Religion and Cultural Studies is a B.A. program designed to familiarize students with religious traditions around the world, from ancient through contemporary cultures, as well as to introduce students to critical theories and methods through which to view and analyze the category of religion and its associated concepts, practices, and meanings in all areas of life. The program emphasizes the academic study of religion and does not privilege any particular tradition or belief.
Religion and Cultural Studies (B.A.) may be completed fully online, although not all elective options or program prerequisites may be offered online. Newly admitted students choosing to complete this program exclusively via UCF online classes may enroll with a reduction in campus-based fees.
Admission Requirements
Degree Requirements
- Students who change degree programs and select this major must adopt the most current catalog.
- Co-op or internship credit cannot be used in this major without prior approval by the chair.
- Students must earn at least a “C” (2.0) in each required course.
- Students should consult with a departmental advisor.
- Departmental Residency Requirement consists of at least 18 semester hours of regularly scheduled 3000-4000 level courses taken from the UCF Philosophy Department.
- Courses designated in General Education Program and Common Program Prerequisites are usually completed in the first 60 hours.
- No more than 3 courses (i.e. 9 credit hours) of 3000 or 4000 level courses applied to the B.A. in Religion and Cultural Studies may be simultaneously applied to fulfill another major.
General Education Program (GEP) (36 Credit Hours)
Communication Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
Cultural & Historical Foundations (9 Credit Hours)
- REL 2300 - World Religions Credit Hours: 3 (Required)
Select One: (3 Credit Hours)
- PHI 2010 - Introduction to Philosophy Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 2020 - Encountering the Humanities Credit Hours: 3
Select One: (3 Credit Hours)
- HUM 2210 - Humanistic Tradition I Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 2230 - Humanistic Tradition II Credit Hours: 3
Mathematical Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Math (6 Credit Hours)
- MGF 1106 - Finite Mathematics Credit Hours: 3 (Suggested) or
- MGF 1107 - Explorations in Mathematics Credit Hours: 3 (Suggested) or
- You may substitute a higher level math with appropriate scores on the Math Placement Exam.
Statistics - Computers: (3 Credit Hours)
- Select a course from Mathematical Foundation, Area 2 list Credit Hours: 3
Social Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
- AMH 2020 - U.S. History: 1877-Present Credit Hours: 3 (Suggested)
Science Foundations (6 Credit Hours)
Common Program Prerequisites (CPP)
Core Requirements: Basic Level (3 Credit Hours)
- REL 2300 - World Religions Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
Select One: (3 Credit Hours)
- PHI 2010 - Introduction to Philosophy Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
- HUM 2020 - Encountering the Humanities Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
Select One: (3 Credit Hours)
- HUM 2210 - Humanistic Tradition I Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
- HUM 2230 - Humanistic Tradition II Credit Hours: 3 (GEP)
Studying Religion and Culture (3 Credit Hours)
- REL 2000 - Introduction to Religion and Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
Core Requirements: Advanced Level (27 Credit Hours)
Traditions (12 Credit Hours)
- Must select at least one course in each category from the Philosophy Department
Abrahamic Traditions (3 Credit Hours)
- REL 3403 - Christianity Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3363 - Islam Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3320 - Moses, Jesus and Muhammad Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3432 - Mysticism Credit Hours: 3
- JST 3401 - Jewish People in Antiquity Credit Hours: 3
Asian and Indigenous Traditions (3 Credit Hours)
- REL 3340 - Buddhism Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3333 - Hinduism Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3123 - Asian Religions in America Credit Hours: 3
- ANT 3245 - Native American Religions Credit Hours: 3
Theories and Methods (6 Credit Hours)
- Must select one in each category
Religion (3 Credit Hours)
- REL 4157 - Religion and Psychoanalysis Credit Hours: 3
- PHI 3700 - Philosophy of Religion Credit Hours: 3
- PHI 3720 - Faith and Reason Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4936 - Key Figures in Religion and Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4496 - Key Concepts in Religion and Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
Cultural Studies (3 Credit Hours)
- HUM 3805 - Critical Theory in the Humanities Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 3326 - Theories of Sex and Gender in Humanities Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 4459 - American Cultural Studies in Humanities Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 4823 - Queer Theory in the Humanities Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 4826 - Postcolonial Theory Credit Hours: 3
- PHH 3600 - Contemporary Philosophy Credit Hours: 3
- PHI 4804 - Critical Theory Credit Hours: 3
Religion in Culture (9 Credit Hours)
Must select three from the following with at least one from the Philosophy Department:
- REL 3101 - Religion in Popular Culture Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3111 - Religion and Philosophy Through Film Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3115 - Religion, Spirituality, and Popular Music Credit Hours: 3
- REL 3130 - Religion in America Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4110 - Religion and the Arts Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4180 - Religion and Medicine Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4178 - Religion and Law Credit Hours: 3
- PHI 3033 - Philosophy, Religion, and the Environment Credit Hours: 3
- ANT 3241 - Magic, Ritual, and Belief Credit Hours: 3
- POT 4632 - Religion and Politics Credit Hours: 3
- SYO 4200 - Religion in Society Credit Hours: 3
Restricted Electives (3 Credit Hours)
- Any course from Traditions, Theories and Methods, or Religion in Culture not being used to satisfy those categories can be used here.
- Note: Related courses may be substituted with consent of Religion and Cultural Studies advisor.
- A list of approved restricted elective courses is found in the myKnight audit.
Capstone Requirements
- REL 4910 - Senior Research Seminar Credit Hours: 3
Electives
- Select primarily from upper level courses after meeting with a departmental advisor. Courses may be outside the department.
Foreign Language Requirements
Admissions
- Met by graduation requirement
Graduation
- Proficiency equivalent to one year of college instruction in a foreign language taught by the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures or the Department of History (Hebrew). Standardized examinations for foreign languages may be used to meet the requirement. Majors who are contemplating graduate school should complete two years of a foreign language, preferably one functional in their area of proposed graduate interest.
Additional Requirements
- Signature Experience requirement is met by successful completion of the following course(s):
- REL 4910 - Senior Research Seminar Credit Hours: 3
Required Minors
Departmental Exit Requirements
- Earn a “C” (2.0) or better in each required course.
- To avoid delaying graduation, you must request a review of requirements prior to registering for your last term.
University Minimum Exit Requirements
- A 2.0 UCF GPA
- 48 semester hours of upper division credit completed
- 60 semester hours earned after CLEP awarded
- 30 of the last 39 hours of course work must be completed in residency at UCF.
- A maximum of 45 hours of extension, correspondence, CLEP, Credit by Exam, and Armed Forces credits permitted.
- Complete the General Education Program, the Gordon Rule, and nine hours of Summer credit.
Total Undergraduate Credit Hours Required: 120
Honors In Major
- Students considering graduate school in Religion and Cultural Studies are strongly encouraged to take Honors in the Major.
- Requirements are as follows:
Core, Elective Requirements, and Senior Seminar (36 Credit Hours)
- Same requirement as for regular majors
Honors Thesis (6 Credit Hours)
- REL 4903H - Honors Directed Readings I Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4970H - Undergraduate Honors Thesis Credit Hours: 3
Additional Information
Additional Requirements
- Application and admission through the Humanities Honors Coordinator and the Burnett Honors College.
- Fulfill University requirements for Honors in the Major.
- Maintain a UCF GPA of at least 3.2 and a Religion and Cultural Studies GPA of at least 3.5.
- Successful completion and oral defense of Honors Thesis.
- Earn a “B” (3.0) or better in both of the following:
- REL 4903H - Honors Directed Readings I Credit Hours: 3
- REL 4970H - Undergraduate Honors Thesis Credit Hours: 3
Related Programs
- Interdisciplinary Studies (B.A./B.S.)
- Philosophy (B.A.)
- Humanities and Cultural Studies (B.A.)
Certificates
Related Minors
- Humanities and Cultural Studies Minor
- Judaic Studies Minor
- Philosophy Minor
Advising Notes
Transfer Notes
- Lower division courses do not substitute for upper division courses.
- Courses transferred from private and out-of-state schools must be evaluated for equivalency credit. The student must provide all supporting information.
Acceptable Substitutes for Transfer Courses
Program Academic Learning Compacts
- Program Academic Learning Compacts (student learning outcomes) for undergraduate programs are located at: http://www.oeas.ucf.edu/alc/academic_learning_compacts.htm
Plan of Study
Freshman Year - Fall (16 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1101 - Composition I Credit Hours: 3
- REL 2300 - World Religions Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 2210 or HUM 2230 Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- Foreign Language Elementary I Credit Hours: 4
Freshman Year - Spring (16 Credit Hours)
- ENC 1102 - Composition II Credit Hours: 3
- HUM 2020 or PHI 2010 Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- Foreign Language Elementary II Credit Hours: 4
Sophomore Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- REL 2000 - Introduction to Religion and Cultural Studies Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
Sophomore Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- GEP Credit Hours: 3
- Abrahamic Traditions Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- Asian & Indigenous Traditions Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Theories & Methods Religion Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Religion in Culture Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
Junior Year - Spring (15 Credit Hours)
- Additional Traditions Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Threories & Methods Cultural Studies Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Upper Level Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Upper Level Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Fall (15 Credit Hours)
- Additional Traditions Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Religion in Culture Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Religion & Cultural Studies Restricted Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Upper Level Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Upper Level Elective Credit Hours: 3
Senior Year - Spring (13 Credit Hours)
- REL 4910 - Senior Research Seminar Credit Hours: 3
- Religion in Culture Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Upper Level Elective Credit Hours: 3
- Elective Credit Hours: 4
