Mar 20, 2026  
[DRAFT] Course Catalog 2026-2027 
    
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[DRAFT] Course Catalog 2026-2027 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Religion Major

The major consists of a minimum of 9 full courses (or the equivalent).

Note: Students must earn minimum grades of C- or P for all courses that apply toward the major.

arrow View the catalog page for the religion department.  

The religion department curriculum embodies the balanced breadth and depth of a multidisciplinary liberal arts education. As such, the flexible pathways through the religion major complement well a variety of other disciplinary pursuits. The transferable skills and knowledge gained through the religion major prepare students for a range of career and educational pursuits, including law, medicine, environmental advocacy, and publishing industries.

Summary of Requirements

Note(s) on Requirements

  • At least one elective course must be above the 100-level.
  • RELG 401  must be taken at Oberlin.
  • In consultation with a major advisor and with approval from the department chair, up to two courses from outside the department may count toward the major.
    • Examples include courses engaging religion from other disciplinary perspectives, language courses related to study within the major, courses topically or methodologically related to study within the major, and study away courses.

Transfer of Credit Toward the Major

The religion department will accept up to the equivalent of two full courses of transfer credit to count toward the religion major requirements. Two types of approval are needed. (1) Approval from the Office of the Registrar that the transfer course meets Oberlin’s transfer-of-credit eligibility standards and (2) approval from the department/program chair that the course(s) may count to the major. Current students taking post-matriculation credit must secure this approval before registering for course(s). Students who enter Oberlin as transfer students will have their pre-matriculation credit evaluated by the Office of the Registrar for elective credit, and they can later seek approval from the department/program for applying coursework to major requirements.

Detailed Major Requirements

Religion Major Course Lists

200-Level Religion Distribution Courses

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Majors must complete at least one 200-level course from each of the three categories below, and at least two courses from one category.

Note: Courses cannot be counted toward multiple categories.

Arts, Literature, and Performance

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Courses within this category study religious traditions in relation to various media and performative traditions, past and present, including literature, the performing and visual arts, music, and film.

Ethics and Society

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The exploration of religion(s) in relationship to broad and overlapping social issues including gender, race, health, the environment, and nationalism. This includes considerations of cultural, theological, and ethical values that help to shape societies, past and present.

Texts and Contexts

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Courses within this category study religious traditions past and present in relationship to their historical and cultural contexts. This includes critical analysis of material-cultural artifacts and religious texts as well as their reception over time and in different social contexts.

300-Level Advanced Seminar Courses

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Religion Major Elective Courses

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Note: At least one elective course must be above the 100-level.

Capstone Requirement

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Majors must complete RELG 401  (offered every fall semester) and they may elect to continue their capstone project in RELG 402  (offered every spring semester).

Note: RELG 401  must be taken at Oberlin.