Interdisciplinary Interfaith Studies - Minor

This minor will enrich our students’ development toward social, religious and cultural competency. Religion, like culture itself, consists of systematic patterns of beliefs, values, and behaviors, acquired by people as members of their societies. These patterns are systematic because their manifestations are regular in occurrence and expression: they are shared by members of a group. Within all religions, however, there is no homogeneity; there are differences of interpretation of principles and meanings. Engaging the study of religion from an interfaith perspective, this minor will cultivate religious and cultural competency in light of the diverse and pluralistic religious-sociological heritage of humanity. This study will enable students to identify areas of misunderstanding, address attitudes and practices shaped by those misunderstandings, and build bridges of peaceful coexistence between faiths, cultures, and communities.

18 credits are required to complete the minor. Outside of the core courses, students may take no more than six elective credits in any one discipline because the program is interdisciplinary in nature.