Explores lived experiences of religion in Africa, its role in shaping identities, and how it is practiced, experienced, and expressed in various African contexts.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
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The department at a glance
All recorded grades average GPA
A / AB grades
letter grades
How grades break down
Grades over time
Red: department · Gray: UW–Madison
About these statistics
GPA and percentages are weighted by recorded letter grades. UW comparisons use the same terms. Cross-listed courses count once within this department and once across UW; department totals should not be added together. Grade counts are not unique students. Offering counts reflect captured records, not a complete historical schedule.
Spring 2027
Recorded this termcourses with offerings
instructors recorded
Grades have not been recorded for this term. Historical results remain in the overview above.
Across course levels
Recorded this termNo released grades for this term.
Recorded offerings over time
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22 courses
Explore world history through great buildings, analyzing the interaction between culture, politics, religion, and architectural form from ancient Egypt to modern globalization.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Jennifer Pruitt
The overall grade consisted of a few exams and papers. Exams were not too hard, but the papers were considered very troublesome and the class somewhat difficult.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Fall 2024 · limited sampleExplores Asian concepts of the monstrous, ghostly, and divine through religious studies, literature, anthropology, and history perspectives.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Jamal Jones
Grades relied on two short papers, two brief projects, and a lecture attendance question. Reviewers noted papers were graded lightly and did not assess knowledge of readings.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2026Explores how ancient Indian traditions have been reframed for the modern age, including the Ramayana in popular media, sacred space negotiations, and Jain sallekhana.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sampleA proseminar in Buddhist thought examining theories of contemplative practices like mindfulness and their interaction with psychology and cognitive science.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Consuming Happiness explores how consumption, money, and the experience economy intersect with the pursuit of a fulfilling life, covering positive psychology and prosocial spending.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Christine Whelan
Readings felt endless, and students were required to buy the instructor's book, though they only really needed it for papers. Attendance was required for discussion and lecture.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2024This course explores how religious communities confront global environmental challenges using case studies from India and Indonesia.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Anna Gade
The course required five 2-page papers, two exams, and one 5-page paper.
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2026–Spring 2026 · limited sampleAn examination of mythology, literature, ritual, and religion from Nordic areas and Scandinavia, focusing on pre-Christian beliefs and medieval folklore.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Scott Mellor
The course required heavy reading and assignments, with grades often dependent on essays that students described as difficult to master.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2025Introduction to Classical Rabbinic Literature in Translation covering the Talmudic period (2nd-7th c. CE), focusing on historical context and the interrelation of liturgical, legal, and non-legal texts.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
JEWISH/RELIGST 215
The Sabbath
3 creditsA comparative introduction to the history of the Sabbath from the Bible to the present, exploring textual sources from Jewish and Christian traditions.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
PHILOS/RELIGST 501
Philosophy of Religion
3–4 creditsPhilosophy of Religion analyzes religious experience and examines principal religious ideas through modern psychology, philosophy, science, and anthropology.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2025–Spring 2025 · limited samplePOLISCI/RELIGST 433
Religion and Politics
3–4 creditsReligion and Politics explores the relationships and interactions between religion and politics from a comparative perspective, analyzing how these dynamics shape political behavior across contexts.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
Introduces religious studies through popular culture, exploring themes via U.S./Japan theme parks, sports, music, and tattoos to analyze local and global religious expression.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2023–Spring 2024Introductory topics in religious studies within the humanities.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Fall 2024 · limited sampleIntroduction to religious language using discourse analysis and linguistic ethnography to examine ritual speech, prayer, song, sermons, conversation, and social media across religious traditions.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2024–Fall 2025 · limited sampleExplores Matthew through Revelation as Christianity's charter documents, examining the New Testament's sociohistorical context, composition, theologies, and presentations of Jesus through modern scholarship.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
Past student reviews · Corrie Norman
Assignments between tests were tedious, and the course required more than just memorization to achieve high grades.
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2023–Spring 2025 · limited sampleAnalyzes Paul's and other contemporary writings to assess his contribution to the development of the early church within Early Christian Literature.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Spring 2024–Fall 2025 · limited sampleReligion in Critical Perspective explores the theory and analysis of religion as a human phenomenon.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
historical GPA · grades
Fall 2022–Spring 2026 · limited sampleRELIGST 681
Senior Honors Thesis
3 creditsSenior Honors Thesis: independent research undertaken by students in the honors program.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
RELIGST 682
Senior Honors Thesis
3 creditsIndependent research undertaken by students in the honors program, titled Senior Honors Thesis.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
RELIGST 699
Directed Study
1–4 creditsDirected Study involves advanced directed study projects arranged with a faculty member.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history
RELIGST 999
Independent Work
1–6 creditsIndependent work course offering an individual tutorial on topics in religious studies.
Offering recorded · Spring 2027 · Sources
No recorded grade history