Major in Religion and the Arts (B.A.)

This major prepares the student to be an effective interpreter of Christianity in contemporary culture. An interdisciplinary degree that allows the student to combine the study of religion with the study of music, art, theater, dance, literature or writing, the degree creates opportunities for students to prepare for ministry in a wide variety of fields where faith intersects with culture.

Major in Religion and the Arts (B.A.)	Hours
General Education Core Requirements B.A.	59-63
Prerequisites for Religion Major¹		6
REL 1250, New Testament and Exegesis	3
REL 2350, Christian Doctrine²	3

Core Emphasis
REL 3400, Ministry in Focus Seminars³	0
REL 1410, Vocation and Christian Life	1
REL 2410, Spiritual Formation	3
REL 2510, Christian Ethics	3
REL 4015, Colloquium⁴	2
Area Emphasis
REL 3380, Faith and Beauty	3
REL 3550, Faith and Popular Culture	3
REL 4380, Theology and the Arts, OR REL 4350, Theology and Worship Arts, OR REL 4360, Theology and Literature	3
REL 4390, Religion and the Arts Symposium	3
Arts Focused Electives (Electives must be from one art area)	9
MUSIC⁵ 1. Music History/Music Theory (3-4 hours – take 1 course) • MUH 2200 Music History: 1700 to Present (3 hours) • MUT 1300 Fundamentals of Music Theory (4 hours)⁶ 2. Applied Music/Ensembles (3 hours – take three 1-hour courses) • Private Lessons (3 semesters for one hour each semester, elective level)⁷ • MUN__ (Ensembles) — Based on audition or permission of director (3 semesters for one hour each semester) 3. Church Music/Music Education (3 hours – take 1 course) • MUR 4420 Hymnology (3 hours) • MUR 4410 Foundations of Church Music Ministry (3 hours) • MUE 4250 Psychology of Music (3 hours) THEATRE⁸ 1. Core Experience (6 hours—choose 2 classes) • TDR 2080 Acting I [for Majors] (3 hours) • TDR 2250 Basic Directing (3 hours) • TDR 3020 Basic Playwriting (3 hours) • TDR 2030 Play Analysis (3 hours) • TDR 4430 Stage Management (3 hours) • TDR 3050 Creative Dramatics for the Classroom (3 hours) 2. Practicum Experience (3 hours—choose 2 to 3 classes) • TDR 1310, 1320, 2310, 2320 Performance and Production Lab (Repeatable) (1 hour) • TDR 2110, 3110, 4110 Theatre Workshop (2 hours) ART⁹ 1. Core Experience (3 hours) • Art 4620, Early Christian and Byzantine Art (3 hours) 2. Emphasis Area (Select 6 hours from one emphasis area) • Emphasis 1: Art History — Choose two 3-hour courses from Art History Seminars • Emphasis 2: Studio Art — Choose 6 hours from one of the following disciplines (Art 2000 level or above): Drawing, Figure Drawing, Painting, Clay/Ceramics, Photography, Printmaking, 3D/Sculpture) DANCE¹⁰ 1. Technique (5 hours, choose at least one Level II or Level III course) • DAN 1101 Ballet I, DAN 1201 Jazz I, DAN 1301 Modern I, DAN 1401 Tap I (1 credit hour) • DAN 2102 Ballet II, DAN 2202 Jazz II, DAN 2302 Modern II, DAN 2402 Tap II (2 credit hours) • DAN 2103 Ballet III, DAN 2203 Jazz III, DAN 2303 Modern III, DAN 2403 Tap III (2 credit hours) 2. Core (4 hours, must take these two classes) • DAN 1010 Dance Performance (Must take for one full year at 1 hr/semester) (2 hours) • DAN 3020 Composition I (2 hours) ENGLISH¹¹ 1. Literature¹² • Core experience (3 hours), ENL 3960, Religion and Literature • Choose two 3-hour upper-division ENL courses (6 hours) 2. Writing¹³ • Core experience (3 hours), ENW 3590, Writing for Spiritual Development • Choose two 3-hour upper-division ENW courses (6 hours)

Total in Major		30
Minor Requirements		18
Electives		15
Total		128

¹ Students who choose a religion minor must substitute required courses in their minor with a course from the same subject area. In other words, a single course may not count for both major and minor requirements.

² REL 2350, Christian Doctrine is a prerequisite for the following: REL 2410 Spiritual Formation; REL 2510 Christian Ethics; all courses in Religion and Society division, in the Theological and Historical Division, and Biblical Studies Division.

³ Students will take one REL 3400 Ministry in Focus per semester for a total of eight seminars required for graduation or one for every semester a student is a Religion major.

⁴ Students take REL 4015 in the fall semester before the anticipated date of graduation.

⁵ Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Music Emphasis) must take MUH 2000 (The Musical Experience) as their General Education fine arts course. MUH 2000 should be taken before MUH 2200.

⁶ Students may take a three-hour Harmony class if they qualify by taking the Theory Placement Test.

⁷ No audition required.

⁸ Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Theatre Emphasis) must take TDR 2000 (The Theatre/Film Experience) as their General Education fine arts course.

⁹ Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Art Emphasis) must take ART 2000 (The Art Experience) as their General Education fine arts course.

¹⁰ All Religion and Arts Dance Majors must attend a Dance Placement audition. Dance Placement auditions are held on the first Monday before classes start during the Fall and Spring Semesters from 4:00 to 7:00 in the Beaman Student Life Center. Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Dance Emphasis) must take DAN 2000 (The Dance Experience) as their General Education fine arts course.

¹¹ Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (English Emphasis) must choose to focus on literature or writing.

¹² Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Literature Emphasis) must take two Literature surveys (ENL 2110, 2120, 2210, 2220, 2310, 2320, 2330, 2340) as two of their three General Education Humanities courses.

¹³ Students in the Religion and the Arts Major (Writing Emphasis) must take one Literature survey (ENL 2110, 2120, 2210, 2220, 2310, 2320, 2330, 2340) and one Intermediate Writing course (ENW 2410, 2420, 2510) as two of their three General Education Humanities courses.