University of South Florida

Department Name: 
Religious Studies
Department website: 
http://religious-studies.usf.edu/
Approximate Enrollment (entire institution): 
47,000
Number of Full-Time Departmental Faculty: 
12
Public Institution?: 
Public
Related to a religious denomination or body?: 
No
Which best describes the institution?: 
Grants bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees
Department offers undergraduate coursework in ministerial preparation (either a track, a minor, or a major)?: 
No
Department or institution offers masters programs in religious studies or theological studies?: 
Yes
Department or institution offers doctoral programs in religious studies or theological studies?: 
No
Description of Undergraduate Major: 

At the University of South Florida the Department of Religious Studies primary area of academic strength is the interdisciplinary scholarly analysis and interpretation of religion, culture, and society using the theories and methodologies of the humanities, social sciences, and sciences.

This includes the study of material (religious buildings and artifacts) and non-material culture (ideas, myths, values); religious people and identities, collectivities, social movements, groups, and organizations; the interconnection between religion and other sociocultural institutions (gender-marriage-family, ethnicity-nationality, politics, economics, and so on); as well as social and political issues involving religion. Teaching and scholarship in the Department inherently are comparative (implicitly or explicitly) in that they involve the study of more than one religion in a variety of sociocultural and historical contexts.

Faculty in the Department of Religious Studies at USF generally hold the Ph.D. degree (and/or another pertinent doctorate) in one or more of the related humanities, social science, or science disciplines or professions (JD, MD). The Department also sustains interdisciplinary relations with other relevant USF colleges and departments, including Afro-American Studies, Anthropology, Education, English, History, Humanities, Languages, Health and Medicine, Philosophy, Political Science, Sociology, and Women's Studies. Faculty from these colleges and departments with substantive expertise and interest in religion sometimes teach Religious Studies courses (and/or cross-listed courses) and serve on graduate committees.