Overview Psychology is the scientific study of behavior. It ranges from studies of human development and complex thought processes to social relations, brain and neural mechanisms, psychopathology and beyond. The requirements for the major are designed to ensure breadth of coverage, but to allow flexibility in selecting courses according to one's interests. Opportunities for independent work are available in research and field experience through internship.
In addition to gaining a general liberal arts degree, training in the subject matter and methodology of psychology (including experimental methodology and statistics and an appreciation of the relatively unique ways psychologists view human behavior) is excellent preparation for a variety of careers.
Faculty The department of psychology has approximately thirty-five active full-time faculty members in seven broad areas of specialization: clinical, cognitive, community, developmental, psychobiology, quantitative, and social. Faculty members are active scholars, with numerous research grants, books, and other scientific publications to their credit. Specific areas of faculty interest include: adolescence, aging, behavioral development, behavioral genetics, deception, emotion, family studies, interpersonal processes, language and communication, neurobiology and behavior, perception and perceptual development, personality and individual differences, psychological intervention, psychology and law, psychopathology, public policy, social cognition, social development, social ecology and development, and women, ethnic, and minority studies.
Students Psychology is a popular liberal arts major, with approximately 250 students graduating each year with a bachelor's degree. An extensive array of courses is offered throughout the department. Lower level courses in the major are usually large lectures (one hundred to three hundred) and are taught exclusively by faculty members. These courses are often supplemented with required or optional discussion sections led by graduate teaching assistants to provide more personalized contact. Upper level seminars are also taught by faculty and are usually limited to twenty-five students to facilitate active discussion. In the third or fourth year, many majors earn credit by working directly with faculty or graduate students on research projects.
Becoming a professional psychologist, like becoming a doctor or lawyer, requires post-graduate training in one of many areas. Traditional research areas include cognitive, developmental, psychobiology, quantitative and social psychology. Persons interested in these areas usually pursue a doctoral degree. Applied areas include clinical, community, industrial/organizational, counseling, educational psychology and school psychology. Careers in these areas are usually possible at the master's or doctoral level. Students who do not choose to pursue graduate degrees in psychology often enter the job market in human service delivery areas or positions requiring a general liberal arts degree. Psychology is also an entry degree for graduate programs in social work, education, medicine and law.
Requirements for Major Students electing psychology as their major subject are required to take at least 30 credits in psychology at the 200-level or higher and must include at least six credits of coursework at the 400- or 500-level, excluding Research in Psychology, Directed Readings in Psychology, Internship, and PSYC 529. The majors program must include PSYC 305-306. PSYC 305 is a prerequisite to PSYC 306. To assure breadth, the major program must also include at least one 200-level course from each of the following three groups: A) PSYC 2l0, 215, and 230; B) 220 and 221; and C) 240, 250, and 260. To begin the major program, a student must have earned a grade of C+ or better in PSYC 101 or two 200-level courses from different groups (one from A or B, one from C, above), and have an overall 2.0 GPA in all courses completed in this department. To continue as a major, the student must earn a grade of C- or better in PSYC 305-306 and maintain a GPA of at least 2.0 for all courses taken in this department.
Requirements for Minor Students electing to minor in psychology are required to take a minimum of 16 credits at the 200-level or higher and must include at least six credits of coursework at the 400- or 500-level, excluding Internship, Directed Readings, Research in Psychology, and PSYC 529. The minor's program must also include PSYC 305-306 with a minimum grade of C-. A maximum of 3 credits of research in psychology or readings in psychology may be applied to the minor. The student must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 for all courses taken in this department.
Distinguished Majors Program Outstanding majors with an overall GPA of 3.4 must apply at the beginning of the sixth semester. The program includes a thesis (PSYC 497 or 498) and additional course requirements.
Additional Information For more information about the major, contact:
Director of Undergraduate Studies
Department of Psychology
Gilmer Hall
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Telephone: (804) 982-4750
fax: (804) 982-4766
Psychology faculty
PSYC 101 - (4) (S)
General Psychology
Provides an overview of psychology from both the natural science
and social science perspectives. Topics include biological bases
of behavior, sensory and perceptual processes, learning, motivation,
thought, maturational and developmental changes, individual differences,
personality, social behavior, and abnormal psychology. Three lecture
hours plus discussion section.
PSYC 210 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Learning
The concepts, problems, and research methodology in the study
of processes basic to learning and motivation.
PSYC 215 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Cognition
Cognition is the activity of knowing: The acquisition, organization,
and use of knowledge. Emphasizing fundamental issues, this course
introduces such basic content areas in cognitive psychology as
perception, memory, language, cognitive development, and philosophy
of science.
PSYC 220 - (3) (S)
Introduction to Psychobiology
Consideration of the evolution of behavior, including ethological
and psychological aspects and an analysis of brain structure and
mechanisms related to brain behavioral processes such as perception,
learning, memory, motivation, consciousness and sleep. (In some
terms, there will be an optional one-credit discussion section.)
Credit is not given for both PSYC 220 and PSYC 222.
PSYC 221 - (3) (IR)
Animal Behavior
Animal behavior considered from an evolutionary and ecological
perspective. Basic mechanisms of evolution of social behavior
in animals with particular emphasis upon mating systems. Ecological
constraints on modes of animal communication and quantitative
analysis of social communication.
PSYC 222 - (4) (IR)
Principles of Psychobiology
An enriched section of PSYC 220 that includes laboratory
demonstrations, group discussions and individual projects. Enrollment
is limited to 20 first and second year students who demonstrate
outstanding aptitude and interest in this area. When offered,
applications are available from the instructor at times publicized
in the list of course offerings distributed by the Psychology
Department. Three lecture hours plus discussion section. Credit
is not given for both PSYC 220 and PSYC 222.
PSYC 230 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Perception
Selected topics in perception, particularly visual perception;
the role of stimulus variables, learning and motivation of perception.
(In some terms an optional one-credit discussion section is offered.)
PSYC 240 - (3) (S)
Introduction to Personality Psychology
An introduction to the major approaches, methods, and findings
in the field of personality psychology. Substantive topics include:
sex-typing, identification and observational learning, frustration
and aggression, stress, anxiety, defense, self-control, altruism,
self-concepts, authoritarianism, achievement motivation, and sensation-seeking.
(In some terms, an optional one-credit discussion section is available.)
PSYC 250 - (4) (S)
Introduction to Child Psychology
An introduction to the biological, cognitive and social development
of the child. Topics include the child's emotional, perceptual,
and intellectual development; the development of personality and
socialization. (In some terms, there is an optional one-credit discussion
section.)
PSYC 260 - (4) (S)
Introduction to Social Psychology
A selective survey of major topics in social psychology, including
personal perception and social cognition, attitudes and persuasion,
interpersonal influence, interpersonal attraction, and helping
relationships. Research theory and applications of social psychology
are considered. Three lecture hours plus discussion section.
PSYC 305, 306 - (4) (S)
Research Methods and Data Analysis
Introduction to research methods in psychology, including
computer-controlled experimentation, integrated with computer-based
exploratory data analysis and elementary statistical analysis.
Three lecture hours, two laboratory hours.
PSYC 307 - (3) (Y)
History of Psychology
The philosophical background of contemporary psychology, with
emphasis upon the 20th century "schools" of psychology.
PSYC 311 - (3) (O)
Psychology of Language
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or 215, or permission of instructor
Provides an introduction to the cognitive psychology of language
by focusing on language as a cognitive process.
PSYC 321 - (3) (S)
Psychobiology Laboratory
Corequisite or prerequisite:
PSYC 220, 222, or
420
Development of skills necessary for the study of neural bases
of behavior, such as brain dissection, implanting electrodes into
brain tissues, lesions, behavioral procedures and histology. Four
laboratory hours.
PSYC 341 - (3) (S)
Abnormal Psychology
Prerequisite: Six credits of psychology or permission of instructor
This introductory course in psychopathology will focus on specific
forms of abnormal behavior: depression, schizophrenia, anxiety
disorders, substance use disorders, and personality disorders.
(In some terms, an optional one-credit discussion section will be
available.)
PSYC 344 - (3) (O)
Child Psychopathology
Prerequisite: Six credits of psychology or permission of instructor
Overview of the description, cause and treatment of various psychological
disorders of childhood.
PSYC 346 - (4) (Y)
Psychological Study of Children, Families, and the Law
Prerequisites: Nine credits in psychology (including either
PSYC 250 or 352 and
PSYC 305) or permission of instructor
Can psychology research and theory inform the law as it relates
to children and families? This course provides an overview of
the issues emphasizing psychological knowledge and its present
and possible future contributions. Three lecture hours, two laboratory
hours.
PSYC 352 - (3) (Y)
Adolescence: Theory and Development
An overview of theories of development, research areas related
to and problems most frequently observed in children beginning
in elementary school and extending to adulthood.
PSYC 353 - (3) (IR)
Development in Infancy
Prerequisite: PSYC 250 or permission of instructor
After consideration of the sensory, motor, and homeostatic equipment
of the newborn, the following lines of development during the
first two years of life will be traced in some detail: locomotor,
perceptual, cognitive, social, and emotional development. The
effects on development of environmental influences, including
parental behavior will be considered, as well as the effect the
infant has on his caregivers.
PSYC 363 - (3) (IR)
Health Psychology
An introduction to theories and research dominant in medical
psychology. Topics include emotion, personality, and perceptual
processes influencing stress, physiological change, and symptom
awareness; specific issues to be covered include aging, heart
disease, obesity, and depression.
PSYC 364 - (3) (IR)
Nonverbal Communication
Overview of theory, research, and application in nonverbal
communication. Topics include the role of nonverbal communication
in deception, persuasion, impression-management, intimacy, and
power. Discussion of the importance of nonverbal communication
in psychopathology and psychotherapy, in doctor-patient
relationships, in job interviews, advertising, and in the courtroom.
PSYC 385, 386, 485, 486 - (2) (S)
Directed Readings in Psychology
Prerequisites: 14 credits in psychology and permission of
instructor
Critical examination of an important current problem area in psychology.
(May be repeated.)
PSYC 387 - (1) (S)
Seminar for Distinguished Majors
Prerequisite: Open only to students in the Distinguished Majors
Program for Psychology. S/U grading
Topics covered include design of independent research projects,
ethical considerations in research, computer applications and
preparation for a career in psychology.
PSYC 395, 396, 495, 496 - (3) (S)
Research in Psychology
Prerequisites: 14 credits of psychology and permission of
instructor. S/U grading
An original experimental project is undertaken in which each student
is responsible for the design and operation of the experiment.
(This course may be repeated.)
PSYC 401-409 - (3) (S)
Topical Seminars
Prerequisite: Third- or fourth-year major or permission of
instructor
Seminars on special and current topics in psychology. May be repeated
for credit.
PSYC 411 - (3) (IR)
Psycholinguistics
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Psychological and linguistic theory; experimental and empirical
studies of linguistic usage; development of language in infants
and children; cross-cultural studies of linguistic usage; the
biology of language.
PSYC 412 - (3) (IR)
Psychology of Reading
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 or 215 or permission of instructor
This course focuses on the critical psychological experiments
that have influenced the way that psychologists consider topics
in reading such as text comprehension, parsing, and sentence processing.
PSYC 414 - (3) (Y)
Imagery
The nature of mental images and their role in memory, thought,
and creativity.
PSYC 415 - (3) (Y)
Cognitive Processes
Prerequisites: Twelve credits of psychology or permission
of instructor
An exploration, in depth, of the life of the mind. Topics may
include pattern recognition; observational skills; remembering;
language and thought; categorization; the nature of similarity;
discovery and invention; problem and puzzle solution; animal cognition;
and views of intelligence in man and machine.
PSYC 417 - (3) (Y)
The Mind of the Puzzler
An exploration of what is involved in the making and solving
of sophisticated word puzzles, with the aim of coming to understand
the nature of expertise and the process of discovery.
PSYC 418 - (3) (Y)
Invention and Design
Prerequisite: ENWR 101 or
TCC 101 or permission of instructor
Creates a collaborative learning environment to help students
understand the way in which technology is created and improved,
and also to make them into better designers. The multidisciplinary
approach includes readings from psychology, history, computing,
ethics, and engineering. Cross-listed as TCC 315
PSYC 419 - (3) (IR)
Scientific and Technological Thinking
Prerequisite: Nine credits of psychology including
PSYC 305,
306
Explores the ways scientists and inventors think, using concepts,
theories and methods borrowed from several disciplines, but focusing
especially on psychology. Topics include experimental simulations
of scientific reasoning, a cognitive framework for understanding
creativity and modeling discovery on a computer. Cross-listed
as TCC 313.
PSYC 420 - (3) (Y)
Neural Mechanisms of Behavior
Prerequisites:
PSYC 220, 222,
BIOL 101, 102 or 201
An introduction to basic concepts in neuroanatomy, neurophysiology
and neurochemistry needed for an understanding of brain and behavior.
PSYC 429 - (3) (IR)
Psychology of Aging
Prerequisites: 9 credit hours of psychology or permission
of instructor; recommended courses include
PSYC 220,
PSYC 305 and
PSYC 321 or
420
A seminar course reviewing current topics in gerontology, using
multiple levels of analysis to understand developmental changes
across late adulthood. Issues regarding biological, psychological
and sociological aspects of the aging process are covered, with
an emphasis on cognitive changes and their underlying neurobiology.
PSYC 430 - (3) (IR)
Theories of Perception
Prerequisites:
PSYC 230 or permission of instructor
Perception is the means by which we become aware of the world
and of ourselves. This seminar presents an overview of theories
about perception including the following perspectives: philosophy,
physiology, Gestalt psychology, cognitive psychology, ecology,
and artificial intelligence.
PSYC 441 - (3) (IR)
Prevention Science
Prerequisites: Nine credits in psychology or permission of
instructor
Includes both prevention of disorder and promotion of positive
well-being. The conceptualizations, perspectives, research findings,
values, and goals of this field are explored.
PSYC 443 - (3) (IR)
Community Psychology
Prerequisites: PSYC 101 and one other introductory course
in social science (e.g., anthropology, sociology, political science),
or permission of instructor
An introduction to the major issues, methods and findings in the
field of community psychology. Topics to be considered include:
the creation of settings, history and action, ecological approaches,
institutional change, problems of innovation and implementation,
community mental health and evaluation research.
PSYC 444 - (3) (Y)
Schizophrenia
Prerequisites: PSYC 306 and either
PSYC 341 or
344 or permission
of instructor
Provides an understanding and appreciation of the contributions
of possible genetic and psychosocial factors to individual differences
with respect to developing schizophrenia.
PSYC 445 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Clinical Psychology
Prerequisites: PSYC 341 and
PSYC 305
An overview of issues in clinical psychology including the scientific-practitioner
model of training, reliability and validity of assessment techniques,
validity of clinical judgment and the effectiveness of psychological
treatments.
PSYC 446 - (3) (IR)
Women's Issues in Clinical Psychology
Prerequisites: PSYC 341 and
PSYC 306 or permission of instructor
Current research and historical perspectives on clinical psychology
issues as they pertain uniquely to women. Topics vary and may
include eating disorders, battered women, pregnancy, and aging.
PSYC 449 - (3) (IR)
Sexual Orientation and Human Development
An overview of research and theory related to sexual orientation
across the lifespan from the standpoint of the social sciences.
Topics include conceptualization of sexual identities, origins
and development of sexual orientation, sexual identity formation
and disclosure. Selected issues such as couple relationships,
employment and careers, parenthood, and aging are also explored,
as these may be affected by sexual orientation.
PSYC 450 - (3) (IR)
Children at Risk
Prerequisite: PSYC 250 or
PSYC 344, or permission of instructor
A developmental approach to behavior disorders that is oriented
to early identification. Precursor characteristics are studied
that make possible the detection of risk groups for several disorders.
PSYC 451 - (4) (IR)
The Psychological Study of the Child
Prerequisites: PSYC 250 and
PSYC 305 or permission of instructor
Introduction to the methodological issues and problems involved
in studying children is complemented by first-hand experience
in both naturalistic and laboratory settings. Special attention
is given to current issues in developmental psychology. Two class
hours, four laboratory hours.
PSYC 452 - (3) (IR)
Parent-Child Interaction
Prerequisites: PSYC 250 or
344 and
PSYC 305, 306, or permission
of instructor
Examines theory and research on parent-child relationships across
the life-span. Topics vary, but include the transition to parenthood,
parent-child relations in infancy through adolescence, and intervention
approaches for high-risk families.
PSYC 454 - (3) (IR)
Family Relations
Prerequisites: Upper level major or permission of instructor
Involves gaining an understanding of family functioning and its
impact on human development and on the adjustment of family members.
There will be a focus on understanding family theories, research
findings, and learning to apply frequently used strategies and
methods in the study of family relations.
PSYC 456 - (3) (Y)
Friendship Development
Prerequisite: Twelve credits of psychology or permission of
instructor
An examination of the development of interpersonal relationships
across the lifespan. The importance of friends, acquaintances,
and the sorts of friends found in childhood, adolescence and adulthood
is included.
PSYC 457 - (3) (IR)
Cognitive and Developmental Processes in Reading Acquisition
Prerequisite: Upper level major or permission of instructor
Introduction to the cognitive and developmental processes involved
in learning to read and write. Application of the theoretical
understandings to tutoring an elementary school child who is having
difficulty learning to read.
PSYC 460 - (3) (IR)
Research Methods in Social Psychology
Prerequisites: PSYC 305, 306, or permission of instructor
An introduction to social research, including both laboratory
and field techniques. In addition to participation in laboratory
demonstrations, groups of students will undertake the design and
execution of an original piece of social psychological research.
PSYC 461 - (3) (IR)
Intimate Relationships
Prerequisites:
PSYC 260,
305 and 306, or permission of instructor
Social psychological study of the formation, maintenance, and
breakdown of intimate relationships. Emphasis is on the theoretical
understanding of relationships in the context of scientific research
findings.
PSYC 462 - (3) (IR)
Group Dynamics: Theory and Research
Prerequisite: PSYC 260 or permission of instructor
An analysis of factors influencing group problem solving, group
decision-making, and group performance.
PSYC 463 - (3) (IR)
Social and Interpersonal Perception: Theory and Research
Prerequisite: PSYC 260 or permission of instructor
An analysis of cultural and group influences on perception, the
perception of interpersonal intentions, impression formation,
and the contributions of social psychological theory to these
and other problems
PSYC 465 - (4) (Y)
Psychology of Oppression and Social Change
Prerequisites: Open to Psychology majors who have taken at
least one course from each of the following groups:
PSYC 210,
215 or
230, and
PSYC 240,
250 or
260. Also open to students in
the programs of Afro-American and African Studies or Women's Studies
An analysis of oppression and its amelioration in modern American
society. Three lecture hours, two laboratory hours.
PSYC 466 - (3) (IR)
Stress and Coping
Prerequisites: PSYC 305, 306 or permission of instructor
An overview of research paradigms and theories in the field of
stress and coping, emphasizing a phenomenological, cognitive approach.
Not designed to provide stress management skills.
PSYC 467 - (3) (IR)
Psychology of the African-American Athlete
Prerequisites: PSYC 305, 306 or permission of instructor
A multidisciplinary approach to analyzing the psycho-social factors
that influence the life experiences of African-American athletes.
Examines antecedents and psychological consequences of the African-American
communities' participation in athletics.
PSYC 469 - (3) (IR)
Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Prerequisite: PSYC 305, 306
Introduces theories and processes
in industrial and organizational psychology through a scientist-practitioner
approach. Topics include employee selection and training, performance
appraisal, motivation, job satisfaction, leadership, human factors,
and organizational development and change.
PSYC 481 - (3) (IR)
How to Do Things With Numbers
Prerequisites: One 300-level course in statistics
A hands-on introduction to the handling and presentation of data
in the social sciences. The course uses data collected by the
students to teach how to explore data in the hopes of revealing
unsuspected patterns, and how to summarize data for public presentation
and publication.
PSYC 487 - (3) (IR)
The Minority Family: A Psychological Inquiry
Prerequisites: Open to Psychology majors who have taken at
least one course from each of the following groups:
PSYC 210,
215 or
230, and
PSYC 240,
250 or
260. Also open to students in
the programs of Afro-American and African Studies or Women's Studies
Examines critically the current state of research on minority
families, with an emphasis on the Black Family. Special attention
will be given to comparing "deficit" and "strength"
research paradigms throughout the course.
PSYC 491, 492 - (4) (Y)
Undergraduate Internship
Prerequisites: Student must be a fourth-year psychology major,
with at least 14 credits in psychology, and permission of instructor
An internship placement to be arranged by the supervising faculty.
Students work 10 to 20 hours per week in various community agencies
such as health care delivery, social services, juvenile justice,
etc. Written reports are required as well as regular class meetings
with supervising faculty to analyze the internship experience,
to engage in specific skill training and to discuss assigned readings.
Apply in February of third year. Graded on S/U basis.
PSYC 493, 494 - (2) (Y)
Undergraduate Internship Program Supplement
Corequisite: Simultaneous enrollment in PSYC 491, 492; by
permission of instructor. S/U grading
Provides students in certain placements with the opportunity for
a more in-depth and extensive internship program year. Background:
some placements, e.g., with courts, demand 20 hours/week of field
experience rather than the 10 in PSYC 491, 492. Simultaneous enrollment
in this course provides appropriate credits for the additional
10 hours of field work.
PSYC 497-498 - (3) (Y)
Distinguished Major Thesis
Prerequisite: Participants in the Distinguished Majors Program
in Psychology
A two-semester course in which the student prepares a thesis under
the supervision of a departmental faculty member. The thesis may
be based on empirical research conducted by the student or consist
of a critical review or theoretical analysis of existing findings.
PSYC 520 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Psychobiology
Prerequisite: PSYC 220,
222 or
420
A critical examination of a major subject area in psychobiology.
PSYC 521 - (3) (Y)
Developmental Psychobiology
Prerequisite:
PSYC 220,
222 or
420 or permission of instructor
Examinations of behavior and neural development with an emphasis
on animal models. Topics include: the role of both intrinsic and
extrinsic factors in directing maturation, attachment and early
learning, theoretical conceptions of development and regulatory
mechanisms.
PSYC 522 - (3) (IR)
Fundamentals of Motivation
A survey of the major theories and findings dealing with the
immediate causes of action. Both human and animal literature will
be considered with emphasis on the relations between these two.
PSYC 523 - (2) (IR)
Advanced Psychobiology Research Seminar
Prerequisites: PSYC 321 and permission of instructor
Study of selected current neuropsychology research problems, focusing
on issues related to content areas of student research projects
in PSYC 529.
PSYC 524 - (3) (IR)
Primate Behavior
Prerequisite: Twelve credits in psychology or permission of
instructor
Examines the variety of nonhuman primates in natural, zoo and
laboratory settings. Emphasis is given to a comparison of nonhuman
primates to humans in the areas of: sensory-motor, socialization,
cognitive, intellectual, language and social organization development,
and in the problem areas of abnormal development (e.g., social
isolation, neurosis, incest, drug problems).
PSYC 525 - (3) (IR)
Hormones and Behavior
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
An examination of the role of hormones in mediating and modulating
many complex behaviors such as memory, aggression, sexual behavior,
and regulatory actions between hormones and the brain.
PSYC 526 - (3) (IR)
Psychobiology and Memory
Prerequisites:
PSYC 220,
222 or
420
The major theories, findings and conceptual issues important to
an analysis of the neuronal mechanisms that underlie memory storage.
PSYC 527 - (3) (IR)
Chemistry of Synaptic Transmission
Prerequisite: PSYC 420
Neurochemistry, physiology and anatomy of neurotransmitter systems.
Cross-listed as NESC 727.
PSYC 529 - (3) (S)
Advanced Psychobiology Laboratory
Prerequisite: PSYC 321 and permission of instructor
Each student will help design and carry out an original research
project related to neural bases of behavior. Six laboratory hours.
PSYC 531 - (3) (Y)
Functional Neuroanatomy
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or PSYC 420
An overview of the structure of the mammalian central nervous
system, organized around the various functional subunits of the
brain.
PSYC 532 - (3) (IR)
Chemical Senses: Taste and Smell
Prerequisites:
PSYC 220,
222, or
420 or permission of
instructor
The neurobiology of the chemical senses are explored by examining
the biophysical basis of sensory transduction, the anatomical
organization of two systems, and the physiological properties
of peripheral and central structures along the gustatory and olfactory
pathways. Emphasis is on new, important findings in taste and
smell.
PSYC 533 - (3) (IR)
Neural Network Models of Cognition and Brian Computation
Prerequisites: Must be PC-literate and willing to program
Introduces, from an elementary but somewhat mathematical viewpoint,
the newly developing field of neural networks. Examines the basic
principles and the philosophy of neural network theory as it is
relevant to biological neural networks.
PSYC 535 - (3) (Y)
Neurochemical Systems in Learning and Memory
Prerequisites:
PSYC 220 or
222, or permission of instructor
Examines historical and current theories implicating the involvement
of specific neurotransmitter, amino-acid, and peptide systems
in regulating learning and the encoding of memory. An extensive
review of the literature is covered to understand mechanisms by
which chemical compounds modify learning and the brain sites where
neurochemicals exert their effects.
PSYC 540 - (3) (IR)
Personality Theory in Psychotherapy
Prerequisite: Twelve credits of psychology or permission of
instructor
An overview of personality theories in psychology, especially
those found useful in psychotherapy; experimental and theoretical
problems in the study of personality.
PSYC 541 - (3) (IR)
Special Issues in the Psychological Study of Children, Families,
and the Law
Prerequisites:
PSYC 346 or permission of instructor
An intensive examination of two topics that relate to children,
families and the law, e.g., adolescent decision-making in the
legal system; domestic violence, child custody. Three lecture
hours, two laboratory hours.
PSYC 554 - (3) (IR)
Theories of Cognitive Development
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Current theories of cognitive development from birth through adolescence.
The views of Piaget, Werner, Bruner, G. H. Mead, and others. Cybernetic
approaches briefly covered. Some discussion of the measurement
and assessment of cognitive processes.
PSYC 555 - (3) (Y)
Developmental Psycholinguistics
Prerequisites: PSYC 250 or
411 or permission of instructor
Examination of current research and theoretical models of children's
language acquisition. In addition to studying normal children's
acquisition of spoken language skills, special attention is given
to the development of communication skills in deaf, autistic,
and other groups of language-handicapped children.
PSYC 560 - (3) (IR)
Dynamical Systems in Social Behavior
Prerequisites: PSYC 260 and
PSYC 230. Completion of
PSYC 305, 306 is strongly recommended
Applications of dynamical systems theory to the analysis of action,
interaction, and interpersonal relationships. A review of research
employing dynamical systems models and analytic techniques, as
well as close consideration of the application of theses ideas
to psychological contexts is included.
PSYC 581, 582, 583, 584 - (3) (S)
Current Topics in Psychology
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Seminars on special and current topics in psychology. May be repeated
for credit.
Overview The Department of Religious Studies is a multidisciplinary department that attempts to define and interpret dimensions of human culture and experience commonly regarded as "religious." Courses in the department stress skills such as critical thinking, clear writing and persuasive use of evidence to support one's views; these skills are central to the analysis and interpretation of the social and intellectual systems which constitute the data of religious studies.
The department offers a wide range of courses covering different approaches to the study of religion, and provides students with the opportunity to examine the major religious traditions of human history (Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism), as well as other traditions that have flourished independently of Asian and European influences. With one of the largest faculties of religious studies in the United States, the department is able to offer courses not only in traditional areas such as the History of Christianity and introductions to the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, but also in Buddhist Meditation, Hindu Mythology, Islamic Mysticism, Jewish Social Ethics, as well as courses that are multidisciplinary in their emphasis such as Theology, Ethics and Medicine, Religion and Science, and Religion and Modern Fiction.
Faculty The twenty member department is nationally recognized for its outstanding teaching and research. Several of the faculty are scholars of international repute, having recently been awarded fellowships for study and research in England, India, Israel, Jordan and Nigeria. Several have been recipients of University-wide teaching awards. All of the faculty teach undergraduate courses and are firmly committed to undergraduate education, holding office hours during the week in order to talk with students about ideas, paper topics, or future coursework.
Students There are more than 100 students majoring in religious studies. A number of these are double majors. To complete a major in religious studies, students must take at least three courses in one world religion and at least two courses in another. The required majors seminar, taken in the third or fourth year, is designed to provide an overview of the different methodologies employed in the study of religion and places a special emphasis on the development of humanistic and social-scientific skills necessary for the interpretation of religious phenomena. Most students begin their study of religion in an introductory level course, which is generally large (between 100 and 250 students) and covers a broad topic (e.g., Introduction to Eastern Religions, Archaic Cult and Myth). All large survey courses are supplemented by discussion sections of fewer than twenty students per section, which are led by advanced graduate students. Many of the faculty teaching these survey courses also lead one or two of these discussion sections themselves. Advanced courses generally have enrollments between twenty-five and fifty students and seminar enrollments are limited to twenty students. These courses focus on a more specialized topic (e.g., Medieval Christianity, Religion and the Literature of American Immigrants, Islamic Fundamentalism). Independent study options are also available in which a student works closely with a faculty advisor.
Requirements for Major In order to complete a major in religious studies, each student must fulfill the following requirements:
Students interested in declaring a major may obtain the major declaration form in the Religious Studies office, B010 Cocke Hall. Prospective majors must consult with a member of the Undergraduate Committee in order to plan their courses and to choose an advisor. Office hours of Undergraduate Committee advisors are posted on the door of the departmental office.
Requirements for Minor The minor program in religious studies requires the completion of a minimum of 15 credits in religious studies. Six credits must be taken in the same religious tradition or cultural area and at least three credits must be taken at the 300-level or above. A student interested in the minor program must obtain the approval of a departmental faculty member.
Distinguished Majors Program The Distinguished Majors Program in Religious Studies affords qualified students the opportunity to do advanced research, and to receive, at graduation, the honor of high distinction or highest distinction. Entry into the program:
Requirements for completion of the program:
Additional Information For more information, contact:
Undergraduate Advisor
Department of Religious Studies
Cocke Hall
Charlottesville, VA 22903
(804) 924-3741
Religious Studies faculty
RELG 100 - (3) (IR)
First-Year Seminar
Intended primarily for first-year students. The purpose of
the seminar is to introduce the student not only to a given topic
but also to research and study techniques, use of the library, etc.
RELG 101 - (3) (Y)
Introduction to Western Religious Traditions
A study of the major religious traditions of the Western world;
Judaism, Eastern Orthodox Christianity, Roman Catholicism, Protestantism,
and Islam.
RELG 104 - (3) (S)
Introduction to Eastern Religious Traditions
An introduction to various aspects of the religious traditions
of India, China, and Japan.
RELG 108 - (3) (IR)
Mythologies of Creation, Salvation, and Death
An exploration of the themes of creation, salvation, and death
in the mythologies of the world's religions.
RELG 213 - (3) (O)
The Religions of China
A survey of the major religions of China: Confucianism, Taoism,
and Buddhism.
RELG 214 - (3) (E)
Archaic Cult and Myth
A survey of scientific and popular interpretations of prehistoric,
ancient, and traditional religions.
RELG 215 - (3) (IR)
Religion in American Life and Thought to 1865
Special emphasis is placed on the influence of Puritanism,
the character of American religious freedom, and the interaction
between religion and social reform.
RELG 216 - (3) (Y)
Religion in American Life and Thought from 1865 to the Present
Special emphasis is placed on American religious pluralism,
religious responses to social issues, and the character of contemporary
American religious life.
RELG 219 - (3) (Y)
Religion and Modern Fiction
Studies in the variety of religious meaning in modern literature,
with emphasis on such matters as faith and doubt, evil and absurdity,
wholeness and transcendence in both secular fiction and fiction
written from traditional religious perspectives.
RELG 230 - (3) (Y)
Religious Ethics and Moral Problems
Examines several contemporary moral problems from the perspective
of ethical thought in the Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish traditions.
RELG 238 - (3) (Y)
Faith and Doubt in the Modern Age
An examination of religious skepticism in the modern world.
RELG 239 - (3) (O)
Theism and Humanism
A study of contemporary understandings of religious faith,
especially in response to the challenge of humanism.
RELG 244 - (3) (Y)
Human Nature and Its Possibilities
The course examines various perspectives on human existence
(psychological, literary, philosophical, theological) with a view
to seeing what possibilities are contained in the linguistic,
theoretical, practical, poetic, and ecstatic capacities of human
beings.
RELG 265 - (3) (O)
Theology, Ethics, and Medicine
An analysis of various moral problems in science, medicine,
and health care (e.g., abortion and euthanasia) as viewed by religious
and philosophical traditions.
RELG 305 - (3) (E)
Religions of Western Antiquity
Greco-Roman religions and religious philosophies of the Hellenistic
period, including official cults, mystery religions, gnosticism,
astrology, stoicism; special attention to religious syncretism
and interactions with Judaism and Christianity.
RELG 306 - (3) (IR)
Religions of the Ancient Near East
A survey of the religions of ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, and
Syro-Palestine.
RELG 308 - (3) (IR)
Myths of Creation
A comparative study of the world's creation myths, in relation
to the religious life, ritual, social structure and cosmology
of their respective traditions.
RELG 321 - (3) (IR)
Major Themes in American Religious History
An examination of a major religious movement or tradition
in American history.
RELG 340 - (3) (Y)
Women and Religion
Introduction to the images of women in the major religious
traditions, the past and present roles of women in these traditions,
and women's accounts of their own religious experiences.
RELG 351 - (3) (Y)
Religion and Society
A critical appraisal of classical and contemporary approaches
to the sociological study of religion and society.
RELG 353 - (3) (O)
Religion and Psychology
Major religious concepts studied from the perspective of various
theories of psychology including the psychoanalytic tradition
and social psychology.
RELG 357 - (3) (Y)
Existentialism: Its Literary, Philosophical and Religious Expressions
A study of Existentialist thought, of its Hebraic-Christian
sources, and of 19th and 20th century representatives of the movement
(Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre, Camus, Buber, Tillich, et al).
RELG 359 - (3) (SI)
Mysticism and Religious Experience
A critical examination of classical and contemporary forms
of mystical and religious experience, including the study of religious
conversion and altered states of consciousness.
RELG 360 - (3) (Y)
Religion and Modern Theatre
An examination of the works of several playwrights, some of
whom dramatize explicitly religious themes or subjects and others
of whom are predominantly concerned with secular situations and
contexts that nonetheless imply religious questions and issues.
RELG 364 - (3) (E)
Religion, God, and Evil
A study of the "problem of evil," using philosophical,
literary, and various religious sources.
RELG 365 - (3) (O)
Systems of Theological Ethics
An examination of one or more contemporary systems of Christian
ethics, alternating among such figures as Reinhold Niebuhr, C.S.
Lewis, Jacques Ellul, and Jacques Maritain.
RELG 366 - (3) (Y)
Issues in Theological Ethics
Intensive study of a single moral problem or set of related
problems in the context of recent work in theological ethics.
The particular problem selected will vary but will be chosen from
a range of issues such as human experimentation, special moral
relations, warfare, etc.
RELG 375 - (3) (Y)
Taoism and Confucianism
A study of classical Chinese and Taoist texts, their use by
religious Taoist groups, and how they influenced folk religion.
RELG 400 - (3) (S)
Majors Seminar
An introduction to the study of religion as an interdisciplinary
subject, utilizing methods in history of religions, theology,
sociology, depth psychology and literary criticism. Limited to
twenty religious studies majors.
RELG 422 - (3) (IR)
American Religious Autobiography
A multidisciplinary examination of religious self-perception
in relation to the dominant values of American life. Readings
represent a variety of spiritual traditions and autobiographical
forms.
RELG 503 - (3) (SI)
Readings in Chinese Religion
An examination of selected readings from a specific text,
figure, or theme. Readings will emphasize possible structures
of religious language and questions of translation.
RELG 506 - (3) (E)
Interpretation of Myth
This seminar takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study
of myth, focusing on structuralist, hermeneutical, and history
of religions methodologies.
RELG 507 - (3) (E)
The Nature and Problems of Interpretation
Existentialist, phenomenological, structuralist, literary,
historical, and psychological approaches to the interpretation
of texts, especially narrative religious texts; the interactions
of language, history, and understanding.
RELG 508 - (3) (O)
Seminar on Religion and American Culture I
Prereequisites: A course in either American history or American
religious history. Open to upper-level undergraduates
A historical examination of Americans' religious identities in
relation to the dominant values of American social and intellectual
life with particular attention to the concept of community. Subjects
include Puritanism, the Mennonites, the Shakers, Mormonism, and
the growth of evangelicalism.
RELG 514 - (3) (SI)
Seminar on a Major Religious Thinker
The relationship between philosophical and religious thought
as seen in a selected philosopher and theologian.
RELG 515 - (3) (Y)
Issues in Religious Ethics
Study of selected issues such as mysticism and morality, conscience,
natural law, nonviolence, and methodology in religious ethics.
RELG 517 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in History of Religions
An introduction to the basic thinkers in the field of History
of Religions and to fundamental problems in the study of religious
sociology, mythology, and ritual.
RELG 518 - (3) (O)
Seminar in Philosophical Theology
Ideas of God in Western thought, selected topics, from Plato
to the present.
RELG 524 - (3) (SI)
Problems in Philosophy of Religion
A critical examination of classic and contemporary discussions
of selected problems in philosophy of religion.
RELG 541 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Social and Political Thought
An examination of the social and political thought of selected
religious thinkers.
RELG 563 - (3) (Y)
Seminar: Issues in the Study of Religion and Literature
An analysis in terms of fundamental theory, of the purposes,
problems, and possibilities of interdisciplinary work in religion
and literary criticism.
RELG 569 - (3) (IR)
Contemporary Religious Movements
A study of the psychological, sociological and political
dimensions of conversion and ideological commitment in selected
contemporary religious movements.
RELG 571 - (3) (E)
The Victorian Crisis of Faith: Its Religious and Literary Expressions-A
Seminar
A study of the religious dilemmas that were at the center
of English thought in the 19th century, from the time of Keble's
Assize sermon and the advent of the Oxford Movement into the period
of Thomas Hardy. The focal figures to be considered are Newman,
Tennyson, Clough, Arnold, Carlyle, John Stuart Mill, George Eliot,
and Thomas Hardy.
RELG 573 - (3) (E)
Theology of Culture
Explores the relationship between religion and culture, including
such areas of inquiry as a theological assessment of the value
of culture; the impact of secularization; the critique of religion
levied by various disciplines; the problems of doing theology
in a pluralistic context.
RELG 575 - (3) (SI)
Myth and Ritual
An examination of theories of myth and ritual from an interdisciplinary
perspective, including the study of selected mythological and
ritual texts.
RELG 578 - (3) (Y)
Human Genetics, Ethics, and Theology
Prerequisites: RELG 265 or permission of instructor
Study of ethical problems in genetic screening, counseling, and
prenatal diagnosis. Ideas of biological and theological determinism
are critically explored.
RELG 590 - (3) (IR)
Ethics, Politics, and Rhetoric
Perennial problems of politics and morals considered primarily
by the reading of plays, novels, speeches, and historical documents.
RELA 275 - (3) (Y)
African Religions
An introduction to the mythology, ritual, philosophy, and
religious art of the traditional religions of sub-Saharan Africa,
also African versions of Christianity and African-American religions
in the New World.
RELA 410 - (3) (Y)
Yoruba Religion
A study of Yoruba traditional religion, ritual art, independent
churches, and religious themes in contemporary literature in Africa
and the Americas.
RELB 210 - (3) (Y)
Buddhism
Theravada, Mahayana, and Tantrayana Buddhist developments
in India.
RELB 212 - (3) (Y)
Buddhist Literature
An introduction to Buddhist literature in translation, from
India, Tibet, East Asia, and South East Asia.
RELB 245 - (3) (Y)
Zen
A study of the development and history of the thought, practice,
and goals of Zen Buddhism.
RELB 300 - (3) (Y)
Buddhist Mysticism and Modernity
Course centers around opening a dialogue between modern
and post-modern critical inquires in the twentieth century and
classical Tibetan Buddhism by centering around issues of intersections
between language and experience as well as the individual and
the larger self-constituting fields.
RELB 315 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Buddhist Studies
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Selected aspects of Buddhist thought and action.
RELB 316 - (3) (Y)
The Religions of Japan
A survey of the development of Japanese religions from pre-history
to modern times.
RELB 317 - (3) (Y)
Buddhist Meditation
Traditional techniques and methods of Buddhist meditation.
RELB 319 - (3) (Y)
Buddhist Nirvana
The meaning and methods of achieving Nirvana as described
in the teachings of Indian and Tibetan adepts.
RELB 500, 501 - (4) (E)
Literary and Spoken Tibetan I, II
An introduction to the philosophical and spiritual texts of
Tibet: grammar, basic religious terminology, and structure.
RELB 502 - (3) (O)
Seminar in Tibetan Buddhism
The spread of Buddhism to Tibet and its development.
RELB 525 - (3) (E)
Seminar in Japanese Buddhism
Prerequisite: RELG 213 or RELG 316 or permission of instructor
Examination of selected topics in the major schools of Japanese
Buddhism, Tendai, Shingon, Pure Land, Nichiren, and Zen.
RELB 526 - (3) (E)
Seminar in Tibetan Buddhism II
The theory and practice of Tibetan Buddhism.
RELB 527 - (3) (O)
Seminar in Chinese Buddhism
Studies of selected doctrinal and historical issues in Chinese
Buddhism.
RELB 535, 536 - (4) (E)
Literary and Spoken Tibetan III, IV
An intermediate course in the philosophical and spiritual
language of Tibet, past and present.
RELB 543, 544 - (3) (SI)
Sanskrit Religious Texts
Prerequisite: SANS 501, 502 or equivalent and permission of
instructor
Readings in Sanskrit religious and philosophical texts, their
syntax, grammar, and translation.
RELB 546 - (3) (O)
Seminar in Mahayana Buddhism
The Middle Way School of Madhyamika-Nagarjuna's reasoning,
its intent and place in the spiritual path.
RELB 547, 548 - (4) (O)
Literary and Spoken Tibetan V, VI
Advanced study in the philosophical and spiritual language
of Tibet, past and present.
RELB 549 - (3) (Y)
Religious History of Tibet
Surveys political, social, religious and intellectual
issues in Tibetan history from the fifth to fifteenth centuries
with an emphasis on the formation of the classical categories,
practices and ideals of Tibetan Buddhism.
RELB 555 - (3) (E)
Buddhist Philosophy
Prerequisite: RELB 249 or equivalent
Advanced study of the stages and contents of insight according
to the Pali and Sanskritic Buddhist traditions using such works
as the Satipatthanasutta, Visuddhimagga, Vimuttimagga, and Abhidharmakosha
(in translation).
RELB 560 - (3) (SI)
Elementary Pali
Prerequisites: SANS 501, 502 or equivalent
Pali religious and philosophical works: their grammar and translation.
RELB 561 - (1-3) (IR)
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit
Prerequisites: SANS 501, 502 or equivalent
Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit works: their grammar and translation.
RELB 566 - (3) (SI)
Approaches to Buddhist Studies
Focuses on the utility of different disciplines (e.g., anthropology,
history of religions, philosophy and psychology) in the interpretation
of Buddhist beliefs and practices.
RELB 591 - (3) (E)
Seminar in Chinese Buddhism
Examination of the major schools of Chinese Buddhism: T'ien-t'ai,
Hua-yen, Pure Land, and Ch'an.
RELB 599 - (3) (SS)
South and Inner Asian Buddhist Bibliography
Detailed critical survey of Theravada and Mahayana literature
including modern secondary and tertiary sources with practical
exercises in using the materials for study and research.
RELC 121 - (3) (Y)
Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures
The history, literature, and theology of ancient Israel and
early Judaism in the light of the religious writings of Israel
(Old Testament).
RELC 122 - (3) (Y)
New Testament and Early Christianity
The history, literature and theology of earliest Christianity
in the light of the New Testament. Special attention to the cultural
milieu and methodology of contemporary biblical criticism.
RELC 200 - (3) (E)
The Bible and Its Interpreters
Survey of Jewish and Christian interpretations of the Torah
(the first five books of the Bible). Concerned with the manner
by which the Bible becomes sacred scripture for Jews and Christians.
RELC 205 - (3) (Y)
History of Christianity I
A survey of the development of Christianity from the time
of Jesus to the 11th century.
RELC 206 - (3) (Y)
History of Christianity II
A survey of Western Christianity from the 12th to the 18th
centuries.
RELC 215 - (3) (IR)
Religion in American Life and Thought to 1865
Special emphasis is placed on the influence of Puritanism,
the character of American religious freedom, and the interaction
between religion and social reform.
RELC 216 - (3) (Y)
Religion in American Life and Thought from 1865 to the Present
Special emphasis is placed on American religious pluralism,
religious responses to social issues, and the character of contemporary
American religious life.
RELC 233 - (3) (E)
History of Christian Social and Political Thought I
From the New Testament to 1850: the relation of theological
ideas to conceptions of state, family, and economic life.
RELC 234 - (3) (E)
History of Christian Social and Political Thought II
From the rise of Social Gospel to the contemporary scene.
"Love" and "Justice" as central categories
for analysis of different conceptions of what social existence
is and ought to be.
RELC 236 - (3) (Y)
Elements of Christian Thought
A systematic examination of the theological substance of Christian
symbols, discourse, and action.
RELC 240 - (3) (Y)
History of American Catholicism
A historical survey of American Catholicism from its colonial
beginnings to the present.
RELC 246 - (3) (Y)
Aspects of the Catholic Tradition
The distinctive theological aspects of the Catholic tradition,
such as the sacramental system, the nature of the church, and
the role of authority.
RELC 303 - (3) (Y)
The Historical Jesus
Problems of sources and methods; modern development of the
issue of the historical Jesus; the character of Jesus' teaching
and activity.
RELC 304 - (3) (O)
Paul: Letters and Theology
Intensive study of the theological ideas and arguments of
the Apostle Paul in relation to their historical and epistolary
contexts.
RELC 323 - (3) (IR)
Images of Christianity
Examines the role of the visual arts in the transmission of
Christian beliefs and experience from Late Antiquity through Medieval
and modern times.
RELC 324 - (3) (O)
Medieval Mysticism
An introduction to the major mystical traditions of the Middle
Ages and to the sources in which they are rooted.
RELC 325 - (3) (E)
Medieval Christianity
Detailed study of the development of Christianity in the Middle
Ages and of how it reflected upon itself in terms of theology,
piety, and politics. (Cross-listed with HIEU 318.)
RELC 326 - (3) (Y)
The Reformation
A study of the disintegration of Medieval Catholicism and
the rise of Protestant Christianity in the 16th century with special
attention to the interaction of religious, social, and political
issues. (Cross-listed with HIEU 324.)
RELC 328 - (3) (Y)
Eastern Christianity
A survey of the history of Christianity in the Byzantine world
and the middle east from late antiquity (age of emperor Justinian)
until the fall of Constantinople.
RELC 336 - (3) (Y)
Judaism and Christianity
A study of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity
from the origins of Christianity as a Jewish sect through the
conflicts of the Middle Ages and modernity, as well as current
views of the interrelationship.
RELC 338 - (3) (E)
The Legacy of Columbus
Spanish settlement and evangelization of the Americas with
emphasis on what is now the United States; comparison with French
and English colonization.
RELC 348 - (3) (Y)
Dynamics of Faith
A study of a variety of contrasting contemporary accounts
of the character and status of "religious faith."
RELC 355 - (3) (E)
Faith and Reason
Study of various approaches to the question of the relation
between reason, faith, doubt and certainty in selected classical
writings (e.g., Aquinas, Pascal, Kant, Kierkegaard, William James).
RELC 358 - (3) (E)
The Christian Vision in Literature
Selected classics of the Christian imaginative traditions
are explored, with an intent to discover ways in which the Christian
vision of time, space, self, and society emerges and changes as
an ordering principle in literature and art up to the beginning
of the modern era.
RELC 365 - (3) (O)
Systems of Theological Ethics
An examination of one or more contemporary systems of Christian
ethics, alternating among such figures as Reinhold Niebuhr, C.S.
Lewis, Jacques Ellul, and Jacques Maritain.
RELC 368 - (3) (SI)
Social Problems of American Catholicism
The history of Catholicism in America from the viewpoint of
the rise of cities, urbanizing immigrant groups, and tension between
ethnic groups in the cities and between Catholics and Protestants.
RELC 369 - (3) (IR)
The Gospel and Letters of John and the Book of Revelation
Explores the five New Testament books associated with the
name of John. Particular attention is given to the various genres
and historical settings in which the books were written, key theological
themes and recent interpretations.
RELC 381 - (3) (IR)
Christian Intellectual Tradition
Study of major figures and ideas in the history of Christian
thought from the beginnings up through the early modern period.
RELC 504 - (3) (SI)
The Apocalyptic Tradition
The tradition of apocalyptic thought, as expressed in ancient
Jewish and Christian literature as well as in selected contemporary
literature. Emphasis on literary forms and features, historical
and theological presuppositions, and primary themes.
RELC 510 - (3) (Y)
Natural Law in Judaism and Christianity
Prerequisite: Courses in religious thought and/or philosophy
The problem of natural law as a perennial issue in both Judaism
and Christianity.
RELC 511 - (3) (SI)
Phenomenology and Christology
A systematic exposition of the phenomenon of selfhood on the
basis of some traditional materials from Christology and of some
recent investigations in phenomenology.
RELC 512 - (3) (O)
Development of Nineteenth and Twentieth Century Catholic Liberalism
An analysis and interpretation of major currents in liberal
catholic thought in the 19th and 20th centuries.
RELC 513 - (3) (Y)
Being and God
A constructive treatment of questions related to the possibility
of the experience of being and God or the Being of God.
RELC 519 - (3) (E)
Theology in the Nineteenth Century
An analysis and interpretation of the theology of major thinkers
in the 19th century, with special attention to Kant, Hegel, and
Schleiermacher.
RELC 520 - (3) (E)
Contemporary Theology
Presents a survey, analysis, and interpretation of major developments
in philosophical theology in the 20th century, beginning with
dialectical theology in the 1920s.
RELC 530 - (3) (IR)
Early Christianity and Classical Judaism
Study of early Christian writings directed to Judaism; the
role of Judaism in shaping the Christian intellectual tradition;
the Christian interpretation of Jewish scripture.
RELC 531 - (3) (IR)
Early Christianity and Graeco-Roman Culture
Pagan criticism of Christianity and the response of Christian
apologists; Christianity and the Greek philosophical tradition,
especially Stoicism and Platonism.
RELC 551 - (3) (E)
Seminar in Early Christian Thought
Prerequisite: RELC 205 or permission of instructor
Intensive consideration of a selected issue, movement or figure
in Christian thought of the second through fifth centuries.
RELC 552 - (3) (O)
Seminar in American Catholic History
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
Intensive consideration of a selected movement, issue, or figure
in the history of Catholicism in America.
RELC 553 - (3) (E)
Puritanism
An examination of English and American Puritans, with attention
also to Continental sources.
RELC 564 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Modern Christian Thought
A critical examination of a major modern Christian thinker
or movement, or of a major problem in modern Christian thought.
RELC 567 - (3) (SI)
Early Christian Ethics
The nature of ethical responsibility as seen by several New
Testament figures and documents (Jesus, Matthew, Paul, John, James).
RELC 580 - (3) (SI)
Advanced Exegesis of the New Testament I
Prerequisite: Intermediate knowledge of Hellensitic Greek
Reading and interpretation of the Greek text of one of the
Gospels.
RELC 581 - (3) (SI)
Advanced Exegesis of the New Testament II
Prerequisite: Intermediate knowledge of Hellensitic Greek
Reading and interpretation of the Greek text of one or more
of the Epistles.
RELC 583 - (3) (O)
Love and Justice in Christian Ethics
An examination of the various conceptions of love and justice
in selected Protestant and Catholic literature mainly from the
last fifty years.
RELH 209 - (3) (Y)
Hinduism
The Hindu religious heritage from pre-history to the 17th
century; the Jain and Sikh protestant movements.
RELH 373 - (3) (IR)
Hindu Mythology
Prerequisites: RELG 104,
RELH 209, or permission of instructor
Hindu mythology in relation to Hindu religious life, ritual, and
social structure; parallels with Indo-European mythology.
RELH 420 - (3) (Y)
Hindu Mysticism
Prerequisites:
RELG 104,
RELH 209 and
RELH 373 or permission
of instructor
A historical and thematic study of mysticism in the Hindu tradition,
from the Rig Veda through the tantra.
RELH 521 - (3) (O)
Hindu Devotionalism
Examines the history and perennial structures of classical
Hinduism, concentrating on the Puranic literature, the dynamics
of worship, and the emergence of the Hindu sects.
RELH 554 - (3) (E)
Hinduism and Indian Culture
This graduate-level introductory seminar devotes equal
attention to the phenomenon of Hinduism and scholarly approaches
to the study of this tradition.
RELH 558 - (3) (IR)
Hindu Epics
An examination of emergent classical Hinduism through the
epic Mahabharata and Ramayana, this seminar also
concentrates on the narrativization of ritual and Indo-European
parallels.
RELH 589 - (3) (IR)
Vedic Hinduism
Taking the Vedic textual tradition and the theories of
Jan Heesterman as its dual starting point, this seminar investigates
the interplay of myth, ritual, and society in ancient India.
RELI 207 - (3) (Y)
Classical Islam
The Irano-Semitic background, Arabia, Muhammad and the Qur'an,
the Hadith, law and theology, duties and devotional practices,
sectarian developments and Sufism.
RELI 208 - (3) (Y)
Modern Islam
Prerequisite: RELI 207 or permission of instructor
The 19th and 20th centuries in the Arab world, Turkey and Sub-Continent
of India with emphasis on reform movements, secularization and
social and cultural change.
RELI 311 - (3) (E)
Muhammad and the Qur'an
Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
A systematic reading of the Qur'an in English, together with an
examination of the Prophet's life and work.
RELI 312 - (3) (O)
Sufism
Prerequisite: RELI 207 or permission of instructor
An investigation of some major figures, themes, and schools of
Islamic mysticism.
RELI 367 - (3) (E)
Religion and Politics in Islam
A historical and topical survey of the roots and genesis
of the religion- political conceptions operative in the Islamic
world today.
RELI 540 - (3) (Y)
Seminar in Islamic Theology
Prerequisite: RELI 207 or permission of instructor
Islamic theology from its origins through the 14th century. The
Sunni and Shi'ite traditions are discussed in alternate years.
RELJ 111, 112 - (4) (O)
Introduction to Biblical Hebrew
Essentials of grammar, syntax, and vocabulary. Readings of
narrative portions of the Old Testament.
RELJ 121 - (3) (Y)
Old Testament/Hebrew Scriptures
The history, literature, and theology of ancient Israel and
early Judaism in the light of the religious writings of Israel
(Old Testament).
RELJ 201, 202 - (3) (Y)
Advanced Readings in Biblical Hebrew
Prerequisites:
RELJ 111 and RELJ 112
Advanced readings in the prose narratives of the Bible. Emphasis
on vocabulary, morphology, and syntax. Some introduction to the
problems of interpretation.
RELJ 203 - (3) (Y)
The Judaic Tradition
An introduction to the world view and way of life of classical
Rabbinic Judaism.
RELJ 204 - (3) (IR)
American Judaism
A description and explanation of the diverse forms of Jewish
religious life in America.
RELJ 307 - (3) (E)
Modern Jewish Thought
A study of major themes and figures of Jewish thought in the
past two centuries.
RELJ 309 - (3) (E)
Israelite Prophecy
A survey of Israelite prophecy based on the prophetic books
of the Old Testament.
RELJ 322 - (3) (Y)
Judaism and Zionism
A study of the complex relationship between Judaism -- the sacred
tradition of the Jews; and Zionism -- the modern ideology of Jewish
national revival.
RELJ 330 - (3) (Y)
The Jewish Mystical Tradition
A historical study of the Jewish mystical tradition, emphasizing
the persistent themes of the tradition as represented in selected
mystical texts.
RELJ 331 - (3) (Y)
Jewish Law
The structure and content of Jewish law in terms of its normative
function, its historical background, its theological and philosophical
principles, and its role in contemporary society both Jewish and
general.
RELJ 334 - (3) (Y)
Jewish Medical Ethics
The classical Jewish sources as applied by contemporary Jewish
thinkers to some of the issues raised by current advances in medical
treatment, such as abortion, euthanasia, medical experimentation,
etc.
RELJ 335 - (3) (Y)
Jewish Social Ethics
Some major social issues such as war and peace, ecology, crime
and punishment, as discussed by ancient, medieval and modern Jewish
ethicists.
RELJ 336 - (3) (Y)
Judaism and Christianity
A study of the relationship between Judaism and Christianity
from the origins of Christianity as a Jewish sect through the
conflicts of the Middle Ages and modernity, as well as current
views of the interrelationship.
RELJ 337 - (3) (Y)
Modern Movements in Judaism
A study of the modern religious movements in Judaism: Orthodox,
Conservative, Reform, as well as Zionism, both secular and religious,
with emphasis on their theological and philosophical assertions
and historical background.
RELJ - 505 - (3) (SI)
Judaism in Antiquity
A description and analysis of representative systems of Judaic
religion which flourished in Palestine, Egypt, and Mesopotamia
from 500 B.C. to 200 A.D.
RELJ 510 - (3) (Y)
Natural Law in Judaism and Christianity
Prerequisite: Courses in religious thought and/or philosophy
The problem of natural law as a perennial issue in both Judaism
and Christianity.
RELJ 522 - (3) (SI)
The Shaping of the Rabbinic Tradition
The seminar, in any particular semester, investigates specific
aspects of pre-modern development of Rabbinic Judaism, e.g., "The
Holy Man," "Mysticism and Society," "Cannon
and Exegesis," "Law as Theology."
RELJ 523 - (3) (IR)
Modern Judaic Imagination
This seminar explores specific problems in the interpretation
of Judaism in the 19th and 20th centuries.
RELJ 528 - (3) (SI)
Seminar in Israelite Religion
Advanced study in a selected aspect of the religion of ancient
Israel.
RELJ 529 - (3) (SI)
Seminar in Hebrew Bible
An in-depth study of a selected corpus of literature, specific
book of the Hebrew Bible, or pervasive theme.
RELJ 594 - (3) (SI)
Judaism and Kantian Philosophy
Prerequisites: Courses in philosophy or Jewish thought, or
permission of instructor; reading knowledge of German helpful
The interaction of the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and Jewish
theology in the 19th century and early 20th century, primarily
concentrating on the thought of the German-Jewish thinker Hermann
Cohen (1842-1918).
RELJ 596 - (3) (SI)
Judaism and Existentialist Philosophy
A study of the interaction of existentialist philosophy and
modern Jewish theology, especially in the works of Martin Buber,
Franz Rosenzweig, and Abraham Joshua Heschel.
RELJ 597 - (3) (Y)
Judaism and Aristotelian Philosophy
Prerequisites: Courses in philosophy or Jewish thought, or
permission of instructor
The interaction of the philosophy of Aristotle and Jewish theology,
especially in the 12th century, primarily concentrating on the
thought of Maimonides (1135-1204).
RELS 495 - (1-6) (Y)
Independent Research
Prerequisite: Permission of departmental advisor and instructor
Systematic readings in a selected topic under detailed supervision.
RELS 496 - (3-6) (Y)
Distinguished Major Thesis
Prerequisite: Selection by faculty for Distinguished Major
Program
A thesis, directed by a member of the department, focusing on
a specific problem in the theoretical, historical or philosophical
study of religion or a specific religious tradition. The thesis
is based in part on at least three hours of directed reading in
the field of the thesis.
RELS 498 - (3) (Y)
Senior Essay
Prerequisite: Permission of departmental advisor and instructor
A selected topic in religious studies under detailed supervision.
The writing of an essay will constitute a major portion of the
work.