Why Choose Religious Studies for Health Professionals?
In an increasingly competitive STEM world, the B.S. in Religious Studies for Health Professionals offers students a distinctive degree. Designed for students interested in a broad range of health careers, the innovative curriculum offers you pathways to professional schools and jobs in health and medicine, with interdisciplinary humanities and science coursework. You will learn about diverse religious perspectives on life cycle issues from birth through the end of life, as well as the ongoing engagement of religious institutions and movements with healthcare. Both a major and a minor are offered.
New! Double Major Pathway for Medicine and RSHP!
The combination of a B.S. in Medicine and a B.S. in Religious Studies for Health Professionals offers students a competitive double major that can be completed in four years.
Gain Essential Skills For a Dynamic Career
The Religious Studies for Health Professionals major develops students’ abilities to apply critical thinking, intercultural competence and communication skills to the areas of health and science. By applying the interdisciplinary approaches of Religious Studies to these topics, RSHP majors will gain a well-rounded education geared toward health-related careers
Dr. Vijay Patel, Religious Studies Alumnus
“I knew I’d work in public health, but having a humanities background made it much more of an enlightening experience to use that knowledge base to expand my horizons.”
Course of Study
Students majoring in Religious Studies for Health Professionals must complete at least 30 units of Religious Studies coursework (10 courses), including a 3-unit internship. Funding is available to help support a summer internship. At least 18 units (6 courses) must be at the 300 level or higher.
Information on the 18-unit minor in RSHP can be found here.
Students pursuing the B.S. in RSHP must have a science or health related minor or a second major in a science or health field. The B.S. in RSHP requires a minimum of 30 units of science and/or health related coursework at any level (including coursework for the science/health minor or major), in addition to the 30 units required for the RSHP major. Students must also fulfill M-strand Math requirements to fulfill degree requirements for the B.S. in RSHP. (Note that most science/health minors or majors will require a minimum of MATH 112.)
RSHP Major
Required Courses (9 Units Total):
- RELI 200 or 380: Introduction to the Study of Religion
- RELI 406: Religious Diversity in Healthcare: Intercultural Training
- RELI 493: Internship
Choose 2 in Religion, Science & Health (6 Units Total*):
- RELI 303: Spirituality & Sickness: Religion & Health in the U.S.
- RELI 326: God, Humanity, & Science
- RELI 336: Spirituality, Psychology & the Mind
- RELI 359: Buddhism & Healing
*Any of the above courses taken beyond 6 units can count toward the health concentration units (see below).
3 Additional Courses in Health Concentration (9 Units Total):
Choose three courses:
- RELI 203: Religion & Medicine in Western Healing Traditions
- RELI 211: Life After Death in World Religions & Philosophies
- RELI 212: Intro to American Indian Religious Traditions
- RELI 305: Greek & Roman Religion OR RELI 313: Health & Medicine in Classical Antiquity
- RELI 360: Religion, Nature, and Climate Change
- RELI 363: Religion & Sex
- RELI 367: Yoga
- RELI 404: Religion, Gender, & the Body
- RELI 482: Tantric Buddhism
- EAS/RELI 333: Buddhist Meditation Traditions
- MAS/AIS/RELI 405: Traditional Indian Medicine
- PSIO 411 OR PHIL 321 - Medical Ethics
Electives (6 Units Total)
Choose two RELI elective courses (6 units).