Study of Religion

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

Melissa M. Wilcox, Ph.D., Chair Department Office, 3033C CHASS Interdisciplinary South melissa.wilcox@ucr.edu

• (951) 827-7969; religiousstudies.ucr.edu

Distinguished Professor

Pashaura Singh, Ph.D. Dr. Jasbir Singh Saini

Endowed Chair in Sikh and Punjabi Studies

Full Professors

Michael Alexander, Ph.D. Maimonides

Chair in Jewish Studies Matthew King, Ph.D. Amanda Lucia, Ph.D. Melissa M. Wilcox, Ph.D. Holstein Family and Community Chair in Religious Studies

Professors Emeriti

Vivian-Lee Nyitray, Ph.D. Ivan A. Strenski, Ph.D.

Associate Professors

Muhamad Ali, Ph.D. Ana Bajželj, Ph.D., Shrimad Rajchandra

Endowed Chair in Jain Studies

Assistant Professors

Sahin Acikgoz, Ph.D. Elyse Ambrose, Ph.D. Paul Chang, Ph.D.

The Department for the Study of Religion 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 the study of religion, students examine how religious life is mediated by practice, materiality, language, the senses, embodiment, and culture. The study of religion is interdisciplinary, and students engage in social scientific, cultural, and historical interpretive methods, among others, to study a broad spectrum of the world’s religious traditions. Majoring in the study of religion 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. The study of religion at UCR develops in 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 Religious 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 cardiologist 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: https://spstudies.ucr.edu/

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, ethnicity, genocide, and issues of modern Jewish identity. For more information on the Endowed Chair, please visit the following website: http://jewishstudies.ucr.edu

Shrimad Rajchandra Endowed Chair in Jain Studies The Shrimad Rajchandra Endowed Chair in Jain Studies was made possible by generous donations from Dr. Jasvant Modi and Dr. Meera Modi, Mr. Mahesh Wadher and Mrs. Usha Wadher, Mr. Vijay Chheda and Mrs. Madhu Chheda, and other members of the Jain community of Southern California. Established in 2017, commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of the Jain spiritual teacher and reformer Shrimad Rajchandra, the Chair’s mission is to pursue critical scholarly research of Jainism and advance its study at UCR. Dr. Ana Bajželj was appointed to the Chair in 2018.

See Undergraduate Studies section.

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

Religious Studies Major

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 four courses from Traditions

and Regions and at least two courses from Themes

Traditions and Regions: RLST 104 Sikhism RLST 106 Buddhism RLST 108 Modern Hinduism RLST 109 New Religious Movements RLST 111 Islam RLST 114 Jainism: An Indian Religion

of Nonviolence RLST 123 Global Christianity and Mission RLST 126/ HIST 127 Israel: The Jewish State RLST 161/ GSST 158 Gender and Sexuality

in U.S. Religious History

Themes: RLST 101 Religions of India RLST 116 Religion and Violence RLST 127/ HISE 147 The Holocaust RLST 135A/ HIST 130A History of Christianity:

Origins to the Reformation RLST 135B/ HIST 130B History of Christianity:

Modern Era RLST 149/ SEAS 149 Southeast Asian Religions RLST 152 Religion and Oppression RLST 153 Religion and Social Justice RLST 159/ GSST 159 Queer Religiosities RLST 160 Religion, Gender

and Sexuality RLST 180 Saints and Gurus

• 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 combines 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 corresponding 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

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

Religious Studies requirements (48 units)

• 1. Lower-division requirements (12 units)

• a) RLST 005/RLST 005H

• b) RLST 012/RLST 012H/ETST 012/ETST 012H

or RLST 012W/ETST 012W

• c) One additional 4-unit course in RLST

• 2. Upper-division requirements (36 units)

• a) At least four courses from Traditions

and Regions and at least two courses from Themes

Traditions and Regions: RLST 104, RLST 106, RLST 108, RLST 109, RLST 111, RLST 114, RLST 123, RLST 126/ HIST 127, RLST 161/GSST 158 Themes: RLST 101, RLST 116, RLST 127/HISE 147, RLST 135A/HIST 130A, RLST 135B/HIST 130B, RLST 149/SEAS 149, RLST 152, RLST 153, RLST 159/GSST 159, RLST 160, RLST 180

• b) 1 additional upper-division course in RLST

• c) RLST 100 or RLST 102

• d) RLST 193

Administrative Studies requirements (37 units)

• 1. Lower-division requirements (17 units)

• a) BUS 010, BUS 020

• b) STAT 008 or equivalent (may be used to

satisfy breadth requirements

• c) CS 008 (may be used to satisfy breadth

requirements)

• 2. Upper-division requirements (20 units)

• a) Two courses (8 units) from the list below:

• (1) ECON 102 or ECON 103 or ECON 104A

or ECON 130 or ECON 162/BUS 162

• (2) PSYC 140 or PSYC 142

• (3) SOC 150 or SOC 151

• (4) POSC 181 or POSC 182E or POSC 182G

or POSC 183 or POSC 186

• (5) ANTH 127 or ANTH 127S or ANTH 131

These two courses must be outside the discipline of the relevant major and cannot be courses included as part of the three-course Business Administration track or their cross-listed equivalents.

• b) A three-course track (12 units) in Business

Administration courses, from one of the following:

• (1) Organizations (General): BUS 100W,

BUS 107, BUS 158/ANTH 105, BUS 176/ SOC 176, SOC 150, SOC 151

• (2) Human Resources Management/

Labor Relations: BUS 100W, BUS 107, BUS 121, BUS 144, BUS 145, BUS 153/ ECON 153, BUS 155, BUS 156, BUS 157, PSYC 142

• (3) Business and Society: BUS 100W,

BUS 102, BUS 107, PHIL 116, POSC 182E or POSC 182G, POSC 186

• (4) Marketing: BUS 103, and two from

BUS 111, BUS 112, BUS 113, BUS 114, BUS 115, BUS 116, BUS 117, BUS 118, BUS 119, BUS 124A, BUS 124B, BUS 126, BUS 151, BUS 152, BUS 159, BUS 164

• (5) Managerial Accounting/Taxation:

BUS 108, and two from BUS 166, BUS 168A, BUS 168B

• (6) Financial Accounting: BUS 108, BUS 165A, BUS 165B, BUS 165C, BUS 167

• (7) Finance: BUS 106/ECON 134 and two

from BUS 131, BUS 132, BUS 134, BUS 135, BUS 136, BUS 137, BUS 138, BUS 139, BUS 140E, BUS 141, BUS 147

• (8) Management Information Systems:

BUS 101, BUS 110, BUS 125, BUS 128, BUS 171, BUS 172, BUS 173, BUS 174, BUS 175, BUS 179

• (9) Production Management: BUS 104/

STAT 104, and two from BUS 105, BUS 122, BUS 127/STAT 127

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

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) At least two courses from Traditions

and Regions and at least one course from Themes

Traditions and Regions: RLST 104 Sikhism RLST 106 Buddhism RLST 108 Modern Hinduism RLST 109 New Religious Movements RLST 111 Islam RLST 114 Jainism: An Indian Religion

of Nonviolence RLST 123 Global Christianity

and Mission RLST 126/ HIST 127 Israel: The Jewish State RLST 161/ GSST 158 Gender and Sexuality

in U.S. Religious History Themes: RLST 101 Religions of India RLST 116 Religion and Violence RLST 127/ HISE 147 The Holocaust RLST 135A/ HIST 130A History of Christianity:

Origins to the Reformation RLST 135B/ HIST 130B History of Christianity:

Modern Era RLST 149/ SEAS 149 Southeast Asian Religions RLST 152 Religion and Oppression RLST 153 Religion and Social Justice RLST 159/ GSST 159 Queer Religiosities RLST 160/ GSST 160 Religion, Gender

and Sexuality RLST 180 Saints and Gurus

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

those courses approved for the Religious Studies 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.

Education Abroad Education Abroad is an excellent opportunity to 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 assistance. For further details, visit Education Abroad at ea.ucr.edu or call (951) 827-4113.

See Education Abroad in the Educational Opportunities section in the beginning of this catalog.

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

The graduate program in Religious Studies instructs students in the critical academic religious studies. The Ph.D. program focuses on preparing 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 demonstrate significant interest and background in the critical academic religious studiess and the appropriate scholarly approaches to religious studies. Applicants to the M.A. and Ph.D. programs must demonstrate scholarly acuity, as well as interest in the critical questions of the discipline of religious studies. Given the broader scope of the M.A. program, applicants to this degree program do not need to specify a particular field of study or concentration they wish to pursue in the program. Applicants to the Ph.D. program, however, should indicate in their applications the current direction of their interests with regard to a specific Ph.D. concentration and field of study.

The Department of Religious Studies offers two programs of study leading to the M.A. degree (Plan I and Plan II).

Course work All M.A. students must complete a minimum of 36 units for the degree, including specific course requirements as follows:

• 1. RLST 201: Thinking about Religion: Classic

Theories in the Religious Studies

• 2. RLST 202: Contemporary Theories and

Theorists in the Religious Studies

• 3. At least 16 additional units at the 200

level in Religious Studies. With approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, 200-level courses in related departments may also fulfill this requirement.

• 4. Professional development requirement:

All M.A. students are required to take three units of the Colloquium in Religious Studies and one unit of additional 400-level coursework in religious studies.

• 5. The remaining 12 units may be taken as

200-level courses, or as 100-level courses taken in conjunction with RLST 292: Concurrent Studies in Religious Studies. Any RLST course at these levels may fulfill this requirement, and with approval from the Director of Graduate Studies, courses at these levels in related departments may also fulfill this requirement.

Capstone: M.A. Plan I In addition to the coursework listed above, Plan I M.A. students must prepare a Master’s thesis of publication length (typically 25-30 pages) that presents original research and analysis relevant to the field of religious studies under the supervision of a thesis committee.

Capstone: M.A. Plan II In addition to the coursework listed above, Plan II M.A. students must successfully complete a final master’s project under the supervision of a master’s committee. Students have some flexibility in the nature of this project, which may take the form of a single, comprehensive written examination designed by the master’s committee in consultation with the student, or an applied project suitable for the student’s future career goals.

Students planning to complete the Ph.D. must complete the M.A. Plan I.

Language Requirement Students must demonstrate reading proficiency in a language other than English that is relevant to their interests in religious studies; the department must approve the choice of language prior to completion of the language requirement. If a language is primarily used in spoken form, then spoken proficiency must be demonstrated instead of written proficiency. If there is no clear choice of language for a student’s interests (e.g. in the case of a student whose interests lie primarily with theoretical approaches stemming from Anglophone theorists), then the student should select either French or German. This requirement can be fulfilled through a departmental examination of written and/or spoken proficiency, by passing a designated language course (e.g., FREN 009A, FREN 009B, GERM 002R), or by alternative certification (such as a diploma from a foreign language institute).

Normative Time to Degree 6 quarters.

Coursework The following courses are required for all Ph.D. students:

• 1. RLST 201: Thinking about Religion: Classic

Theories in the Study of Religion

• 2. RLST 202: Contemporary Theories and

Theorists in the Study of Religion

• 3. One of the following core courses, as

appropriate for the student’s chosen concentration:

• a. RLST 203: Hermeneutics and History

• b. RLST 204: Analytics of Power

• c. RLST 205: Transnational Religions

• 4. One course in research methods relevant

to the student’s area of interest. The following courses may fulfill this requirement:

• a. RLST 231: Ethnographic Methodology

• b. RLST 263: Historiography of Sikh

Hermeneutics

• c. With the approval of the Director of

Graduate Studies, methods courses in related departments at the 200-level (or the 100-level accompanied by 292: Concurrent Enrollment)

• 5. Professional development requirement Six

units of 400-level professional development courses in religious studies, including four units of Religious Studies colloquium and two other units from RLST 400 level courses of their choice.

Concentration Ph.D. students must select one of the following concentrations, and are expected both to take the associated core course and to focus aspects of their doctoral exams and their dissertation on this theme:

Hermeneutics and History

Analytics of Power

Transnational Religions

M.A. in Religious Studies degree for Ph.D. students Students entering the Ph.D. program without an M.A. in Religious Studies may apply for the M.A. degree after they have completed the requirements for the M.A. Plan I.

Sixth quarter review: All Ph.D. students will undergo a review of their performance in the program by the end of their sixth quarter. The review, conducted by the Graduate Program Committee in consultation with the faculty members whose areas of specialization most closely match those of the student, will be based on evaluation of a portfolio of writing compiled by the student in consultation with the faculty member(s) with whom the student has worked the most closely. The committee will make one of three recommendations: Proceed, Hold, or Terminate. Students receiving a recommendation of Hold may reapply once, within three quarters, to proceed in the program; those receiving a recommendation of Terminate who have not previously completed an M.A. in Religious Studies may continue enrolling for no more than three quarters to complete the requirements for the M.A. Plan I or the M.A. Plan II. Written and oral qualifying examinations Students must complete a round of qualifying written examinations, followed by an oral defense of those examinations, by the end of their third year and following the completion of all coursework. Students complete the three written examinations over a two- to three week period.

The topic and the content of each exam is determined by the student in consultation with the examination committee, and must be approved by that committee. After completing the written examinations, students undergo an oral examination by committee. The content of the oral examination is based on the written examination questions and answers.

Both the written and oral examination are composed, administered, and evaluated by a qualifying committee, nominated nine to twelve months before the exam by the student in consultation with the department faculty, and appointed by the graduate dean.

The oral qualifying exam can be taken in one of the following modes: in-person, remote, or hybrid. The student and their advisor will discuss which mode best suits the subject matter, with the advisor making the final determination. Students taking the exam in-person are expected to be present on campus with all committee members physically present. If hybrid is chosen, the student is expected to be present on campus for the exam in a video enabled room that supports some committee members being physically present and others remote. For a remote exam, all committee members and the student are expected to be in attendance remotely online.

Upon successful completion of the written and oral qualifying examinations, the student is recommended to the graduate dean for advancement to candidacy; at this time, the student also nominates a dissertation committee.

Language requirement Students must demonstrate reading proficiency in two languages other than English that are relevant to their interests in religious studies; the department must approve the choice of languages prior to completion of the language requirement. If a language is primarily used in spoken form, then spoken proficiency must be demonstrated instead of reading proficiency. If there is no clear choice of language for a student’s interests (e.g. in the case of a student whose interests lie primarily with theoretical approaches stemming from Anglophone theorists), then the student should select French and German. This requirement can be fulfilled through a departmental examination of written and/or spoken proficiency, by passing a designated language course (e.g., FREN 009A, FREN 009B, GERM 002R), or by alternative certification (such as a diploma from a foreign language institute). Dissertation and final defense Following advancement to candidacy, and working closely with the dissertation committee, doctoral candidates must prepare a dissertation prospectus for approval by that committee. Once all committee members have communicated their approval of the prospectus and all other relevant approvals (e.g., Institutional Review Board) have been obtained, the candidate should begin the process of researching and writing the dissertation, which should be prepared and presented as prescribed by the Graduate Division. When the dissertation is complete and all members of the dissertation committee are satisfied with the written work, the candidate must schedule a dissertation defense. The final defense can be taken in one of the following modes: in-person, remote, or hybrid. The student and their advisor will discuss which mode best suits the subject matter, with the advisor making the final determination. Students taking the exam in-person are expected to be present on campus with all committee members physically present. If hybrid is chosen, the student is expected to be present on campus for the exam in a video enabled room that supports some committee members being physically present and others remote. For a remote exam, all committee members and the student are expected to be in attendance remotely online. This final, public oral examination consists of a 45-minute keynote-style presentation of the dissertation research, followed by questions from the committee and the public audience.

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.

ENGL 100 (E-Z) Scriptures, Myths, and Interpretation 4 Lecture, 3 hours; extra reading, 3 hours. Prerequisite(s): restricted to class level standing of junior, or senior. 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.