Undergraduate

Requirements

Download the Undergraduate Handbook!

An Overview

The Study of Religion offers an honors and a non-honors track. Students in the honors track need 14 half-courses of concentration credit to graduate. Students in the non-honors track need 12 half-courses of concentration credit to graduate. For all concentrators, 12 half-courses are distributed as follows:

Students who wish to be considered for high honors or highest honors in the Comparative Study of Religion will write an honors thesis and participate in the Senior Seminar (Religion 99). In order to be eligible to write a thesis, students must maintain a minimum average in the concentration of B+. Particularly because the thesis is optional and is intended for students pursuing exceptional levels of achievement, we expect students to have developed, with the guidance of their advisors and mentors, the necessary competencies for their work, among them linguistic skills, fieldwork preparation, and archival practice.

Note that the requirements for a joint concentration with religion as a secondary field are quite different from the requirements described in this section. See the requirements for Concentration Plan D.

Students in religion are exempt from four Core areas: 1) Foreign Cultures, 2) Literature and Arts C, 3) Moral Reasoning and 4) either Historical Studies A, Historical Studies B or Social Analysis. It is possible to “double-count” a Core course—in other words, it is possible to count one Core course for both a Core requirement and a concentration credit.

Please note that in addition to Religion 99a and 99b (which is graded SAT/UNSAT), one half-course taken SAT/UNSAT at Harvard can be counted for concentration credit. In addition, the former B- minimum for courses to count for the concentration has been eliminated.

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Concentration Plans

Concentrators draw up a concentration plan and statement of focus under the supervision of the Director of Undergraduate Studies and their adviser in consultation with appropriate members of the Committee on the Study of Religion. There are four options for concentrating within the field: a focus on two religious traditions, a focus on a single tradition, a joint concentration with religion as the primary field of study, and a joint concentration with religion as the secondary field of study. Students may also declare religion as a secondary field. All five programs involve required general, methodological, or comparative courses outside of the major religious tradition(s) being studied. These courses provide analytical tools and knowledge of other traditions that enable students to think with comparative and theoretical imagination about diverse phenomena in religion. Concentration credit for study abroad is possible; students interested in such credit must petition the Committee on the Study of Religion, through the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

OPTIONS
REQUIREMENTS

Students should consult the requirements listed in the Handbook for their year of entry into the concentration. Contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies if you need a previous year's handbook.

14 half-courses
  1. Required courses: These vary with the option chosen, as detailed below under each of the four programs.
  2. Tutorials: The tutorial program under each option is integrated closely into that program of studies as detailed below. In Options A, B, and C the required tutorial courses are as follows:
    1. Sophomore year: Religion 97, tutorial seminar (one term), required. Letter-graded.
    2. Junior year: Religion 98a, individual or small-group tutorial, required. Letter-graded.
  3. Senior Thesis:
    1. Required of candidates who wish to be considered for honors in the concentration. To be eligible to write an honors thesis, a student must maintain a minimum average of B+ in the concentration.
    2. Senior Seminar: Religion 99a and 99b (two terms), required only of students writing an honors thesis. Graded SAT/UNS.
  4. Other Information
    1. Traditions: The “tradition” can be either a major religious tradition, such as Judaism, or a historical complex, such as East Asia. The traditions listed are those for which there are ordinarily sufficient resources at Harvard. Other traditions may be possible, depending upon the availability of faculty and course offerings.
      Ancient Near Eastern and IsraeliteHinduism
      BuddhismIslam
      ChristianityJudaism
      East AsianModern West
      Greek, Hellenistic, RomanSouth Asian
    2. Language Instruction: A consideration in the evaluation of an honors thesis will be the ability of a student to demonstrate an awareness of primary texts in their original language. Honors concentrators are thus advised to study the language(s) they will need to interpret texts from the tradition(s) they choose. In general, students may count language courses towards concentration credit when the texts they are reading are either from a religious tradition or relevant to the study of a religious tradition, beginning with the second term of a given language track.
    3. Pass/Fail: In addition to Religion 99a and 99b (see below), one half-course taken Pass/Fall at Harvard can be counted for concentration credit. Consult with the DUS regarding Pass/Fail credit for courses taken abroad.
    4. Joint Concentration: The Comparative Study of Religion may be combined either as the primary or as the secondary field in the overall framework of a joint concentration. Ordinarily, students wishing to combine Religion as the primary field will do so in the context of Option C. A limited number of qualified candidates for honors may also be accepted who wish to combine Religion as the secondary field. For rules governing joint concentrations involving Religion consult the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Course Requirements
Option A: Two Major Traditions in Comparative Context
  1. General: Comparative and Methodological Studies: three half-courses.
    1. One half-course chosen from Religion 11-20.
    2. Religion 97 (one term).
    3. One other half-course.
  2. Tradition I: five half-courses
    1. Four half-courses focusing on a particular era or cultural/geographical area important in the tradition.
    2. Religion 98a (one term).
  3. Tradition II: four half-courses
    1. Four half-courses focusing on a particular era or cultural/geographical area important in the tradition.

Download Plan of Study form for Option A [PDF].

Course Requirements
Option B: One Major Tradition in Comparative Context
  1. 1. General: Comparative and Methodological Studies: four half-courses.
    1. One half-course chosen from Religion 11-20.
    2. Religion 97 (one term).
    3. Two other half-courses, of which normally one considers a tradition other than the major tradition.
  2. Major Tradition: eight half-courses.
    1. Seven half-courses, of which normally three focus on a particular era or cultural geographical area important in the tradition.

Download Plan of Study form for Option B [PDF].

Course Requirements
Option C: Joint Concentration with Religion as a Primary Field
  1. General: Comparative and Methodological Studies: three half-courses.
    1. One half-course chosen from Religion 11-20.
    2. Religion 97 (one term).
    3. One other half-course.
  2. Major Tradition: five half-courses.
    1. Four half-courses focusing on a particular era or cultural/geographical area important in the tradition.
    2. Religion 98a (one term).
  3. Secondary Field: At least four half-courses. One term of junior tutorial in the secondary field is ordinarily required. Precise course requirements are subject to secondary concentration requirements of the department or committee that administers the program in the secondary field.

Download Plan of Study form for Option C [PDF].

Course Requirements
Option D: Joint Concentration with Religion as a Secondary Field
7 half-courses
  1. General: Comparative and Methodological Studies: three half-courses.
    1. Either one half-course chosen from Religion 11-20 or the sophomore tutorial (Religion 97).
    2. Two other half-courses.
  2. Major Tradition: four half-courses.
    1. Four half-courses focusing on a particular era or cultural/geographical area important to the tradition.

Download Plan of Study form for Option D [PDF].

Course Requirements
Religion as a Secondary Field
6 half-courses
  1. General: Comparative and Methodological Studies: two half-courses
    1. Either one half-course chosen from Religion 11-20, Humanities 15, or the sophomore tutorial (Religion 97).
    2. One other half-course.
  2. Major Tradition/Area of Inquiry: four half-courses
    1. Four half-courses focusing on a particular era or cultural/geographical area important to the tradition or an approved alternative area of focus.

Download Plan of Study form for Religion as a Secondary Field [PDF].

Coursework

Introductory Courses

An introductory course in the Study of Religion is required of all concentrators. Because these courses introduce students to key thinkers and issues in the study of religion, students should take them sometime in their first three semesters at Harvard. Introductory courses usually have special discussion sections for students considering religion as a concentration. The current roster of introductory courses is as follows:

One of these courses should be taken in the freshman or sophomore year as one each serves, in its distinctive way, as an introduction to the concentration. Usually, new concentrators have their own section of the introductory course. Completion of one of these introductory courses is a prerequisite for the Sophomore Tutorial.

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Tutorial System

Tutorials are the spine of our program. They are designed as a sequence of small seminars focused on critical thinking and writing skills. They are our most important courses, and students should treat them as such. Sophomore tutorial usually is taught by faculty members; junior tutorials by advanced graduate students; and senior thesis advising is done by both graduate students and faculty. Students entering the concentration late can make up religion tutorials. Only in rare instances can they be replaced by other courses.

I. Sophmore Tutorial

The sophomore tutorial (Rel. 97) is a required seminar for all sophomores and new junior concentrators. Its purpose is to introduce students to different methods and theories in the study of religion. The course introduces students to major themes and arguments that have defined the field—including, for example, arguments about the nature of religion, ritual, myth, scripture and culture. Our hope is that sophomore tutorial also will help students narrow their range of interests, preparing them for more in-depth work in their junior and senior years. By the end of the sophomore year students will have been introduced to the field and to the analytical tools scholars use to interpret religious phenomena.

In sophomore tutorial students will have opportunities to raise general questions and test ideas in a congenial, collaborative atmosphere. Responsibility for leading discussion is shared. One of the unofficial (but no less important) benefits of the tutorial is that it develops an esprit de corps among new members of the concentration.

Writing is a key component of work in the sophomore tutorial; students submit short and medium-length papers and receive detailed feedback on style and content. Of course, the pursuit of clear expository writing will continue in later years, but the process begins in earnest sophomore year. Students should devote their full energies to keeping up with readings and assignments, and they should participate actively in discussions.

II. Junior Tutorial

The junior tutorial is an opportunity for students to work closely with a tutor and one to four other students on a specific topic in the study of religion. The tutorial should be within the student’s major tradition (or in one of the two in the case of students in Track A). Juniors have the option of taking a second junior tutorial. Students wishing to pursue this option should discuss it with the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The purposes of junior tutorials are: 1) to read primary texts closely and critically; 2) to engage in rigorous discussion of these texts and the issues they raise; 3) to refine writing skills by writing papers and revising them; and 4) to help students explore in greater depth a topic they are considering for their thesis.

In short, junior tutorials help students read texts carefully and make persuasive arguments about them. They also are an opportunity for students to begin work on an area of special academic interest.

The most important part of the junior tutorial is the work assigned for each and every week, and tutorial preparation should have top priority in a student’s studies. In addition, students will usually use the tutorial as a context in which to write the junior paper.

Some sample tutorial topics:

III. Senior Tutorial

The senior tutorial is year-long, graded SAT/UNS, and it culminates in the completion and submission of the senior honors thesis. By the end of the junior year, a student should discuss with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies and other faculty whether she/he intends to pursue a thesis. If the student elects to write a thesis at this point, she/he should be able to articulate a general topic and have some idea of who might serve as effective advisors for the project. Students are expected to speak with possible thesis advisors near the end of their junior year and, if possible, to line up thesis advisors for the senior year. Students need to choose both a graduate student and a faculty advisor. The Director of Undergraduate Studies and the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies often help in this process.

During the senior year students are expected to meet with their graduate student advisors about once a week to discuss work in progress. They meet with faculty advisors less often, usually once a month. In order to receive SAT in Religion 99 for the fall term, students must submit one chapter of their senior thesis. Submission and acceptance of the senior thesis in March fulfills the Religion 99 requirement for the spring term.

In addition to meeting with thesis advisors, which is a required part of Religion 99, seniors meet bi-weekly for a “Senior Seminar” to discuss and develop research and writing skills. This seminar is organized and run by the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies.

Concentrators are encouraged to use these writing resources:

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Tutorial Staff

The tutorial staff consists of faculty members and advanced graduate students who offer tutorials to juniors and seniors in the Study of religion. Because junior tutorials provide specialized, in-depth study of particular themes, texts, traditions, or time periods, tutors can offer tutorials in their expertise. An undergraduate may work with a junior tutor, or encounter a section leader in a large religion course, someone who shares his or her interests, and approach that person about being their senior thesis advisor.

Along with members of the tutorial staff, teaching fellows and house tutors in religion gather regularly during the semester to discuss the teaching process and related issues like advising and grading. Occasionally, resource persons from the Writing Center, Bureau of Study Counsel, and the Bok Center for Teaching and Learning are invited to conduct these meetings and offer advice. All graduate students teaching in the religion concentration are requested to participate in workshops sponsored by the Bok Center for Teaching and Learning. In general, tutors and teaching fellows are an important resource for undergraduate concentrators, and we encourage students to seek their counsel.

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Independent Reading: Religion 91r

Religion 91r is a course of supervised reading and research on a special topic in the study of religion. The 91r permits individuals or small groups to examine subjects that cannot be studied in regular courses. It involves reading and written work, both of which are evaluated by the director with a letter grade and written comments.

Students who wish to enroll in a 91r must give the Director of Undergraduate Studies a petition, signed by the proposed director, which describes the reading and written work to be completed. The 91r petition is available from the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Director of Undergraduate Studies must approve all Religion 91r proposals prior to study card registration.

Religion 91r is normally open only to concentrators. The director of the course must be a member of the Harvard faculty—though exceptions to this rule may, in some cases, be authorized by the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

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Senior Theses

Download the Senior Thesis Handbook!

The honors thesis is an opportunity to study in detail one area of interest. Students who elect to write a thesis should regard it as the culmination of years of reading, analyzing and making arguments about religion. As noted above, in order to be eligible to write a thesis, students must maintain a minimum average in the concentration of B+.

Because of the nature of our field, the subject matter of religion theses varies widely. In all cases, individual theses should be specific enough to allow for depth of treatment, while not so narrowly construed that they lose sight of broader issues in the study of religion. This is particularly important because one (of three) of your thesis readers will be chosen from another field within the study of religion. Depending on your concentration plan, your thesis may focus on a topic solely within one tradition; or it may involve either two traditions or one tradition and an allied field; it may be focused on a single tradition but deal with an issue that involves the comparative study of religious phenomena from other religious traditions as well.

For more information on the thesis, please refer to the Senior Honors Thesis Handbook.

All concentrators choosing to write a thesis are expected to designate the general topic of their project by early May of the junior year. A prospectus that has been approved and signed by the senior thesis advisor is due around October 12th of the senior year. The prospectus should include a tentative title, a one- to two-page description of the specific subject matter, and a bibliography. One chapter of the thesis is due in early December. Other chapters are due in January and February. The completed thesis, which should be 50-80 pages, is due in early April. For the complete schedule of dates for the current year, see the Senior Honors Thesis Handbook.

The Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies oversees the thesis writing process and leads Rel 99, the senior tutorial on thesis-writing.

Past Senior Theses

The Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies has hard copies of many past theses that are available for students to borrow. Looking through old theses may stimulate ideas for a topic or give you ideas about how to organize or write your own thesis. Some titles of past senior theses are:



Grants and Fellowships: Funding for Thesis Research

In preparing for senior thesis work, religion concentrators have often chosen to conduct research in the summer. For example, one student studying Buddhism lived in a Zen monastery in southern Japan for three months; another student working on modern Christianity did fieldwork among Christian activists in Nicaragua; still another student spent a summer tracing the headwaters of the Ganges and studying popular Hinduism. Harvard has a number of institutes and centers that provide summer research grants for undergraduate fieldwork and research. Depending upon the project, a student may apply for grants from the Center for African Studies, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, the Edwin O. Reischauer Institute of Japanese Studies, the Henry Rosovsky Undergraduate Research Fund, the David Rockefeller Center for Latin American and Iberian Studies, the Center for International Affairs, and the Josephine Murray Traveling Fellowship Program of Radcliffe College. For more information students should consult fellowship tutors in the undergraduate houses and fellowships advisors at the Office of Career Services.

Prizes

Study of Religion Senior Thesis Prizes. These are small monetary prizes given out for religion theses of highest distinction. These prizes are presented at the end of the academic year.

Thomas T. Hoopes Prize. This is a prize open to all undergraduates doing outstanding scholarly work on any topic. The fund provides undergraduate thesis prizes that are given with the purpose of "promoting, improving and enhancing the quality of education." Undergraduates must be nominated by their thesis supervisors.

There are other Harvard College prizes available for outstanding theses and essays. Please consult the Office of Secretary, Faculty of Arts and Sciences. This office also has a website, which is at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~secfas/

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The Oral Examination

The oral examination is a chance for students to respond to comments they received on their thesis. In the oral exam students meet with their thesis readers and have a chance to address their concerns or questions. Oral exams are usually an hour long and are typically scheduled in early May.

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Language Requirement

While students are no longer required to take an intermediate language course, the concentration expects that they will study languages necessary for their specialty. Students who elect to write a senior honors thesis should integrate the use of relevant languages into their analysis (e.g., if a student is writing about Qur’anic interpretation, she/he needs to have some knowledge of Arabic). An important consideration in the evaluation of a senior thesis is whether students demonstrate an awareness of primary texts in their original language. A religious tradition, beginning with the second term of instruction in a single language. Up to two language courses can be counted for concentration credit.

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