Bachelor of Arts Honors in Religious Studies Degree Program Guide

The Religious Studies Honors program gives students the opportunity to join a small cohort of students with similar interests and talents, research and write a major project that reflects your main religious studies interests, work closely with a faculty advisor, and ultimately strengthen your applications to graduate studies, Law school, or further education of your choice.

Religious Studies is the critical study of religion: its history, its ideas and principles, and its function in societies past and present. It is distinct from theology or faith-based studies. We ask: What is religion? What is it for? How does it function in the world? What does it do for its practitioners? How do religious traditions approach and try to solve fundamental issues regarding good and evil, human nature, ethics and morality, and how to live a good life? Our approach to these questions is interdisciplinary, non-religious, and often comparative.

Academic Requirements for Religious Studies Honors students

General Requirements and Information
  • Degrees in Religious Studies are interdisciplinary programs administered by the Department of History, Classics, and Religion, Faculty of Arts. They combine required RELIG courses with approved cross-listed courses offered in various departments of the Faculty of Arts and, exceptionally, in other Faculties
  • Promotion from year to year requires a GPA of at least 3.3 with an average of at least 3.3 in all RELIG and approved cross-listed courses
  • Graduation with Honors in Religious Studies requires a graduation average of at least 3.0 on the last 60 units completed at the University of Alberta and an average of at least 3.3 on all courses applied to the major. Graduation with First-Class Honors requires an average of at least 3.7 on all courses applied to the major taken in the two final years and an average of at least 3.5 on all courses in the two final years (last 60 units)
Course Requirements
  • Honors in Religious Studies requires RELIG 102 and RELIG 103, and a minimum of 48 units and a maximum of 72 units at the senior level in RELIG and approved cross-listed courses
  • 3 units in RELIG courses numbered 201 to 229
  • 3 units in RELIG courses numbered 230 to 249
  • 6 units in RELIG courses at the 300 level in addition to RELIG 375 
  • 6 units at the 400-level in RELIG or approved cross-listed courses (see Note)
  • RELIG 375 - Approaches to the Study of Religion
  • RELIG 499 - Honors Essay in Religious Studies
Additional Notes
  • As Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary program that draws on the methods of other disciplines, Honors students are encouraged but not required to take one of:
    • ANTHR 301 - Introduction to Ethnographic Methods
    • HIST 290 - Introduction to History as a Discipline
    • PSYCH 212 - Introduction to Research Methods in Psychology
    • SOC 315 - Introduction to Social Methodology
    • WGS 302 - Feminist Research and Methodologies

Academic Requirements for Religious Studies Combined Honors students

General Requirements and Information
  • A Combined Honors degree in Religious Studies and another discipline requires a minimum of 36 units (at the junior and senior levels) in approved RELIG or cross-listed courses and a minimum of 36 units in the other discipline.
  • Promotion from year to year requires a GPA of at least 3.3 with an average of at least 3.3 in all RELIG and approved cross-listed courses
  • Graduation with Honors in Religious Studies requires a graduation average of at least 3.0 on the last 60 units completed at the University of Alberta and an average of at least 3.3 on all courses applied to the major. Graduation with First-Class Honors requires an average of at least 3.7 on all courses applied to the major taken in the two final years and an average of at least 3.5 on all courses in the two final years (last 60 units)
Course Requirements
  • 30 units in approved RELIG and cross-listed courses, including RELIG 375 
  • 3 units in RELIG courses numbered 201 to 299
  • 3 units in RELIG courses numbered 230 to 249
  • 6 units in RELIG courses at the 300-level in addition to RELIG 375 
  • 6 units at the 400-level in RELIG or approved cross-listed courses (see Note)
  • RELIG 499 (6 units) Honors Essay is normally required. Students who select the Honors Essay course must complete the language requirement as specified in Honors in Religious Studies. The Honors Essay may be replaced with 6 units at the 400-level or above in RELIG and approved cross-listed courses if the student will be completing an Honors Essay in the other discipline, or, with special permission, a Combined Honors Essay may also be allowed in lieu of RELIG 499. Consult the Undergraduate Advisor for further details
Additional Notes
  • In a combined Honors program, students must meet the promotion and graduation standards of each discipline

The University of Alberta Calendar will always contain the most up-to-date degree requirements for your program, and your requirements are determined by the calendar year you were admitted in.

What kinds of courses can Religious Studies Honors students take?

  • RELIG 102 - Introduction to Western Religious Traditions
  • RELIG 103 - Introduction to Eastern Religious Traditions
  • RELIG 200 - Classical Theories of Religion
  • RELIG 270 - Contemporary Issues in Religion
  • RELIG 274 - Studies in Witchcraft and the Occult
  • RELIG 308 - From Cyrus to Jesus
  • RELIG 320 - The Qur'an
  • RELIG 343 - Zen/Chan Buddhism
  • RELIG 404 - Literary Studies in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible
  • RELIG 499 - Honors Essay

What kinds of careers can you pursue with a Religious Studies Honors degree?

There are many different fields and career paths that students can pursue with a Religious Studies Honors degree. From education to community work, graduates are equipped with communication, research and critical thinking skills to name a few, that are assets in today’s job market. Although there is a list of career options below, it is important to understand that careers are not linear. Intentionally engaging in a variety of activities and following your curiosities will open new opportunities that you might not have expected. To learn more about how you can put your Arts degree to work, stop by the HUB Career Centre (8917 HUB Mall) for more information.

  • Educator (Professor, Secondary or Primary)
  • Educational Consultant
  • Non-Profit Program Coordinator
  • Community Outreach Specialist
  • Volunteer Manager
  • Interfaith Coordinator
  • Policy Analyst
  • Public Affairs Specialist
  • Diplomat or Foreign Service Officer
  • Religious Affairs Correspondent
  • Technical Writer
  • Museum Educator
  • Archivist
  • +More!

Interested in gaining work experience related to your career goals? If so, apply to Arts Work Experience to gain full-time, PAID, work experience before you graduate!

Important Links

Department Contact Information