A first-year schedule sample

This degree program is flexible and offers you the opportunity to take courses in many different subject areas. Here’s what a typical first-year schedule might look like:

^a Eligible course for the major
^b One of the course options to complete the English Language Writing Requirement
^c One of the course options to complete the Indigenous Learning Requirement
^d One of the course options to complete the Quantitative Reasoning Requirement
^e One of the course options which may be used in the Breadth, Cognate, and/or Electives Requirements

The Course and Program Catalogue has the complete and official listing of required classes and their descriptions for this program.

• Course and Program Catalogue

RLST 215: Indian Yoga Heritage
Surveys the history, philosophy, texts, practices and systems of Yoga in traditional cultural settings and modern context.

RLST 229: Religion and Sport
This course explores the interplay between religion and sport. These two endeavours represent the ultimate concern for a number of people around the world. We will analyze their similarities and differences in relation to how sport and religion serve as a total identity for some people. We will also map some of the influence and expression of religious traditions in sport. Case studies will include reviewing arguments for considering the Montreal Canadiens and the Saskatchewan Roughriders as religions in their own right. 

RLST 229: Islam in Hollywood
This course will examine the representations of Islam and Muslims as they appear or are portrayed in the Hollywood film industry. From the early twentieth century up until the present era of the global War on Terrorism, Hollywood has manufactured images of Islam that have been closely intertwined with the dynamics of political and economic interests and ideological motives to dominate Other. Through lectures, discussion, and the screening of selected movies – from the classic Lawrence of Arabia (1962) to post 9/11 films such as The Kingdom (2007) – we will closely analyze what has changed in the representations of Islam, what persists, and why. This course is not an entirely movie-based review and analysis. However, in order to present the images of Hollywood’s Islam in the lectures and discussion, the screening of selected movies is inevitable. This course will be divided into three themes: classical Oriental depictions of Islam (which portrayed Muslims as exotic, sensual, and irrational); national security concerns, from the post-1979 Iranian revolution to the Gulf War, and; the global War on Terrorism after 9/11.

RLST 321: Gender and God Talk
An overview of feminist theological perspectives, both as critiques of traditional culture and theology and as constructions of new visions and ways of religious life.

Faculty
You will benefit from the diversity within our department, which features a group of scholars trained in the relevant languages, histories, philosophies and social sciences. Specialists in Asian and Western religions and cultures provide diverse perspectives on systems of faith and religious practice throughout the world.

Hands-on learning
Alternate methods of learning such as visits from guest lecturers, community service learning, and site visits to local religious institutions are featured to encourage students to explore the religious diversity within our local community.

Study abroad
You can take advantage of our unique study abroad opportunities and immerse yourself in the cultures you are studying.