Religious Studies

Associate Professor Erin Runions, department chair
Intercollegiate Coordinating Committee: Professors Dyson (HM), Gilbert (CM), Jacobs (SC), Johnson (PZ), Runions

Professors: Davis (CM), Jacobs (SC), Kassam, Parker (PZ)
Associate Professors: Eisenstadt³, Espinosa (CM), Gilbert (CM), C.Johnson (PZ), Ng, Runions, Smith
Assistant Professors: Alwishah (PZ), Chung-Kim (CM), Dyson (HM), Michon (CM)
Vicki Hirales, academic coordinator

The Religious Studies Major is a cooperative program offered jointly by Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, Pitzer and Scripps colleges. The program of study is designed to serve both as one focus of a liberal arts education and as a foundation for students planning to pursue the study of religion beyond the baccalaureate degree. Students may enroll in religious studies courses offered at any of the undergraduate colleges and advanced students may, with permission, enroll in master’s-level courses in their area of specialization at Claremont Graduate University.

All students who decide to major/minor in religious studies should obtain a member of the religious studies department as advisor and plan their courses of study in consultation with their advisor.

While offering a broadly based and inclusive program in the study of religion for all liberal arts students, the Religious Studies Major affords the opportunity for more specialized work at the intermediate and advanced levels in, for example, particular historic religious traditions, geographical areas, philosophical and critical approaches and thematic and comparative studies. Students may choose such concentrations in consultation with their religious studies advisor.

The Department of Religious Studies recognizes the importance and legitimacy of personal involvement in the study of religion, but it does not represent or advocate any particular religion as normative. Rather, the aim is to make possible an informed knowledge and awareness of the fundamental importance of the religious dimension in all human societies—globally and historically. In addition to preparing students for graduate study in religion, the multidisciplinary nature of the major affords students intellectual training to enter a variety of fields and careers. Recent graduates are, for example, in schools of law, medicine and business. Others have careers in management, journalism and the media, college administration, primary and secondary education, government and health and social services.

The Religious Studies Major consists of 10 courses, as detailed below. Concentrations, worked out in consultation with the student’s advisor, may consist of religious traditions (e.g. Asian, Western, Judaism), theme (e.g. philosophy of religion and ethics, gender and women’s studies), historical period (e.g. religion in the contemporary period), geographical area (e.g. Middle Eastern studies, religion in the Americas), etc.

An interdisciplinary major in gender & women’s studies (GWS) and religious studies is also offered (see GWS  section of this catalog).

Language study appropriate to the specialized field and a period of study abroad when possible are strongly encouraged.

Concentrations. The following concentrations are offered by way of example to religious studies students. Abbreviations used in the course listings are indicated in parentheses.

Historical religious traditions I, Asian (HRT I)
Historical religious traditions II, Western (HRT II)
Philosophy of religion, theology and ethics (PRT)
Contemporary and women’s studies in religion (CWS)
Middle Eastern studies (MES) 

Theta Alpha Kappa

Pomona College is a member of The Claremont Colleges’ chapter of Theta Alpha Kappa, a national honorary religious studies society. Students are elected to membership on the basis of academic standing and regulations for eligibility established by the chapter and the national society. For further information, contact Professor Kassam.

• Religious Studies Major
   
• Religious Studies Minor
   
• Religious Studies Courses
     

Read more about our learning objectives:
www.pomona.edu/administration/academic-dean/learning-objectives