Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Religion | ||
| Problem of God | ||
| One God: Judaism, Christianity, Islam | ||
| Asian Religions: Transforming the Self | ||
| Religion and Health Care Courses | ||
| Choose 4 of the following: 1 | 12 | |
| Religion and Moral Choices | ||
| Religion and Medicine: Health Care as Spiritual Practice | ||
| Religion and Human Sexuality | ||
| Death and Dying | ||
| Religion and Science | ||
| Religion and the Problem of Evil | ||
| Religion and Bioethics | ||
| Spiritual Healing in the Americas from Controversy to Cure | ||
| Ethics and Genetics | ||
| Ancient Medicine | ||
| Medicine and Society: From the Ancient World to the 21st Century | ||
| Select 6 REL Elective Credits | 6 | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| Written Communication Skills: | ||
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| ENG 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture | 3 |
| or WRS 106 | First-Year Writing II | |
| Quantitative Skills: | ||
| MTH 108 | Precalculus Mathematics II (fulfills Quantitative Skills Requirement) | 3 |
| Areas of Knowledge: | ||
| Arts and Humanities Cognate | 9 | |
| People & Society Cognate (9 credits) (fulfilled through the major) | ||
| STEM Cognate | 9 | |
| Additional Required Courses | ||
| REL 399 | Method and Theory in the Study of Religion | 3 |
| Language Requirement | 3 | |
| Minor | 15 | |
| Electives | 51 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
- *
- A major in Religion and Health Care leading toward the B.A. degree requires 24 credit hours in Religious Studies, passed with a grade of C- or higher, and a GPA in the major of 2.0.
- A minimum of 12 credit hours in courses numbered 300 or above is required.
- Transfer students who major in Religion and Health Care must complete at least 12 credit hours in department offered courses numbered 300 or above in residence at the Coral Gables campus.
- **
Writing credit (W) in at least one course in the department
- ***
To ensure that majors devise a coherent plan of study, the department requires consultation with the department undergraduate advisor.
Suggested Plan of Study
This plan of study includes:
- A minor in Chemistry
- Spanish language requirement
- Cognates: People and Society: Living on a Finite Planet, STEM: Data Structures, Algorithms and Techniques
- Pre-Med Track
| Year One | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credit Hours | |
| REL 105 | Asian Religions: Transforming the Self | 3 |
| BIL 150 | General Biology | 4 |
| BIL 151 | General Biology Laboratory | 1 |
| SPA 201 | Intermediate Spanish I | 3 |
| WRS 105 | First-Year Writing I | 3 |
| UMX 100 | The University of Miami Experience | 0 |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 151 | Religion and Moral Choices | 3 |
| ENG 106 or WRS 106 | Writing About Literature and Culture or First-Year Writing II | 3 |
| BIL 160 | Evolution and Biodiversity | 4 |
| BIL 161 | Evolution and Biodiversity Laboratory | 1 |
| SPA 202 | Intermediate Spanish II | 3 |
| MTH 161 | Calculus I | 4 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Year Two | ||
| Fall | ||
| REL 161 | Religion and Medicine: Health Care as Spiritual Practice | 3 |
| CHM 113 | Chemistry Laboratory I | 1 |
| CHM 121 | Principles of Chemistry | 4 |
| MTH 162 | Calculus II | 4 |
| SPA 203 | Advanced Spanish | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 354 | Religion and the Problem of Evil | 3 |
| ECS 111 | Introduction to the Earth's Ecosystem | 3 |
| CHM 221 | Introduction to Structure and Dynamics | 4 |
| SPA 310 | Topics in Spanish and Spanish American Studies in Translation | 3 |
| CSC 120 | Computer Programming I | 4 |
| CHM 205 | Chemical Dynamics Laboratory | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 18 | |
| Year Three | ||
| Fall | ||
| REL 360 | Religion and Bioethics | 3 |
| POL 322 | Environmental Politics and Policy | 3 |
| PHY 101 | College Physics I | 4 |
| PHY 106 | College Physics Laboratory I | 1 |
| CHM 222 | Organic Reactions and Synthesis | 4 |
| CHM 206 | Organic Reactions and Synthesis Laboratory | 2 |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| BIL 250 | Genetics | 3 |
| CSC 322 | System Programming | 3 |
| CSC 220 | Computer Programming II | 4 |
| PHY 102 | College Physics II | 4 |
| PHY 108 | College Physics Laboratory II | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Year Four | ||
| Fall | ||
| REL 451 | Ethics and Genetics | 3 |
| REL 499 | 3 | |
| BMB 401 | Biochemistry for the Biomedical Sciences | 4 |
| SOC 101 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| REL 351 | Death and Dying | 3 |
| ECS 310 | Sustainable Living | 3 |
| SOC 384 | Medical Sociology | 3 |
| SPA 322 | Cultural Topics | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 122 | |
Mission
Religion is one fundamental way humans order and discern meaning and frame identity, both collective and individual. In the study of religion, students learn what religion is; how religion both shapes and reflects culture, society, politics, and individual experience; and the multiple ways religion matters and has mattered locally and globally, from antiquity to the present. Through the examination of varied disciplinary approaches and exposure to concrete diverse cultural expressions of religion, the department fosters students’ broad and deep apprehension of religion’s place(s) in human experience.
Goals
The department’s educational work aims to strengthen students’ capacities to read carefully, question critically, communicate knowledge effectively, and apply their learning in civic engagement.
Student Learning Outcomes
- Students will attain a grasp of the basic theories and methodologies of the discipline of religious studies.
- Students will acquire broad knowledge of the role that religions play in human life and society as well as deeper knowledge in the specific area of Religion and Health Care.
- Students will develop the ability to communicate their understanding of the phenomenon of religion clearly in writing.
