Wright State University

Department Name: 
Religion
Department website: 
http://www.wright.edu/drpc
Approximate Enrollment (entire institution): 
18,000
Number of Religion Majors: 
13
Number of Full-Time Departmental Faculty: 
5
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?: 
No
Department or institution offers doctoral programs in religious studies or theological studies?: 
No
Description of Undergraduate Major: 

The Religion Department at Wright State University uses an academic, non-confessional methodology in teaching religion that does not aim to argue for the truth of one, all, or no religions. Instead, faculty analyze religious beliefs, practices, texts, and institutions both descriptively and critically as intellectual, historical, and cultural phenomena. We offer courses in all the great world religions: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Chinese and Japanese religions. We teach a range of courses on Hebrew Bible, New Testament, and American religious history. In addition, we offer cross-cultural and thematic courses that examine particular topics, including women and religion, religion and politics, human rights, ethics, religious pluralism, mythology, mysticism, witchcraft, and film. The department faculty are dedicated to teaching and training students. Religion majors have ample opportunity to participate in lively classroom discussions, meet with faculty outside the classroom, and get to know other students in their major. The Religion Major offers students a broad but flexible program of study. Students take introductory courses that survey methods of studying religion, Asian religions, and Western religions. They also complete coursework on a range of different religions and regions of the world, but have the choice of doing more focused study on a particular religious tradition or topic.