Exploring Religious Studies at UCLA: A Comprehensive Overview
The Religious Studies program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) offers a multifaceted approach to understanding religion, suitable for students from diverse backgrounds - from those just starting their college journey to seasoned scholars. This article delves into the program's offerings, curriculum, resources, and overall environment, providing a detailed overview for prospective students and anyone interested in the academic study of religion.
Available Degrees
The Religious Studies program at UCLA offers both Bachelor's and Master's degrees:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Religion: This undergraduate program provides a broad foundation in religious studies, allowing students to explore various religious traditions and thematic issues.
- Master’s Degree in Religion: This graduate program offers a more specialized and in-depth study of religion.
Curriculum and Course Offerings
UCLA's Religious Studies curriculum is designed to provide students with a broad understanding of various religions and the methods used to study them. The department encourages students to select courses that focus on specific religious traditions or on thematic issues important to the study of religion. A course may be taken twice, on different topics, for credit toward the major where repetition is allowed by the department offering the course. A maximum of 12 units of special studies courses (197, 198, 199) approved by the adviser may be applied toward the major.
The curriculum offers a breadth of topics across various religions and a depth of understanding in selected concentration areas. Students have the chance to study multiple world religions including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and many others.
Winter 2026 course offerings include a new course on “Religion and the Pursuit of Love”. Students could also take “Religion and the Quest for Happiness”, “Early Christians”, “Ancient Egyptian Religions”, or a perennial favorite, such as “History of the Study of Religion” - to name just a few of the courses available.
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Examples of specific courses include:
- Genesis of Islam: This course explores the genesis of Islam, its doctrines, and practices, with readings from the Qur'an and Hadith. It also covers schools of law and theology, piety and Sufism, reform and modernism.
- Survey of Christianity: A survey of three major historical branches of Christianity--Eastern and Oriental Orthodoxy, Roman Catholicism, and Protestantism, contrasting how history, dogma, culture, and community structures develop in those three traditions.
- History of the Study of Religion: A survey of major modern theories, methods, and approaches to study of religion to situate them within their own historical, philosophical, and social contexts. Critical consideration of changing and contested meanings of term religion and its relationship to such categories as science and magic, as well as to other domains of social experience. Examination of how study of religion has interacted with other academic fields, especially biblical studies, anthropology, sociology, psychology, and evolutionary biology.
- Kierkegaard: Study of selected works of Kierkegaard on philosophy of religion, with emphasis on interpretation of texts.
- Ancient Egyptian Religions: An introduction to religious beliefs, practices, and sentiments of ancient Egypt to study Egyptian religion as coherent system of thought and sphere of action that once served as meaningful and relevant framework for understanding physical reality and human life for inhabitants of Nile Valley. Covers general principles as well as developments through time (circa 3000 BC to 300 CE). Topics include mythology, temple and cult, magic, and personal piety.
- Philosophy of Religion: Intensive investigation of one or two topics or works in philosophy of religion, such as attributes of God, arguments for or against existence of God, or relation between religion and ethics. Topics announced each term.
- Religion and the Quest for Happiness: The concept of happiness is elusive. It is always being strived for, but people often do not know exactly what they are striving for. Religion is one way people try to find structured understanding of how best to live. Sometimes, religion can even offer understanding of what it means to be happy. This is often described as inner peace in popular thought, but religion offers more expansive understanding of how best to live one's life. Examination of wide range of views from ancient Greek philosophers, Indian and Christian mystics, to German idealists and existentialists. Study asks how different views of religion affect ways in which it is possible to achieve good life, and what that good life looks like. Does it come in form of happiness? Or must people sacrifice happiness for sake of something larger than themselves?
- Religion and the Pursuit of Love: Examination of how religious traditions, across both culture and time, have understood and professed love as ultimate ideal. Love comes in many forms: familial, communal, spiritual, erotic, and universal. Each of these are tangled within central nebulous concept that many religions have tried to tease out. Exploration of texts such as Song of Songs, Bhagavad Gita, Dhammapada, and poetry of Rumi and many others to discover how religion attempts to shape the forms of love in one's life. Study considers critiques of religiously framed love, asking whether it fosters empathy and justice or imposes limiting ideals. Drawing on theology, philosophy, literature, and cultural history, students compare traditions while recognizing each one's distinct moral vision.
- Early Christians: Christian movement from its origins to circa 160 CE, stressing its continuity/discontinuity with Judaism, various responses to Jesus of Nazareth, writings produced during this period, movement's encounters with its religious, social, and political world, and methods of research.
- Senior Seminar: Designed for senior majors. Seminar on central method and/or theme in study of religion. Refinement and integration of this knowledge by means of close reading and analysis of primary documents, debating contested issues, and researching and writing original paper.
- Individual Study: Individual study with lecture course instructor to explore topics in greater depth through supplemental readings, papers, or other activities. May be repeated for maximum of 4 units. Individual honors contract required. Honors content noted on transcript.
Program Popularity and Graduation Statistics
During the 2021-2022 academic year, University of California - Los Angeles handed out 4 bachelor's degrees in religious studies. This is a decrease of 80% over the previous year when 20 degrees were handed out. In 2022, 2 students received their master’s degree in religion from UCLA.
Department Support and Faculty
The Department of Religious Studies at UCLA is supportive of its students, offering a range of resources. The faculty members are acknowledged experts in their respective fields, so students learn from some of the best in the business. They have researched various religious topics, from ancient times to contemporary practices. The faculty are quite experienced and accessible.
Study Abroad Opportunities
Given the global nature of the Religious Studies program, UCLA encourages students to broaden their perspective through studying abroad. The International Education Office at UCLA offers several programs that let students study at foreign universities, allowing them to explore various cultures and religions firsthand during these periods of overseas learning.
Tuition and Fees
Understanding the costs associated with attending UCLA is crucial for prospective students. Here's a breakdown of the average tuition and fees for full-time undergraduate students:
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| In State | Out of State | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $11,834 | $42,611 |
| Fees | $1,913 | $1,913 |
| Books/Supplies | $1,574 | $1,574 |
| Room and Board | $17,148 | $17,148 |
| Other Expenses | $5,562 | $5,562 |
Important Considerations
While this article provides a comprehensive overview, it is essential to remember that the information presented in the UCLA General Catalog is subject to change or deletion without notice. This includes courses, course descriptions, instructor designations, curricular degree requirements, and fees. Always consult the most current, officially approved courses and curricula in the UCLA General Catalog for the most up-to-date information. For specific information about the dates and times of courses being taught by quarter, see the Schedule of Classes. For descriptions of all courses, see the UCLA General Catalog.
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