Religious Studies Associate in Arts Degree
Division: Humanities
PROGRAM CODE: 1A45156
The Religious Studies Associate of Arts Degree is designed for those who want a humanities undergraduate background focusing on religion as a preparation for further study in such fields as education, law, social work, counseling and government service; wish to pursue further studies in religion with the aim of teaching and/or doing research in the subject, or are considering a career in various religious ministries or in religious education. Religious Studies examines Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam and other less familiar traditions. Studying religious traditions develops habits of mind that are very important for life in our multicultural society. Familiarity with the world’s religions is necessary for an understanding of church-state issues in America and of geo-political conflicts in South Asia, the Middle East and elsewhere. To earn a Religious Studies Associate in Arts students must complete: (1) all major course requirements with a grade of C or better; (2) Cypress College Local General Education requirements or the California General Education Transfer Curriculum (Cal-GETC) requirements; (3) any elective courses to complete a minimum of 60 units; and, (4) have a minimum GPA of 2.0. At least 50% of all major course work must be completed at Cypress College. This degree requires 18 units in the major in addition to other graduation requirements.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses (9 units): | ||
| PHIL 101 C | Intro to Religious Studies | 3 |
| or PHIL 101HC | Honors Introduction to Religious Studies | |
| PHIL 105 C | World Religions | 3 |
| PHIL 225 C | The American Religious Experience | 3 |
| or PHIL 110 C | Religions of the East | |
| or PHIL 120 C | Religions of the West | |
| or PHIL 240 C | Jesus and His Interpreters | |
| Select three courses from the list below that have not already been taken, from the required list. (9 units): | 9 | |
| Magic Witchcraft and Religion | 3 | |
| World Civilizations I | 3 | |
or HIST 112HC | Honors World Civilizations I | |
| Introduction to Philosophy | 3 | |
or PHIL 100HC | Honors Introduction to Philosophy | |
| Religions of the East | 3 | |
| Religions of the West | 3 | |
| Introduction to Ethics | 3 | |
| Philosophy of Religion | 3 | |
| Jesus and His Interpreters | 3 | |
| Total Units | 18 | |
Program Student Learning Outcomes:
Outcome 1: Compare, contrast, and assess at least two methodological approaches utilized in the academic study of religion, including the methods and theories of religious studies scholarship, in order to cultivate an objective understanding of the world's religious traditions.
Outcome 2: Compare and contrast at least two of the major religious traditions, focusing on an ethical aspect and on an aspect of practice, in order to demonstrate the ability to synthesize knowledge of world religious traditions.
Outcome 3: Identify, explain, and evaluate at least two aspects of the worldviews held by two of the major Asian traditions through critical analysis of topics introduced in courses, in order to cultivate objective knowledge of diverse Asian religious traditions.
Outcome 4: Identify and evaluate at least two major theological issues dividing Protestantism, Roman Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy in order to reflect on the historical, social, and cultural contexts out of which the global diversity of Christianity emerges.
https://www.curricunet.com/Cypress/reports/program_report.cfm?programs_id=1724