religious-studies/ug-arts-religious-studies

aos

18 September 2017 19 April 2024

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Students who commenced study in 2016 should refer to this area of study entry for direction on the requirments; to check which units are currently available for enrolment, refer to the unit indexes in the the current edition of the Handbook. If you have any queries contact the managing faculty for your area of study.

Monash University

Undergraduate
Minor/Major

Commencement year

This area of study entry applies to students commencing this course in 2016 and should be read in conjunction with the relevant course entry in the Handbook.

Any units listed for this area of study relate only to the 'Requirements' outlined in the Faculty of Arts component of any bachelors double degrees.

Unit codes that are not linked to their entry in the Handbook are not available for study in the current year.

Managing faculty

Faculty of Arts

Offered by

Centre for Religious Studies

Coordinator

Dr Scott Dunbar

Websites

Faculty of Arts

Centre for Religious Studies

Location

Clayton

All human cultures reflect on the meaning of life through myth, symbol and abstract reflection. Studying the religions and theologies of different cultures, within a variety of historical contexts, is both an important intellectual exercise and a fascinating process that provokes many questions about the past, the present and the future. The Religious studies program is devoted to the critical study of a wide range of religious traditions, as interpreted both in the past and in the contemporary world. It is also concerned with thinking about the ways in which specific religious traditions engage in intellectual reflection on a wide range of specific issues, such as the nature of God, ethics, social issues, gender, the environment and the meaning of life.

You can choose from a great range of topics related to religion, spirituality, belief and non-belief. You will be exposed to the history, core teachings and central practices of many of the world's religions. Topics investigated may include religion in relation to colonisation, environmental degradation, gender and sexuality and religious responses to modernity.

In the Arts faculty, we strongly encourage students to engage in international study and broaden their view of the world. Religious studies subjects can be taken as part of a study overseas or exchange experience, or in intensive mode between semesters at our Prato Centre in Italy - where students can immerse themselves first-hand in the unit Dante's medieval world: politics, religion and the city.

Students interested in Religious studies may want to explore other complementary areas of study in the Arts faculty, such as Ancient cultures, Politics, International studies and Philosophy.

Availability

Religious studies is listed in A2000 Bachelor of Arts and 0202 Bachelor of Letters at Clayton as a major or minor, and A0502 Diploma of Liberal Arts at Clayton as a major.

Outcomes

In addition to achieving the broad outcomes of their course, students successfully completing this major will:

  • be aware of current philosophical, historical and cultural debates about religion in both past and present society
  • think reflectively about how religions are represented and interpreted in contemporary society.

Units

Major requirements (48 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited to the majormajor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html) and at least 18 points must be at level 3.

Students complete:

(a.) Two level 1 gateway* units (12 points):

* The following level 1 units may be counted as alternative gateway units although they cannot be counted as gateway units towards both Religious studies and another area of study: ATS1316 Medieval Europe or ATS1317 Renaissance Europe or ATS1322 Conflict and coexistence 1: Jews, Christians and Muslims from antiquity through the middle ages or ATS1960 Conflict and coexistence 2: Jews, Christians and Muslims in the modern world

(b.) One level 2 cornerstone unitcornerstone unit (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (6 points) chosen from:

  • ATS2586 Islam: Principles, civilisations, influences
  • ATS2610 Ancient religions
  • ATS2724 Religion, spirituality and society

(c.) One level 3 capstone unitcapstone unit (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/undergrad/arts-08.html) (6 points), chosen from:

  • ATS3157 Sources of religious violence: Texts and contexts
  • ATS3611 Imagining God: The mystic quest in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
  • ATS3862 Thinking about religion

(d.) Four units (24 points) from the remaining cornerstone or capstones units or the elective list, with at least two units at level 3.

Minor requirements (24 points)

No more than 12 points at level 1 may be credited towards the minorminor (http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/2016handbooks/undergrad/arts-07.html).

Students complete:

(a.) Two first-year gateway* units (12 points):

* The following level 1 units may be counted as alternative gateway units although they cannot be counted as gateway units towards both Religious studies and another area of study: ATS1316 Medieval Europe or ATS1317 Renaissance Europe or ATS1322 Conflict and coexistence 1: Jews, Christians and Muslims from antiquity through the middle ages or ATS1960 Conflict and coexistence 2: Jews, Christians and Muslims in the modern world

(b.) Two level 2 or 3 units (12 points) as listed within the major. It is a highly recommended that students complete a level 2 unit before enrolling in a level 3 unit.

Elective list

Units are 6 points unless otherwise stated.

  • ATS2185 Biblical texts and contexts
  • ATS2359/ATS3359 Hearing the country: Studies in Indigenous Australian ethnoecology
  • ATS2374 Witchcraft in the modern world
  • ATS2600 The Holocaust
  • ATS2603 The age of crusades: Cultures and societies
  • ATS2629 Religion and spirituality in a globalising world
  • ATS2860 After the death of God: Continental philosophy of religion from Nietzsche to today
  • ATS2861 God, freedom and evil
  • ATS2872/ATS3872 Topics in Indian philosophy
  • ATS2907 Islamic responses to the post-colonial age
  • ATS2957/ATS3957 Dante's medieval world: Politics, religion and the city
  • ATS3194 Sacred cities: Jerusalem, Rome, Constantinople
  • ATS3573 The Renaissance Codes: Art, magic and belief
  • ATS3599 Modern Israel: History, politics and society
  • ATS3608 Myth and meaning in ancient worlds
  • ATS3611 Imagining God: The mystic quest in Judaism, Christianity and Islam
  • ATS3636 Sacred and profane: Religion, the secular and the state
  • ATS3870 Philosophy of religion
  • ATS3884 Space, time and deity: Themes from Hume and Leibniz

Relevant courses

Diplomas

  • A0502 Diploma of Liberal Arts

Bachelors

Single degrees

Successful completion of the minor or major can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the following single degrees:*

  • A2000 Bachelor of Arts
  • 0202 Bachelor of Letters

Students in other single bachelor's degrees may be eligible to complete the minor or major by using 24 or 48 points of their free electives.

Double degrees

Successful completion of the minor or major can be counted towards meeting the requirements for the Bachelor of Arts component in the following double degrees:*

  • A2005 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Fine Art
  • A2004 Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music
  • B2019 Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2012 Bachelor of Business Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2020 Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts
  • B2024 Bachelor of Commerce Specialist and Bachelor of Arts
  • D3002 Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • E3002 Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • C2002 Bachelor of Information Technology and Bachelor of Arts
  • L3003 Bachelor of Laws (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts
  • S2006 Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts

* Students cannot complete both the minor and major in the same area of study.