Undergraduate - UnitATS1041 - World religions

This unit entry is for students who completed this unit in 2013 only. For students planning to study the unit, please refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your course or area of study.

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6 points, SCA Band 1, 0.125 EFTSL

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Level	Undergraduate
Faculty	Faculty of Arts
Organisational Unit	School of Philosophical, Historical and International Studies
Offered	Caulfield First semester 2013 (Day) Clayton First semester 2013 (Day)
Coordinator(s)	Professor Constant Mews, Dr Tamara Prosic and Assoc. Prof. Mark Baker

Synopsis

This unit introduces students to the history, core teachings and central practices of many of the world's religions: indigenous Australian traditions, Indian religions (Hinduism, Sikhism), Buddhism, Chinese and Japanese religions (Taoism, Confucianism, Shintoism), Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and new religious movements.

The unit looks at religions as dynamic, ongoing forces that given meaning and direction to human lives, and that shape the collective experience of human beings in diverse socio-historical settings.

The unit does not aim to make judgments about what is right and wrong, but rather sets out to aid the development of knowledge and understanding of the broad sweep of religious traditions.

Outcomes

This unit contributes to the making of responsible and effective global citizens who
1. engage in an internationalised world,
2. exhibit cross-cultural competence, and
3. demonstrate ethical values. (Cf. Monash Graduate Attributes). Having a basic grasp of the world's religions is part of cross-cultural competence (and is a basic requirement for responsible and effective global citizens). And the development of tolerance of diverse religious beliefs is a basic component of ethical maturity.
Students who have completed this unit will have a deeper understanding of the history, core teachings and central practices of a wide range of religious traditions. They will be able to identify distinguishing features of these various religious traditions, and to compare points of similarity and difference among them.
Students who have completed this unit will also have an enhanced ability to critically analyse and evaluate the concepts employed in, and the doctrines accepted by, the world's religions, as well as to put forward ideas and arguments of their own in a clear and coherent way. ("Monash Graduates will be critical and creative scholars who apply research skills to a range of challenges, and communicate perceptively and effectively.")