Religious Studies, BA
Social and Behavioral Sciences Department
Program Overview
Religious Studies, BA
The B.A. in Religious Studies (120 credits) explores major global faith traditions and their impact on culture and ethics. This degree prepares you for careers in education, public policy, and non-profit work by strengthening your critical thinking and global analysis skills.
HEGIS Code: 1510.00
NYSED Program Code: 31989 – REL-BA
Major
Description
This four-year program is all about understanding why people believe what they believe. It’s not about training you to practice one specific religion; it’s about giving you the academic tools—like history, anthropology, and sociology—to study all religions objectively and respectfully.
What Will You Master?
You will gain a deep, critical understanding of diverse global belief systems, including:
- World Religions: You’ll study the major traditions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and indigenous faiths.
- Cultural Impact: You’ll examine how religious ideas influence politics, art, literature, social justice movements, and daily life around the world.
- Critical Analysis: You’ll learn to research, analyze texts, and write thoughtfully about highly sensitive and complex topics.
Why Is This Degree Career-Ready?
In today’s global workplace, understanding cultural and religious diversity is a massive advantage. This degree develops soft skills that are in high demand:
- Intercultural Communication: You’ll become highly sensitive and skilled at communicating with people from different backgrounds.
- Complex Problem Solving: You’ll be great at analyzing complex historical, ethical, and social issues.
- Research and Writing: You’ll learn to handle ancient texts, massive amounts of data, and articulate complex ideas clearly.
A BA in Religious Studies prepares you for careers in fields like law, government, non-profit work, journalism, education, and international relations. It’s a powerful path to becoming a thoughtful, engaged, and culturally aware leader!
Major
Requirements
As part of your degree, you must fulfill the CUNY Pathways general education requirements, which consist of the Common Core (Required and Flexible) and the Medgar Evers College Option. These courses provide the essential quantitative, scientific, and socio-cultural literacy that complements your technical training.
Required Core Courses
- Foundation/Core: PHIL 101 (Logic), PHIL 201 (Ethics), REL 101 (Intro to Religion), REL 102 (Survey), REL 111 & 112 (Comp. World Religions I & II)
- Upper-Level Core: REL 211 (Interfaith Movement), ANTH 201 (Culture), REL 312 (Sociology of Religion), REL 402 (Gender & Religion), REL 421 (Research Methods), REL 450 (African Traditional Religion)
- Capstone/Experience: REL 499 (Field Experience/Internship), REL 500 (Senior Seminar)
- Concentration: 12 Credits (Choose ONE track below)
- Departmental Electives: 18 Credits (Choose from REL 301, 340, 342, 490; PHIL 211, 212; ECON 302, etc.)
- Free Electives: 3 Credits (Any course not used to meet other requirements)
Note: You must maintain a minimum grade of C in all major core courses and achieve a 2.0 GPA for graduation.
Concentration Tracks
- Philosophy & Religion: PHIL 301 (Black Philosophical Thought), PHIL 330 (Philosophy of Religion), REL 321 (Buddhism/Hinduism), REL 322 (Contemporary Issues)
- Religion & Social Justice: REL 333 (Peace Education), REL 351 (Religious Ethics), REL 371 (Caribbean Religions), REL 410 (Role of the Church in the Black Community)
Degree Map
To help you stay on track and graduate on time, Medgar Evers College has developed four-year degree maps for all its majors. These guides are designed to help you plan your studies efficiently and make the most of your academic journey.
Have Questions? We’re Here to Help
If you have questions regarding the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences or need assistance navigating the application process, please reach out to our department office.
Chairperson: David Orenstein | dorenstein@mec.cuny.edu
Phone: 718 270-4863 Fax: 718 270-4828
Location: 1650 Bedford Avenue, B-1032 D