Undergraduate Programs
“Religion and Culture” is the focus for our Religious Studies program.
Courses on religion and culture frequently look at themes such as love and death, religion and ecology, religion and science, social justice issues in Canada, gender and religion, science and religion.
We take a comparative approach to the study of religion. The department regularly offers courses on Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, as well as thematic, comparative courses which look at contemporary issues among religious traditions such as violence and non-violence, religion and art, spirituality and work or courses on the religious diversity of Canada and Nova Scotia.
In Religious Studies courses the focus is on understanding the ways people are religious in their cultural and social systems. Being religious therefore may or may not involve membership in a particular church, temple, synagogue or mosque. It may be in a new religious movement or in spiritual practices.
Many students are already majoring in two subject areas when they do their degree. Here are some examples: Religious Studies and Anthropology, or Psychology, Sociology, Criminology, Geography, Political Science, History, English, or Classics.
Religious Studies offers you an invaluable opportunity to compare and contrast different cultures in a multidisciplinary way. You learn about the customs of religious groups that might give you important insight into how you can best help a new immigrant or speak to the specialized needs of a community with a culture that is different than your own. The possibilities are endless!