Nov 27, 2024  
2021-2022 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2021-2022 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED BULLETIN]

Religion and Contemporary Issues, BA Major in


This program is designed to provide competency in the study of religion as it relates to a variety of contemporary issues. The program is suited for any student seeking greater comprehension of the ways religion is involved in the contemporary world, but is designed specifically for students preparing for a career in healthcare; law, public policy, and public service; the arts, or media. There are distinct pre-professional tracks in each of these general disciplinary areas. The requirements are designed to allow students to integrate course work from their primary major into their Religion major, as well as to take courses specifically focusing on the role of religion in their chosen field of study. Students may also choose Religion or Jewish Studies as their primary major, and can develop a specialization in one of these distinct tracks.

Program Requirements:


Candidates for graduation from Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences with the degree of Bachelor of Arts must fulfill the BA requirements as listed under Hofstra College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students may use major requirements to fulfill BA Distribution requirements.

All Religion and Contemporary Issues majors are free to select courses within the major that fit their needs and interests.The requirements for each Pre-Professional Concentration are listed below.  Majors complete at least 24 semester hours in the Religion department and 9 semester hours in Pre-Professional courses within the following guidelines:

Major Requirements - 33 Semester Hours


Majors complete at least 24 semester hours in the Religion department and 9 semester hours in Pre-Professional courses. 

Religion Core Courses - 6 Semester Hours


Required Pre-Professional Coursework - 9 Semester Hours


Pre-Professional Coursework is taken under advisement in the student’s primary area of study. Students will use 9 semester hours of course work from their Pre-Professional major to meet this requirement.

Elective Courses - 9 Semester Hours


Students are free to choose the 9 semester hours from all Religion courses (RELI) and all Jewish Studies courses (JWST).

Additional Semester Hours as Follows:


While internships in Religion or Jewish Studies with pre-professional components are not required, they are highly recommended. See department chair for details.

Students must select one of the following concentrations:

Religion and Contemporary Issues in Health - Semester Hours: 9

Appropriate for students in the following majors and minors: Biology, Community Health, Counseling, Health Education, Health Science, Psychology, Neuroscience, Pre-Health (Pre-Medical) Studies With a Concentration in Humanities or Social Sciences (except a Religion concentration), Pre-Medical Studies, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences.

Appropriate for all students considering a career in the healthcare fields, or for those considering graduate work in one of the above majors.

1. Religion/Pre-Professional Core Course - 3 Semester Hours

Religion and Contemporary Issues in Law, Ethics, and Politics - Semester Hours: 9

Appropriate for students in the following majors and minors: African Studies, American Studies, Asian Studies, Business, CCE, Chinese Studies, Criminology, Economics, Environmental Resources, Geography, Global Studies, History, Japanese, Labor Studies, LACS, Peace Studies, Philosophy, Political Science, PPPS, Sociology, Sustainability Studies, Urban Ecology, Women’s Studies. 

Appropriate for all students considering a career in law, public service, public policy, business, government, social work, or nongovernmental organizations, or for those considering graduate work in one of the above majors.

Religion and Contemporary Issues in Media and Popular Culture - Semester Hours: 9

Appropriate for students in the following majors: Art, Audio/Radio Production and Studies, Drama and Dance, Film Production and Studies, Journalism, Mass Media Studies, Music, Public Relations, Rhetoric and Public Advocacy, and Television Production and Studies.

Appropriate for all students considering a career in media, communications, and arts fields, or for those considering graduate work in one of the above majors.

BA Requirements - 91 Semester Hours


Please see the BA degree requirements for additional information.