language courses related to the student's program of study (such as Arabic, Biblical Hebrew, New Testament Greek, Chinese, or Japanese), but not counted towards the University language requirement, may be counted among these 29 units.
completion of either a senior essay or honors thesis. See below concerning the difference between these options.
Each student, in consultation with his/her adviser, works out a focus of study centering either on a particular religious tradition or on a theme or problem that cuts across traditions such as ritual, ethics, scripture, or gender.
Students focusing on one religious tradition must take at least 8 units in one or more religious traditions outside their concentration.
The following courses in other departments/programs have been approved by the Chair as fulfilling requirement 2 above.