RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Subject abbreviation: RLST College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences

Pashaura Singh, Ph.D., Chair Department Office, 3033C CHASS Interdisciplinary North pashaura.singh@ucr.edu

• (951) 827-1251; religiousstudies.ucr.edu

Professor Pashaura Singh, Ph.D. Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies Melissa M. Wilcox, Ph.D Holstein Family and Community Chair in Religious Studies

Professors Emeriti Vivian-Lee Nyitray, Ph.D. Douglas M. Parrott, Ph.D. Ivan A. Strenski, Ph.D.

Associate Professors Michael Alexander, Ph.D. Maimonides Chair in Jewish Studies Muhamad Ali, Ph.D Amanda Lucia, Ph.D.

Assistant Professors Paul Chang, Ph.D. Matthew King, Ph.D.

The Department of Religious Studies provides an opportunity for students to interrogate religion, as a subject always entangled with ethnicity, politics, economics, gender, class, sexuality, and race. With a degree in religion, students examine how religious life is mediated by practice, mate- riality, language, the senses, embodiment, and culture. The study of religion is interdisciplinary, and students engage in social scientific and historical interpretive methods to study a broad spectrum of the world’s religious traditions. Majoring in Religious Studies can be an excellent preparation for a variety of careers, such as law, bioethics, human services, business, medicine, education, social work, writing, and the arts.

Religious Studies at UCR develops students a variety of valuable and transferable skills. These include disciplined attention to the facts (texts, ideas, history, behavior), critical reflection and analysis about claims of meaning and value and about assumptions and methods used in the study of religion, and descriptive and analytical writing about religious history, ideas, motivations, practices, and ethical concerns. A minor in Reli- gious Studies is also a productive way to couple interests in such areas as political science, sociology, medicine, psychology, and law with the ethical and cultural contexts in which such fields are enmeshed. Students are encouraged to consult with the department chair and other faculty about their questions and interests.

The Holstein Family and Community Chair in Religious Studies The Holstein Family and Community Chair in Religious Studies is an endowed faculty chair, the result of a generous contribution given by the Robert and Loretta Holstein family and by friends of the Holstein family and the university. Dr. Melissa M. Wilcox, the holder of this chair, is a distinguished scholar and teacher whose work focuses on queer and transgender studies in religion, and on religion, power, and social justice more broadly. For more information on programs and events sponsored by the Holstein Chair, please see http://religiousstudies.ucr.edu/ holstein-chair/

The Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies The Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies is the result of a generous contribution given by the Saini Foundation, the Sikh Foundation and by a number of individuals and the University. It honors the memory of the late Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini, who was a cardiolo- gist in Phoenix, Arizona. Dr. Pashaura Singh has been appointed to the Chair and is a leading scholar and teacher whose work in the field of Adi Granth studies is internationally acclaimed. For more information on the Endowed Chair, please visit the following website: http://religiousstudies.ucr.edu/SPS/index. html

Maimonides Chair in Jewish Studies The Maimonides Endowed Chair in Jewish Studies was established in 2014 with support from nearly three dozen individuals, foundations and organizations to fund research and other activities aimed at fostering better understanding of the history and heritage of Jewish people. The chair Dr. Michael Alexander is a leading scholar and teacher whose work addresses religion, eth- nicity, genocide, and issues of modern Jewish identity. For more information on the Endowed Chair, please visit the following website: http://jewishstudies.ucr.edu

See Undergraduate Studies section.

See College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences, Colleges and Programs section.

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Religious Studies are as follows:

• 1. Lower-division requirements (12 units)

• a) RLST 005

• b) RLST 012/ETST 012 or RLST 012W/

ETST 012W

• c) One additional 4-unit course in Religious

Studies or equivalent

• 2. Upper-division requirements (40 units)

• a) At least two courses from each of the

following areas:

• (1) Eastern religions

• (2) Western religions

• (3) Themes in religions

• b) RLST 100 or RLST 102

• c) RLST 193 (Senior Seminar)

• d) Eight (8) additional units from Religious

Studies courses (closely related courses from other programs or departments may be substituted upon approval)

The programs of all majors should be developed in consultation with their advisors.

Art History/Religious Studies Major The Art History/Religious Studies Major com- bines the disciplinary interest in the history of the visual arts with its related religious content and background. Three concentrations are offered. Students must select one family of religions, either Asian or Western, and combine it with the study of the history of the visual arts in the corre- sponding area of artistic endeavor. Or, students wishing to combine Asian and Western materials to serve a comparative purpose are invited to design their own major in consultation with faculty representatives from both departments. Students are encouraged to include study abroad as part of their major and should plan well in advance to ensure that the courses taken fit with their overall program at UCR. Students in this major will be well prepared for graduate studies in either art history or religious studies.

The major requirements for the B.A. degree in Art History/Religious Studies are as follows:

Asian Concentration (52 units)

• 1. Lower-division requirements (12 units)

• a) Art History (4 units): AHS 015

• b) Asian Studies (4 units): AST 030/CHN 030

• c) Religious Studies (4 units): RLST 005

• 2. Upper-division requirements (40 units)

• a) Art History (16 units): AHS 140, AHS 141, AHS 143, CPLT 141

• b) Religious Studies (24 units) choose from:

RLST 101, RLST 103, RLST 105, RLST 106, RLST 142/AST 142/CHN 142, RLST 144/CPLT 144

• 3. Optional 190 level work in either

Art History or Religious Studies

Student-designed Comparative Concentration (52 units)

• 1. Lower-division requirements (12 units)

• a) Art History, choose at least 4 units: AHS 015, AHS 017A, AHS 017B, AHS 017C,

AST 030/CHN 030

• b) Religious Studies, choose at least 4

units: RLST 005, RLST 007, RLST 010

• 2. Upper-division requirements (40 units)

• a) Art History, choose at least 12 units:

AHS 140, AHS 141, AHS 143, AHS 155, AHS 156, AHS 157, AHS 159, AHS 161, AHS 162, AHS 164, AHS 171, AHS 172, CPLT 141

• b) Religious Studies, choose at least 12

units: RLST 100, RLST 101, RLST 103, RLST 105, RLST 106, RLST 111, RLST 121, RLST 128 (E-Z), RLST 130, RLST 131, RLST 135/HISE 130, RLST 136, RLST 142/AST 142/CHN 142, RLST 144/CPLT 144

• 3. Optional 190 level work in either

Art History or Religious Studies

Western Concentration (52 units)

• 1. Lower-division requirements (16 units)

• a) Art History (12 units): AHS 017A, AHS 017B, AHS 017C

• b) Religious Studies (4 units) choose from:

RLST 007, RLST 010

• 2. Upper-division requirements (36 units)

• a) Art History (16 units) choose from: AHS 155, AHS 156, AHS 157, AHS 159, AHS 161, AHS 162, AHS 164, AHS 171, AHS 172

• b) Religious Studies (20 units) choose from:

RLST 100, RLST 111, RLST 121, RLST 128 (E-Z), RLST 130, RLST 131, RLST 135/HISE 130, RLST 136

• 3. Optional 190 level work in either

Art History or Religious Studies

Requirements for a minor in Religious Studies are as follows:

• 1. Lower-division requirements (12 units)

• a) RLST 005

• b) RLST 012/ETST 012 or RLST 012W/

ETST 012W

• c) One additional 4-unit course in Religious

Studies

• 2. Upper-division requirements (16 units)

• a) Twelve (12) units consisting of one

course from each of the following three areas:

• (1) Eastern religions

• (2) Western religions

• (3) Themes in religions

• b) Four (4) upper-division units from those

courses approved for the Religious Stud- ies major

See Minors under the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences in the Colleges and Programs section of this catalog for additional information on minors.

TThe EAP is an excellent opportunity to travel and learn more about another country and its culture while taking courses to earn units toward graduation. Students should plan study abroad well in advance to ensure that the courses taken fit with their overall program at UCR. Consult the departmental student affairs officer for assis- tance. For further details, visit Study Abroad Programs at ea.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4113.

See Education Abroad Program in the Edu- cational Opportunities section of this catalog. A list of participating countries is found under Education Abroad Program in the Programs and Courses section. Search for programs by specific areas at uc.eap.ucop.edu.

The Department of Religious Studies offers the M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Religious Studies.

The graduate program in Religious Studies is for students interested in the critical academic study of religions. The Ph.D. program prepares students to enter into academia as researchers and university instructors in a specific field of expertise.

Admission All applicants must submit GRE General Test scores and transcripts from all previous insti- tutions, along with three letters of academic reference and a Statement of Goals and Quali- fications. Applicants whose first language is not English must also take the TOEFL exam.

The Department of Religious Studies offers the M.A. in Religious Studies.

The M.A. program allows students to explore the academic study of religions broadly and is for students who wish to expand their study of religions in an academic environment but may not yet wish to pursue a career in academia.

Admission Although an undergraduate major in religious studies is not required for admission into the graduate program, applicants should demon- strate significant interest in and background in the academic study of religions and the appropriate scholarly approaches to religious studies. Applicants to the master’s program must demonstrate scholarly acuity, as well as interest in the critical questions of the discipline of religious studies. Given the broader scope of the master’s program, applicants to this degree program do not need to specify a particular field of study they wish to pursue in the program.

Course work Candidates must complete a minimum of 36 units for the degree; 18 of the 36 units must be 200-level courses. Twelve units comprise the three core courses required of all graduate students (RLST 200A, RLST 200B, RLST 200C), preferably completed in the first year of study. All M.A. students must enroll in at least one of these Method and Theory courses, preferably in their first year (if offered):

RLST 201: Thinking about Religion: Classic Theories in the Study of Religion

RLST 202: Contemporary Theories and Theo- rists in the Study of Religion.

The remaining units should be from among the religious studies graduate offerings; addition- al course work in related areas (e.g., history, anthropology, philosophy, comparative literature) are encouraged as time and workload permit. Some entering students may also be encour- aged to take graduate-level survey courses in Asian or Western or Native American religious traditions.

Professional Development Requirement Topics in professional development in the RLST 200A, RLST 200B, and RLST 200C curric- ulum satisfy the Professional Development requirement. Topics discussed typically include: professional publication; pedagogy and public speaking; grant, fellowship, and job application processes.

Comprehensive Examinations In the final quarter of their program, master’s students complete a series of comprehensive written examinations that are designed by the department and administered by a master’s examination committee. These examinations test the student’s knowledge of specific fields of study as well as the areas of critical inquiry that serve as the methodological focus of the program.

Foreign Language Requirement Students must demonstrate reading proficiency in either French or German, the languages in which much modern secondary scholarship in the discipline has been written. Students may petition to substitute either another modern lan- guage of secondary scholarship or a language or primary research if it is deemed more immediate- ly relevant to their studies. This requirement can be fulfilled through a departmental examination, by passing a designated language course (FREN 009A, FREN 009B, GER 002R), or by alternative certification (such as a diploma from a foreign language institute).

Normative Time to Degree 6 quarters.

The Department of Religious Studies offers the Ph.D. in Religious Studies.

The Ph.D. program prepares students to enter into academia as researchers and university instructors in a specific field of expertise.

Admission Although an undergraduate major in religious studies is not required for admission into the graduate program, applicants should demon- strate significant interest in and background in the academic study of religions and the appropriate scholarly approaches to religious studies. In addition, applicants are held to a high standard of undergraduate preparation for their graduate work: both basic and advanced courses in religious studies (in methods and in their chosen field of study), beginning work in foreign languages (particularly if this will be an integral component of their particular course of study), and a demonstrated ability to work across methods, traditions, and disciplines. A master’s degree is not required for admission to the doctoral program.

Course work Candidates must complete all three of the following core courses (RLST 200A, RLST 200B, RLST 200C), preferably in their first year of coursework. In addition, students must also complete two Method and Theory courses (RLST 201 and RLST 202), and at least 24 units in a major area of geographic study (either Asian religions or Religions in the West). At least 12 additional units should be taken in a minor area of geographic study (some other aspect of Asian Religions or Religions in the West).

Professional Development Requirement Topics in professional development in the RLST 200A, RLST 200B, and RLST 200C curric- ulum satisfy the Professional Development requirement. Topics discussed typically include: professional publication; pedagogy and public speaking; grant, fellowship, and job application processes.

Written and Oral Qualifying Examinations Students must complete a round of qualify- ing written examinations, followed by an oral defense of those examinations, in the quarter following their completion of course work. (Students may defer their examinations for one quarter in consultation with the graduate advisor and faculty.) Students complete the three written examinations over a two- to three-week period in the following areas:

Major field studies

Comparative studies

Critical studies

The Major Field Studies examination evalu- ates the student’s mastery of the chosen field of study (some specific tradition within Asian religions or within Religions in the West), with particular attention to subdivisions of these fields of study on which the student has decided to focus (e.g., Buddhist monasticism or Christian ethics).

The Comparative Studies examination draws on the minor field of study the student has focused on in course work; the student must demon- strate the ability to elucidate aspects of the aca- demic study of religions through the juxtaposition of traditions (e.g., Judaism and Islam).

The Critical Studies examination will have two components: a method section, focusing on some methodological approach to the study of religion (e.g., ethnography or literary studies) and a theory section, focusing on some conceptual approach to religion (e.g., Weber or Durkheim).

The three examinations give students the op- portunity to demonstrate an overall mastery of subjects and approaches and prepare them for the more focused, rigorous research work they will pursue in their dissertations.

After completing the written examinations, students undergo an oral examination by com- mittee. The content of the oral examinations is based on the written examination questions and answers.

Both the written and oral examinations are composed, administered, and evaluated by a qualifying committee, nominated by the graduate advisor in consultation with the student and is appointed by the graduate dean.

Upon the successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations, the student is recommended to the graduate dean for ad- vancement to candidacy.

Foreign Language Requirement Students must demonstrate reading proficiency in either French or German, the languages in which much modern secondary scholarship in the discipline has been written. Students may petition to substitute either another modern lan- guage of secondary scholarship or a language of primary research if it is deemed more immediate- ly relevant to their studies. This requirement can be fulfilled through a departmental examination, by passing a designated language course (FREN 009A, FREN 009B, GER 002R), or by alternative certification (such as a diploma from a foreign language institute),

In addition, students must demonstrate profi- ciency in any language or languages deemed critical for examination of primary texts in their declared field of study (e.g., Japanese, Latin, Arabic, Tagalog, Indonesian). It is strongly suggested that doctoral students begin studying relevant languages for research before beginning their course work at UCR. Adequate language training is becoming increasingly vital in the scholarly and professional training of academics in the fields of religious studies. Many research languages are offered at UCR; if necessary, the faculty will work with students to help place them in needed language courses at other institutions.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination Students prepare a dissertation presented as prescribed by the Graduate Division under the direction of the candidate’s dissertation committee. After completion of the dissertation, the candidate is examined by the dissertation committee. This examination normally takes the form of a public presentation by the candidate followed by questions from the committee.

Normative Time to Degree 18 quarters.

ANTH 124 Ritual and Religion (4) Lecture, 3 hours. The elements and forms of religious belief and behavior; functions of ritual in society. Cross-cultural comparisons.

AHS 155 Cultures in Conflict: Art at the Fall of the Roman Empire (4) Lecture, 3 hours; individual study, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): sophomore, junior, or senior standing; or consent of instructor. Covers architecture, mosaic, wall painting, manuscript illumination, and sculpture from the origins of Christianity to the final dissolution of the Roman Empire. Stresses the role of art in the co-optation of the Church by the Empire and then in the aftermath of its fall.

AHS 156 Memory of Empire: the Art of Early Medieval Europe (4) Lecture, 3 hours; individual study, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): sophomore, junior, or senior standing; or consent of instructor. Covers manuscript illumination, barbarian jewelry, architecture, and sculpture from the fall of the Roman Empire and through the Carolingian Empire up to the tenth century. Stresses the interplay between indigenous Germanic and foreign classical traditions.

CLA 165 Greco-Roman Cults and Credence (4) Lecture, 3 hours; term paper, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or consent of instructor. Survey of the rich diversity of religious belief and systems of worship in the Greco-Roman world, from Bronze Age and Classical Greeks, to the Romans of the late Empire. Texts, documents, and archaeological evidence are examined to explore these unique constructions of ritual and creed.

ENGL 100 (E-Z) Scriptures, Myths, and Interpretation (4) Lecture, 3 hours; extra reading, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): upper-division standing or lower-division English course (other than composition) or consent of instructor. Focuses on issues of scriptural and mythical analysis. Explores the impact of scripture and myth on literature written in English; textual development of the Hebrew scripture including the development of the King James version; major authors’ uses of scripture and myth; exegesis; scripture and myth in current criticism and theory.