2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Dec 05, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Comparative Religion, BA (COMPRELGN-BA)

Effective Fall 2026, this program will no longer admit new students. Summer 2026 will be the last semester that new students or students changing majors can declare this major.

CIP Code: 380201

Program Description

Religion is an essential dimension of human thought and experience. It shapes our history, culture, values, and beliefs. It influences debates on a diverse range of issues, including global terrorism and political ideologies, gender and racial equality, ethics and social justice.

The comparative religion faculty offer courses in all the great world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese and Japanese Religions. We teach a variety of courses on Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and American Religious History. In addition, we offer cross-cultural and thematic courses that examine particular topics, including women and religion, religion and politics, human rights, ethics, religious pluralism, mythology, mysticism, and film.

Program faculty use an academic, non-confessional methodology in teaching religion. In our classes we analyze religious beliefs, practices, texts, and institutions both descriptively and critically as intellectual, historical, and cultural phenomena. We do not argue for the truth of one, all, or no religion.

Program Admission Requirements

Effective Fall 2026, this program will no longer admit new students. Summer 2026 will be the last semester that new students or students changing majors can declare this major. This academic program does not have admission requirements beyond regular admission to Wright State University. Any student is eligible to declare this academic program.

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in this program will learn to:

Acquire effective writing and communication skills
Acquire strong critical thinking skills
Appreciate the diversity of religious worldviews, traditions, beliefs, and practices
Understand how to study religion from an academic perspective.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of this program can:

Effective writing and communication skills
Strong critical thinking skills
An appreciation of the diversity of religious worldviews, traditions, beliefs, and practices
An understanding of how to study religion from an academic perspective.

Honors Program

Students with a GPA of 3.50 or higher in Religion may substitute an Honors project for the major’s Advanced Religion Courses requirement. An Honors project involves independent study with a faculty mentor. It will usually extend over two consecutive terms and earn six hours of credit upon its successful completion. The project culminates in the writing of a major research paper (25-30 pages) during the second term and an oral defense of the project with the Program faculty.

For More Information

Program Requirements

I. Wright State Core: 36 Credit Hours

As a part of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Wright State University, all students must complete the Wright State Core, a general education curriculum. Most programs require 36 hours in the Core, some programs may require additional hours.

Specific Core classes in some of the Elements may be required by some majors. When this occurs, the specific Core courses required will be listed below. In Elements where a specific course is not required, students can choose any course from the Wright State Core Program Requirements.

First-Year Seminar: 3 Credit Hours

All students must successfully complete a First-Year Seminar during their first year. Transfer students who transfer 24 or more credit hours (post high school graduation) are exempt from this requirement and will need to satisfy three additional credit hours in the Additional Core Courses category.

LA 1020 - First-Year Seminar: College of Liberal Arts Credit Hour(s): 3

Element A - English Composition: 6 Credit Hours

First-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)

All students must successfully complete ENG 1100.  Based on Writing Placement level, some students may be required to enroll in a corequisite course (DEV 0100). 
ENG 1100 - Academic Writing and Reading Credit Hour(s): 3
Second-Year Writing Course (3 credit hours)
ENG 2100 - Research Writing and Argumentation Credit Hour(s): 3

Element B - Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic: 3 Credit Hours

Students will select one Element B course from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements list. Based on Math Placement Level, students may need additional prerequisite or corequisite coursework in mathematics prior to enrollment in the course chosen.

Element C - Arts and Humanities: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Arts and Humanities courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. One course must fulfill the History requirement.

History Requirement (3 credit hours)

Choose 1 course from the list below:
HST 1100 - Western Civilizations to 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
HST 1200 - The West and the World since 1500 Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
HST 1500 - Introduction to Greek and Roman Culture Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
Arts and Humanities Course (3 credit hours)

Choose an additional Arts and Humanities course (a different prefix from what is chosen above) from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element D - Social and Behavioral Sciences: 6 Credit Hours

Students will select two Social and Behavioral Sciences courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements.

Element E - Natural Sciences: 7 Credit Hours

Students will select two Natural Science courses, from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. At least one course must contain a laboratory.

Additional Core Courses: 5 Credit Hours

Students will select up to 5 additional credit hours from Elements A-E from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements to reach the 36 minimum hours required in the Core. Unless specified by the student’s major, these are selected by the student. When a major has required courses in this area, the specific Core course(s) required will be listed below.

Additional Core Requirements

Within the 36 credit hours of the Wright State Core students must successfully complete the following:

· One Global Inquiry (GI) course

· Two Inclusive Excellence (IE) courses

· One to two Integrated Writing (IW) courses. To meet degree requirements all students must complete a minimum of 3 IW courses by choosing either (a) 1 in the Core and 2 in the major or (b) 2 in the Core and 1 in the major. Students should check their major program requirements for courses that fulfill Integrated Writing.

Students who do not make choices within the 36 required hours of the Core to fulfill the GI, IE, and IW requirements will take additional Core hours beyond the minimum of 36.

II. Major Requirements: 36 Credit Hours

Introductory Religion Courses: 6 Credit hours

Students must take two 2000-level Religion courses

Upper-Level Religion Electives: 27 Credit hours

Students must take nine 3000-4000 level Religion electives. A minimum of two courses must be taken in each of the following areas:

Asian Religions Area Courses: 6 credit hours minimum
Western Religions Area Courses: 6 credit hours minimum

NOTE: Students may substitute one 3-credit upper-level CLS or PHL course for one 3000-level REL elective.

Asian Religion Area Courses

REL 3400 - Topics in Asian Religion Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3410 - Chinese Religions Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3420 - Japanese Religions Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3430 - Buddhism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3440 - Hinduism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3450 - Daoism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3460 - Confucianism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3470 - Zen Buddhism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3480 - Hindu Mythology Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3490 - Hindu Goddesses Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3510 - Comparative Asian Mysticism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3530 - Asian Religious Ethics Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3550 - Human Rights in China Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 3810 - Anthropology of Religion Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)

Western Religion Area Courses

REL 3100 - Topics in Judaism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3110 - Judaism: Faith and People Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3120 - Modern Jewish Thought Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3200 - Topics in Christianity Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3210 - Christianity Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3300 - Topics in Islam Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3310 - Introduction to Islam Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3320 - Islam in the Modern World Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3520 - Western Mysticisms Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 3600 - Topics in American Religion Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3610 - Religion in America Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3620 - New Religious Movements in America Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3630 - Women and Religion in America Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3640 - Religion and Politics in America Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 3700 - Topics in Biblical Literature Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3720 - Pentateuch Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3730 - Genesis Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3740 - Prophets and History Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3750 - Introduction to New Testament Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3760 - The Four Gospels Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3770 - The Letters of Paul Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 3780 - Apocalypse of John Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3790 - Topics in Greco-Roman Religions Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 3820 - Sociology of Religion Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3900 - Topics in Philosophy of Religion Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3930 - Faith and Reason Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 3940 - Existentialism Credit Hour(s): 3
REL 4100 - Seminar on Judaism Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)
REL 4500 - Seminar on American Religion Credit Hour(s): 3 (IW)

Advanced Religion Courses: 3 Credit hours

Students must take one 4000-level Religion course.

NOTE: Students cannot use REL 4810 Independent Study to fulfill this requirement.

III. College Requirements: 18-22 Credit Hours

Foreign Language: 12-16 Credit Hours

Through 2020 level (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) of one foreign language:

American Sign Language (ASL)*, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, or other foreign language.

*Note: all language classes above are 3 credit hours each, except for the ASL classes which are 4 credit hours each.

Methods of Inquiry: 6 Credit Hours

PHL 3000 - Critical Thinking Credit Hour(s): 3
Research Methods - One course from approved list Credit Hour(s): 3

IV. General Electives: 26-30 Credit Hours

Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. If the total number of credit hours in the WSU Core (general education program) and the major requirements do not total at least 120 credits, students will choose additional courses (general electives) to meet the minimum required 120 credit hours. Students may choose from any undergraduate course in the Academic Catalog for which they meet the course prerequisites and for which they do not already have earned credit.

Students are encouraged to consider adding a minor, certificate, or microcredential.

Total: 120 Credit Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

A Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS), also known as a four-year guide, is an academic tool showing one example of how a program can be completed in a certain amount of time. All Wright State undergraduate majors can be completed in four years with careful planning. Some programs may require summer coursework. Time to degree is dependent on many factors including student placement in mathematics and writing courses, CCP and AP coursework, transfer coursework, and other variables.

These guides are valid for this year’s Academic Catalog only and are subject to change. These guides are a recommendation only and your actual program may vary. Students should consult with their academic advisor on a regular basis and create a personalized plan to degree completion.

Comparative Religion, BA (GPS)