B.A. in Religious Studies
(formerly Comparative Religion - CPRL)
Click this link for the Religious Studies Major Advisement Worksheet 
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies (the official name of the major at all Cal State campuses) consists of 36 units. All courses listed below are three (3) units each.
The degree can be completed via fully face-to-face classes and also through a combination of face-to-face classes and online classes. The department has four (4) main graduation categories (requirements) that students must fulfill (36 units), in addition to the university and other elective requirements (84 units). 120 units are required for graduation in the university. Below are the department four categories:
1. Introduction, Methods and Texts (12 units)
RLST 100 - Introduction to the Study of Religion (3) or
RLST 105 - Religion and the Quest for Meaning (3) or
RLST 110 - Religions of the World (3)
RLST 300 - Methods of Studying Religion (3) and
RLST 485T - Major Religious Thinkers and Concepts (3)
RLST 330T - Hebrew Scriptural Studies (3) or
RLST 332 - Islamic Scriptural Studies (3) or
2. Religious Traditions 1: Judaism, Christianity, Islam (9 units)
Lower-Division Requirement (3 units)
RLST 200 - Introduction to Christianity (3)
RLST 201 - Introduction to the New Testament (3)
RLST 210 - Introduction to Judaism (3)
RLST 250 - Introduction to Islam (3)
Upper-Division Requirement (6 units)
HIST 412A - History of the Christian Church to the Reformation (1517) (3)
HIST 412B - History of the Christian Church from the Reformation to the Present (3)
HIST 435A - The Holocaust (3)
HIST 466A - Islamic Civilization: Arab Era (3)
HIST 466B - Islamic Civilization: Imperial Age (3)
RLST 351 - History and Development of Early Christian Thought (3)
RLST 352 - History and Development of Modern Christian Thought (3)
RLST 361 - History and Development of Jewish Thought: Biblical and Rabbinical Eras (3)
RLST 362 - History and Development of Jewish Thought: Medieval and Modern Eras (3)
RLST 371 - History and Development of Islamic Thought: The Beginning to 1258 (3)
RLST 372 - History and Development of Islamic Thought: 1259 to Modern Times (3)
3. Religious Traditions 2: Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism (9 units)
Lower-Division Requirement (3 units)
RLST 270T - Introduction to the Asian Religions (3)
RLST 280 - Introduction to Buddhism (3)
Upper-Division Requirement (6 units)
PHIL 350 - Asian Philosophy (3)
RLST 307 - Non-violence, Animal Rights and Diet in Jainism (3)
RLST 341 - Hindu Tradition to 400 B.C.E. (3)
RLST 342 - Hindu Tradition from 400 B.C.E. (3)
4. Religion, Culture and Experience (6 units)
RLST 305 - Anthropology of Religion (3)
RLST 306 - Contemporary Practices of the World’s Religions (3)
RLST 311 - Religion and Film (3)
RLST 312 - The Bible as Literature (3)
RLST 321 - Psychology of Religion (3)
RLST 325 - African American Religions and Spirituality (3)
RLST 333 - Religion and Sexuality (3)
RLST 367 - Religion in Latino/a Life (3)
RLST 370 - New Religious Movements in the U.S.A. (3)
RLST 373 - Women in Islam (3)
RLST 374 - Issues in Contemporary Islam (3)
RLST 375 - Conceptions of the Afterlife (3)
RLST 380 - Religion and Violence (3)
RLST 381 - Religion and Politics in the United States (3)
RLST 400 - Religion, the Media, and Contemporary Culture (3)
WRITING REQUIREMENT:
The course requirement of the university upper-division baccalaureate writing course is met through RLST 300 (or when RLST 300 is not available, through ENGL 301).
Graduation Requirement (3 units)
HONR 201B - Honors Seminar: American Institutions and Values since 1900 (3)
POSC 100 - American Government (3)
Total (120 units)
DOUBLE MAJOR
Because the major consists of 36 units of course work (less than some other majors), it may be possible to add a second major, for example, Communications, History, Philosophy, Psychology, or English. Such double majors may improve a student's job preparation or background for graduate studies.
