Undergraduate Report Senate Academic Planning Committee
Appendix: Detailed Proposals – Undergraduate Curriculum for 2007-2008
1. Introduction of a B.A. Honours, General, and Various Minors in Religion
The proposal herein is not the usual request for a new degree at the University. For many decades a program in Religion was offered at Carleton. Then with the academic reorganization in the 1990s the Departments of Classics and Religion were folded into a new arrangement with the College of Humanities. This arose out of the inability of the University at that time to fill empty positions in both programs. This of course resulted in the reduction of both units to a minimal complement. For some years now both units have been managing a somewhat confused and confusing degree program in Classics, Religion and Humanities.
At a meeting of the College of Humanities in December 2005 it was agreed that the current 10 (ten) Bachelor degrees in Classics and Religion were not serving the needs of either discipline well. The overlap between the two disciplines is slight. Students have been telling us that they do not always welcome the requirement to do courses in both disciplines, especially because they are required to take many courses that have little to do with their true disciplinary interest. Moreover, hirings and appointments in Religion in the last few years, most recently this year one new and one replacement appointment, have restored the number of personnel in the discipline necessary to manage a B.A. in Religion.
Therefore the members of the discipline with the agreement of the other members of the College are proposing to replace the 10 (ten) degree programs and the Minor in Religion currently in force. In their place we seek approval for a new degree in Religion, at the Honours, Combined Honours, and General degree level as well as an altered Minor in Religion for non-Religion Majors and a new Minor in Jewish Studies. The Religion group believes that this change will see the number of students majoring in Religion increase significantly and that the Minor in Jewish Studies will also undoubtedly attract much student attention.
1. Program Mission and Objectives:
o Learning objectives
To offer students a disciplined study of religion wherein they are exposed to a thoughtful and comparative analysis of religious responses made throughout documented history and across all cultures.
To expose students to the profound issues raised in religion that all reflective human beings face such as a sense of identity, the meaning of existence, and the basis for political and ethical commitments.
To nurture a respect for the complex identities of others through the cross-cultural study of religion, whether through comparative or religionswissenschaftlich approaches.
To enhance students’ choices for the Major in Religion, we will advise students of other courses and minors that may be available to them as electives or non-Major credits that relate to and are supportive of the study of religion:
Aboriginal Studies (4.0) Minor
ALSS 1300 (2.0) Intensive Introductory Arabic
ALSS 1900 (1.0) Introductory Study of an Indigenous Language
Anthropology (4.0) Minor
ANTH 1001 (0.5) Introduction to Anthropology
ANTH 2550 (0.5) Culture and Symbol Prerequisite
ARTH 2007 (0.5) Asian Art Prerequisite
ARTH 2202 (0.5) Medieval Art Prerequisite
ARTH 3506 (0.5) Myth, Religion and the Occult in Art
CHIN (2.0) Intensive Introductory Mandarin Chinese
CLST 1000 (1.0) The Literature of Europe: Representative Texts
CLST 2007 (0.5) The Literatures of Asia: Comparative Perspectives Prerequisite
CLST 2008 (0.5) The Literatures of Africa and the Middle East Prerequisite
ENGL 2004 (0.5) Classical, Medieval and Early Modern Drama
ENGL 2008 (1.0) Myth and Symbol Prerequisite
GREK Courses in Greek Language
HIST 3006 (0.5) Early Medieval Thought Prerequisite
HIST 3704 (0.5) Aztecs Prerequisite
HIST 3708 (0.5) Reformation Europe Prerequisite
JAPA (2.0) Intensive Introductory Japanese Language
LATN Courses in Latin Language
MUSI 4104 (0.5) Musics of Canada’s First Peoples Prerequisite
PHIL 1001 (0.5) Ethics and Philosophy of Religion
PHIL 1500 (1.0) Contemporary Moral, Social, and Religious Issues
PHIL 2004 (0.5) Asian Philosophy Prerequisite
PHIL 2007 (0.5) Hellenistic and Early Medieval Philosophy Prerequisite
PHIL 2601 (0.5) Philosophy of Religion Prerequisite
PHIL 3400 (1.0) Aesthetic Prerequisite
PHIL 3401 (0.5) Aesthetic Theory Prerequisite
Political Science (4.0) Minor
PSCI 1000 (1.0) Introduction to Political Science
PSCI 1001 (0.5) Great Political Questions
PSCI 1002 (0.5) Global Political Issues
Psychology (4.0) Minor
PSYC 1001 (0.5) Introduction to Psychology I
PSYC 1002 (0.5) Introduction to Psychology II Prerequisite
Sociology (4.0) Minor
SOCI 1001 (0.5) Introduction to Sociology
o Enrolment objectives
Given the high undergraduate course enrolments (2,759 as of August 11, 2006) in Religion courses by students from all disciplines at the university, we expect to double the number of students enrolled in the General and Honours programs and similarly to increase the number of students choosing the Minor. Enrolment in religion courses has risen over 18% since 2003-2004 (BANNER GREPORT). More statistical data is available in Appendix A.
o Program’s consistency with the objects of the degree and/or the university
The study of religion was one of the earliest degrees offered by universities when they were founded in Europe. Many of our modern disciplines arose out of the study of religion because by its very nature the study of religion does not describe an approach or methodology as much as a class of human performances that can be studied by all the critical approaches in the modern academy. By its very nature the study of religion is interdisciplinary and so a degree in religion is fundamental to the structure and purpose of the modern university.
The establishment of a specific degree in Religion seems advantageous for the university, given the renewed and more noticeable role that religions appear now to play in our societies and the growing interest in religions, including Islam and religion in China. The university ought to offer a response to student interest in degree programs in Religion. In addition, given the province’s desire to promote greater opportunities for graduate studies, a return to undergraduate degree programs in Religion would be a necessary prelude to the revival of the study of Religion at the graduate level.
2. Description of Program Requirements
o Course requirements, especially core requirements (with course titles and description as it will appear in the calendar)
The degrees and Minors described below require a balanced range of courses by level. Core to the degrees are introductory courses in world religions (RELI 1000 and RELI 1001 and a required fourth year course RELI 4301 on Theory And Method.
Core Courses:
RELI 1000 [0.5 credit]
Judaism, Christianity, Islam
A survey of the basic beliefs and practices of these major religious traditions from their beginnings to the present.
Lecture three hours a week.
RELI 1001 [0.5 credit]
Asian Religions
A survey of the basic beliefs and practices of the religions of South Asia (particularly Hinduism and Buddhism) and the East Asian religions of China and Japan.
Lecture three hours a week.
RELI 4301 [0.5 credit]
Theory and Method
Examination of selected theoretical and methodological models used in the interpretation of religious data.
Prerequisite: fourth-year standing in the Honours B.A. Religion program, or permission of the Discipline.
Lecture three hours a week.
Program Requirement:
B.A. Honours (20.0 credits)
Credits Included in the Major CGPA (9.0 credits):
1.0 credit in RELI 1000 and RELI 1001;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 2000-level;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 3000-level;
2.0 credits in Religion at the 4000-level
a) either 2.0 credits including RELI 4301
b) or 2.0 credits including RELI 4301 and RELI 4909 [1.0];
4.0 credits in Religion;
Credits Not Included in the Major CGPA (11.0 credits):
9.0 credits in electives not in Religion;
2.0 credits in free electives (may be in Religion).
B.A. Combined Honours (20.0 credits)
Credits Included in the Religion Major CGPA (6.0 credits):
1.0 credit in RELI 1000 and RELI 1001;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 2000-level;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 3000-level;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 4000-level including RELI 4301;
2.0 credits in Religion; [Note: Students opting to do the Honours Essay RELI 4909 [1.0] will have this requirement reduced to 1.5 credits in Religion and the previous requirement for the 4000-level increased to 1.5 credits].
Additional Requirements (14.0 credits):
The requirements for B.A. Combined Honours in the other discipline;
5.0 credits in electives not in Religion or the other discipline;
Sufficient elective credits to make up 20.0 credits total for the program.
B.A. General (15.0 credits)
Credits Included in the Major CGPA (6.0 credits):
1.0 credit in RELI 1000 and RELI 1001;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 2000-level;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 3000-level;
3.0 credits in Religion
Credits Not Included in the Major CGPA (9.0 credits):
7.0 credits not in Religion;
2.0 credits in free electives (may be in Religion).
Minor in Religion
Open to all undergraduate degree students not in Religion programs.
Requirements (4.0 credits):
1.0 credit in Religion at the 1000-level;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 2000-level or above;
1.0 credit in Religion at the 3000-level or above;
1.0 credit in Religion.
The remaining requirements of the major discipline(s) and degree must be satisfied.
Minor in Jewish Studies
Open to all undergraduate degree students. For students in Religion a maximum of 2.0 credits may count toward both the Minor and the Major of the student’s Religion program.
Requirements (4.0 credits):
1.0 credit in RELI 1000
2.0 credits in RELI 2206, RELI 2508, RELI 2701, RELI 2708 (1.0), RELI 3505, RELI 3301;
1.0 credit in Religion or another discipline on a Jewish theme.
The remaining requirements of the major discipline(s) and degree must be satisfied.
o Admission requirements
The Admission Requirements for the program in Religion remain those for the Arts B.A. degree noted in the Undergraduate Calendar.
3. Academic merit and program delivery
o Address (as relevant) the appropriateness for the program’s learning objectives of
o The program’s admission requirements
No comment.
o The program’s structure and curriculum
Since the decision in the nineties to amalgamate the then few remaining faculty members representing Classics and Religion with the College of the Humanities, an effort has been made to make the most of available resources in order to continue with a program for students interested in B.A. degrees in these two disciplines. This was a challenge, since there are no real models of such amalgamations at the program level in universities and colleges in North American. The 10 degrees approved now by Senate for Classics and Religion (and Humanities) include requirements and courses not part of the one discipline or the other, so that students complain at having to take courses for the Major which do not fit with their interest in Classics or in Religion.
The structures of the proposed new degrees are deliberately simple. Requirements are mostly outlined in terms of level, with the two introductory courses (RELI 1000 and RELI 1001) and the methods course (RELI 4301) being the only specifically required courses. The 1.0 credit Honours thesis has been retained as an option. The Honours degree requires 9.0 credits in the Major; we judge this sufficient credits for this degree.
The proposed Minor in Religion amends the current Minor. It is restricted to students not in the Religion program and has requirements for 1.0 credit at the 3000-level or above to promote a range of choices for students. There is a consensus that students already majoring in Religion should take courses in other disciplines or a Minor in another discipline, rather than more Religion courses.
The Minor in Jewish Studies replaces the degrees with a Concentration in Jewish Studies. Where the concentration in the currently approved degrees required 3.0 to 3.5 credits, the Minor requires 4.0. Since the rules for the Minor permit up to 2.0 credits in the Minor to meet Major requirements simultaneously, students in Religion, who choose also to do the Minor in Jewish Studies, will in effect see the set of Religion courses for their Major and Minor (in the Honours program) increase from 9.0 to 11.00 credits.
o The program’s mode of delivery
The program will be delivered through lecture and seminar courses, with options for tutorials and an Honours thesis.
While with the introduction of this degree in Religion no more students will be accepted into the present degree in Classics, Religion and Humanities, active students in this degree can remain in and finish up their degree. Students seeking to switch to the appropriate form of the new degree will be advised on how to proceed.
o The methods of evaluating student progress
The program will follow the usual Minimum CGPA Requirements for Good Standing and the Standard Minimum Requirements for Minors as published in the Undergraduate Calendar.
o A co-op option
No Co-op available.
o Describe availability and suitability of faculty to support the program
Thanks to new hirings in the past few years and most recently one new and one replacement appointment, there are now teaching in the discipline of Religion the equivalent of five tenure track faculty plus 40% of two faculty who are appointed primarily to the B.Hum.. These faculty members represent expertise in the areas of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and South and East Asia as well as a variety of methodologies and approaches for the study of religion.
4. Demand and impact
o Provide evidence for student and faculty demand
o Available data on enrolments, kinds of student, etc. taking courses in the relevant area
There are currently 148 active majors in Classics, Religion and Humanities and 119 Minors in Religion. (BANNER GREPORT ). Not all active majors and minors are registered at this time. The re-introduction of a major in religion is expected to trigger a higher registration. General enrolment in Religion courses is more than 2700 course enrolments. A review of courses in Religion also reveals that students from all disciplines of the university and year level take these courses.
o Evidence of a potential clientele not now at Carleton
Certainly prospective students considering Carleton as their undergraduate destination are not encouraged by the current make-up of the B.A. with its mixture of Classics courses and language requirements with the more usual courses on religion. For the future, as the Religion program grows with degrees specifically in Religion, there is the opportunity to introduce a graduate degree and attract students for it.
o Scholarly activity of faculty members that may result from program’s development
The new establishment of faculty, many of them just starting out on the careers, have already demonstrated their scholarship through publications. The encouragement that comes from dealing with increased numbers of students majoring in Religion and the prospect of introducing a graduate program will strengthen the ties faculty have with the university and encourage even more fruitful scholarly activity.