2022-23 Catalogs

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Columbia, MO 65211
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BA in Religious Studies

Degree Program Description

What do shamans, politicians, nurses, prophets, intellectuals, nuns, and soldiers have in common? They are all part of the Religious Studies curriculum at MU, which studies religion as a powerful influence in human life and history, shaping global cultures, national identities, and the values of individuals. Religious Studies majors explore the roles religion plays in societies, the ways that religious institutions grow and change, the meanings of scriptures from around the world, the extraordinary experiences of religious specialists, and much more. Graduates of the major pursue a variety of employment and graduate school opportunities.

Major Program Requirements

A student must take a total of 24 credit hours in Religious Studies, of which at least 21 hours must be at the 2000-level or above.  Students must earn a minimum GPA of 2.0 or higher in order to have the credit applied. In addition, students must complete all degree, college and university graduation requirements, including university general education.

Major Core Requirements
REL_ST 1100Introduction to Religion3
or REL_ST 1500 Religion and Culture
or REL_ST 2110 Global Religions

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Semester Plan

Below is a sample plan of study, semester by semester.  A student's actual plan may vary based on course choices where options are available.

First Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
REL_ST 1100*3REL_ST 2310*3
HIST 1100 or 12003ENGLSH 10003
SPAN 11004ECONOM 10005
PSYCH 10003AMS 10603
MATH 11003SPAN 12004
 16 18
Second Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
REL_ST Course3REL_ST 21003
SPAN 21004Elective6
BIO_SC 10103GEOG 11003
English Literature3HIST 38203
PSYCH 23103 
 16 15
Third Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
REL_ST 2610*3REL_ST 3200*3
REL_ST 3710*3REL_ST 3990*3
GEOL 11004ANTHRO 10003
POL_SC 11003ARH_VS 37603
 13 12
Fourth Year
FallCreditsSpringCredits
REL_ST 41003Senior Seminar3
PHYSCS 10503Electives12
Electives9 
 15 15
Total Credits: 120

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Degree Audit

The degree audit is an automated report reflecting a student’s academic progress toward the completion of a degree. 

MU students can request a degree audit by logging in to myDegreePlanner.  Students may also access myDegreePlanner via myZou, in the Student Center, click on the Academic Progress Tile, then select Request Degree Audit. The audit automatically pulls in the student’s MU course work, transfer courses and courses in progress.  This is available to current students, admitted students, and those who last attended less than three terms ago.

Past MU students can request a degree audit by contacting the Academic Advising Unit of the division in which they were last enrolled at MU. For contact information, go to https://advising.missouri.edu/contact/.

Prospective students, can access a preliminary MU degree audit via https://www.transferology.com. Information on the college credits already earned will have to be manually entered before it can be evaluated against current degree requirements.

For additional details on degree audits, go to https://registrar.missouri.edu/degrees-audits/degree-audits/.

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Major and Career Exploration

The University of Missouri has many resources to assist you in exploring majors and career possibilities.  For guidance, visit the Majors and Careers website or view specific resources below.

  • If you are considering a change of major or are exploring multiple majors, schedule an appointment with an advisor in the Discovery Center by calling (573)884-9700 or through MU Connect Discovery Center service in you success network.

  • If you have decided on a major, visit an academic advisor in the School or College that you are interested in to discuss the process of declaring the major

  • If you would like to learn more about your career interests, abilities, values and talents, visit the MU Career Center.  No Appointment is necessary to explore career options with one of our staff members.

For additional major and career exploration resources, visit Major & Career Exploration in the catalog.

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