Minor in Religion and Media

Add a Minor in Religion and Media

The Minor in Religion and Media is designed to focus on the intersection of religion and media and to build critical skills in cultural and media literacy. Students are educated on the vital role that religion and media play, historically and in contemporary society, by introducing interdisciplinary perspectives.

The undergraduate Minor in Religion and Media requires a minimum of 18 semester hours, including 12 semester hours in courses taken at the University of Iowa. Students must maintain a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least 2.00 in all courses for the minor and in all UI courses for the minor. Coursework for the minor may not be taken pass/nonpass.

The Department of Religious Studies and Department of Communication Studies collaborate to offer the minor. It is administered by the Department of Religious Studies. Students completing a communication studies major or a religious studies major also may complete this minor.

Students may count up to six semester hours of coursework for the religion and media minor with other programs of study. Courses with General Education CLAS Core status are excluded from this policy.

The Minor in Religion and Media requires the following coursework. Students must complete at least six semester hours in communication studies coursework (prefix COMM) and at least six semester hours in religious studies coursework (prefix RELS).

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Required coursework

These courses convey major methodological approaches to the study of media.

One of these:

RELS:1050/POLI:1050, Big Ideas: Introduction to Information, Society, and Culture (3 semester hours)
COMM:1168, Music and Social Change (3 semester hours)
COMM:1174, Media and Society (3 semester hours)

These courses convey major methodological approaches to the study of religion

One of these:

RELS:1001, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (3 semester hours)
RELS:1015, Global Religious Conflict and Diversity (3 semester hours)

These courses raise broad thematic questions about the relationship of religion and media in diverse historical, geographical, and social contexts.

At least 6 semester hours from these:

RELS:2182/CLSA:2482, Ancient Mediterranean Religions (3 semester hours)
RELS:2272, Gods and Superheroes: Mythologies for a Modern World (3 semester hours)
RELS:2930/COMM:2079, Digital Media and Religion (3 semester hours)

These courses engage specific historical, geographical, and cultural contexts in which a relationship between religion and media is important. They teach students to think about the way religion and media matter in everyday life.

At least 6 semester hours from these:

RELS:2260/GHS:2260, Hard Cases in Healthcare at the Beginning of Life (3 semester hours)
RELS:2265/GHS:2265, Hard Cases in Healthcare at the End of Life (3 semester hours)
RELS:2877/SPST:2077, Sport and Religion in America (3 semester hours)
RELS:3243/CLSA:3443, Pagans and Christians: The Church from Jesus to Muhammad (3 semester hours)
RELS:3247/CLSA:3247, Banned from the Bible: Pseudepigrapha and Apocrypha (3 semester hours)

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Additional information

Double counting of coursework

When completing the requirements specified for multiple programs of study, such as for a minor, certificate, or major, double counting of course work is limited by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to six semester hours.