Courses
Brandeis offers a variety of courses in religion for its undergraduate and graduate students. They strive to teach students about the traditions, culture and vocabulary within the various religions around the world. Although many of the courses can be found under religion-specific departments, others can also be found scattered throughout several different programs and majors.
For more information, please see Jung Kim’s research paper (PDF) and PowerPoint presentation on the topic.
Judaism
The largest number of courses about religion offered at Brandeis University focus on Judaism. Since the first official school year in 1948, Brandeis has offered courses that cover Judaism from several perspectives. Some classes focus on the history of Judaism while others discuss the contributions and effects Judaism has had on people and cultures. With an extensive range of different topics and a seemingly endless number of courses, Brandeis offers a comprehensive and thorough experience for those who want to learn more about Judaism.
Some useful links to help you find the courses related to Judaism:
Islam
The first course on Islam at Brandeis was offered during the 1950-51 academic year. Since then, Brandeis has steadily increased the variety and number of courses offered about Islam. Today, many of these courses are offered through the Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies Program. Courses range from the history of the Islam to the discussion of modern-day religious conflicts in the Middle East.
Some useful links to help you find the courses related to Islam:
Christianity
Courses on Christianity are a key component of the academic study of religion at Brandeis. The first Christian-focused course was offered during the 1950-51 academic year. Christianity has also been addressed in a number of comparative religions courses offered over time.
Some useful links to help you find the courses related to Christianity:
Beyond Abrahamic Traditions
Some Brandeis courses address religions outside of the Abrahamic faiths. From ancient religions in Rome to modern-day religions in Africa, these courses are scattered throughout the curriculum and, as a result, may be easy to miss. Such courses have been offered in departments and programs, including:
- African and African American Studies
- American Studies
- Anthropology
- Art History
- Classical Studies
- Comparative Humanities
- Comparative Literature and Culture
- East Asian Studies
- European Cultural Studies
- Fine Arts
- German Studies
- Global Studies
- Hispanic Studies
- History
- History of Ideas
- The Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program
- International and Global Studies
- Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies
- Medieval and Renaissance Studies
- Near Eastern and Judaic Studies
- Peace, Conflict and Coexistence Studies
- Philosophy
- Religious Studies
- Sociology
- South Asian Studies
Here are some useful links to help you find the courses related to other religions: