WELCOME FROM RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM DIRECTOR, CHARLES KIMBALL:

Religion is a major force around the world and one of the few universals of human culture. The importance of understanding its historical, social, political, intellectual, and artistic influence is self-evident. The Religious Studies Program at OU provides undergraduate students with a broad curriculum of study on the diverse expressions of religion. Students learn both about major religious traditions and the different approaches to understanding religion.  The program, which draws courses from approximately thirty faculty members in a dozen departments, is interdisciplinary, comparative, and global in scope.  In this website we provide information about degree requirements, course offerings, faculty, scholarships, special events, and student functions.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM MISSION STATEMENT:

Religious Studies is an interdisciplinary field devoted to the academic study of religion. The mission of OU's Religious Studies Program is educational, to equip students with the knowledge they need to function in the global environment of the 21st Century. The Program -- whether in its curriculum or community outreach activities -- teaches about religion in its diverse manifestations. The centerpiece of the program is a curriculum that enables undergraduate students to major or minor in Religious Studies. That curriculum involves a two-pronged academic exploration of 1) different religious traditions (e.g., Native American, African, and other indigenous traditions, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Baha'i, etc.); and 2) different approaches to the study of religion (historical, social, political, intellectual, philosophical, scientific, literary, and artistic). The curriculum helps prepare students for a variety of careers in religious vocations and academia, but it will also help future journalists, teachers, lawyers, doctors, and business leaders operate in the complex religious milieus of the coming decades. More broadly, by providing a greater understanding of religion in its pluralistic expressions the Program will promote a more informed citizenry. See "Religious Studies Revival," Newsweek Education, September 20, 2010.

OUR CURRICULUM:

The study of religion at OU is not intended to promote or critique any particular religious faith. Nor does it seek to encourage or discourage religious practice or expression. Rather, the curriculum is designed to provide both breadth and depth in understanding religious phenomena. Students first complete two introductory courses, and then choose three religious traditions from three distinct cultures and perform a comparative study, using principles and skills learned in the introductory courses. As specific requirements are met, the large number of additional offerings in Groups III and IV enable students to use elective courses to specialize in a particular tradition or approach. After fulfilling basic requirements, for example, a student might focus on a specific tradition, such as Asian religion, or on certain questions in religious studies, such as the relationship of religion to politics, literature, art, or society. The final group, Capstone, brings together all that the student has learned in methodologies, theories, and approaches in a seminar format, leading to a significant research paper. The requirements of the Program provide both a broad overview of the study of religion and the opportunity to build depth in one of its many areas, and the Program blends structure and flexibility.

RELIGIOUS STUDIES PROGRAM FACULTY AND STAFF: