Frequently Asked Questions
General Questions
Where is your office located?
The Religious Studies Program can be found at 726 Broadway on the 5th Floor in Suite 554. We are one floor above the University Health Center. There is also an entrance to our building at 418 Lafayette Street.
Religious Studies? If I take one of your classes, does that mean I have to belong to a specific religious denomination?
No. Our courses are presented from an academic perspective, not a theological one. We analyze religion using psychological, sociological, anthropological, philosophical, historical, legal and literary approaches. However, please don't avoid taking any of our classes because you are a believer in a given tradition - we are certainly not out to undermine anyone's faith. If we were, we'd be writing ourselves out of work.
How do I declare a major or minor in Religious Studies?
If you are interested in declaring a major or minor in religious studies, please follow the link below to download and print out our Declaration of Major/Minor Form. Once you have completed the form, it must be submitted in person to the Religious Studies Program administrator in order for the declaration of major or minor to take effect. The Religious Studies Program is located at 726 Broadway in Suite 554 (one floor above the University Health Center). Please visit the "People" page for the administrator's office hours, or you can set up an appointment by emailing him at religious.studies@nyu.edu. Please be sure to include your availability.
Please note that if you are enrolled in a division of NYU other than CAS, you must first meet with an advisor in your school to obtain an additional declaration of major or minor form from your home school.
What classes are majors and minors required to take?
Religious Studies majors are required to take 8 courses (32 point total): V90.0001 Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion (offered only during the fall semester); V90.0015 Advanced Seminar (offered in both the fall and spring semesters); and six elective courses. Minors are required to take 4 courses (16 points total): V90.0001 Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion (offered only during the fall semester) and three elective courses.
Can I double-major in Religious Studies and something else?
Many of our majors are double majors and come from a variety of other departments including anthropology, dance, East Asian studies, English, film, history, journalism, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and Spanish. If you intend to double-major, we recommend that you talk to an advisor from both departments to make certain it will be feasible for you to complete both majors.
Who is my advisor in the Religious Studies Program? When should I see my advisor in the Program and when should I contact my CAS advisor?
The primary advisor to all religious studies majors and minors is the department administrator. He can be reached via email at religious.studies@nyu.edu or by phone at (212) 998-3756. The administrator is the person to contact if you have questions about the Religious Studies major or minor, or any courses that we offer. If you have questions regarding general degree requirements, MAP requirements, other CAS courses, AP credits, or transfer credits, it is best to contact your CAS advisor. The CAS Advising Center is located on the 9th Floor of the Silver Center and can be reached at (212) 998-8130.
Can I take a Religious Studies course pass/fail?
While any course in CAS can be taken pass/fail, no pass/fail courses may be counted towards the Religious Studies major or minor.
Registration Questions
How do I get cleared to register?
Religious studies majors need to be cleared by the department administrator. Once courses for the upcoming semester are viewable on Albert, majors and minors will receive an email containing important information about registration including important dates to remember and walk-in advising hours. These hours will also be posted on the website. Once you meet with the administrator you will be cleared to register. If you cannot attend any of the walk-in hours, you can email the administrator at religious.studies@nyu.edu to set up an appointment. Make certain to include you availability in the email.
Please note that if you are a double major, you only need to be cleared to register by one department although it is recommended that you touch base with advisors from both departments to make certain you are on track with both majors. Religious studies minors need to cleared to register through their major department.
Do I need access codes to register for your courses? Are there any prerequisites?
In general, religious studies courses do not require that you obtain an access code and have no prerequisites. The two exceptions to this are V90.0001: Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion and V90.0015: Advanced Seminar. Both of these courses are required for the religious studies major and V90.0001 is required of all religious studies minors. We require access codes to make certain that all of our majors and minors are able to register for the courses they need in order to graduate. We have found, however, that we are able to accommodate students from outside the program interested in religious studies, particularly in V90.0001. If you are interested in registering for courses that require an access code, please email the department administrator.
I'm interested in doing an internship. What types of internships can I get credit for? How do I apply?
Students who wish to engage in religious studies-related work in an agency or institute during the semester can apply to the department administrator for 4 points of course credit. It is your responsibility to find and obtain the internship. In addition to the internship you will be required to complete an academic project related to the work you will be doing throughout the semester. This requires that you also find a faculty member who is willing to work with you on the academic component of your internship.
I want to do an independent study. What does an independent study in religious studies involve?
Students interested in undertaking an independent study on a specific or specialized topic are responsible for finding a faculty member to work with on their academic project. Students should contact a faculty member who interests are relevant to the topic they wish to study. In contacting the faculty member, students should include a brief description of the proposed work they will do throughout the semester. Once the faculty member agrees to supervise the student's work, he or she should contact the department administrator to register for 4 credits of independent study.
I registered for a course that is crosslisted with religious studies and another department, but I registered under the other department's course number. Will the course still count towards my religious studies major or minor?
Yes it will. If the course is not showing up under the religious studies major or minor on your Degree Progress Report on Albert, please let the department administrator know. He will contact the Registrar requesting that they include the courses towards the major or minor.
Questions for Majors
Can I count a religious studies course I took at another university or another NYU department towards my major?
You may petition to count up to 3 courses from other institutions or other NYU departments towards your religious studies major. You will need to submit a syllabus, reading list, or course description for each course you believe should count towards the major. You can submit your request in person by delivering it to the religious studies offices or by contacting the department administrator at religious.studies@nyu.edu.
Please note that in order for a course from another university to be counted towards the religious studies major, it must first be accepted as transfer credit by NYU. Please speak to your CAS advisor at the CAS Advising Center (Silver Center, 9th Floor) to petition for credits from another university to transfer to NYU.
Can I count MAP courses, Freshman Honors Seminars, or Collegiate Seminars towards my religious studies major?
If you take a MAP (V55), Freshman Honors Seminar (V50), or Collegiate Seminar (V28 or V70) with a professor from the religious studies program or an affiliated faculty member (please refer to our website for a complete list of affiliated faculty: faculty listings). in most cases the course will count towards the religious studies major. Please contact the department administrator so that he can notify the Registrar that the course should count towards the major.
If the course was not taught by a professor in religious studies or an affiliated faculty member, it may still count towards the major. Please contact the department administrator to review the applicability of the course towards the major.
Can I count a course I took at an NYU abroad program towards my major?
Yes. If the course was offered under the religious studies (V90) course number or if it was crosslisted with religious studies, it will count towards your major. If a course is not listed under the religious studies number but you feel it is appropriate for the major, please contact the department administrator to determine whether or not the course would count.
Can I count a class I took abroad at a non-NYU program towards my major?
You may petition to count up to 3 courses from other institutions towards your religious studies major. You will need to submit a syllabus, reading list, or course description for each course you believe should count towards the major. You can submit your request in person by delivering it to the religious studies offices or by contacting the department administrator at religious.studies@nyu.edu.
Please note that in order for a course from another university to be counted towards the religious studies major, it must first be accepted as transfer credit by NYU. Please speak to your CAS advisor at the CAS Advising Center (Silver Center, 9th Floor) to petition for credits from another university to transfer to NYU.
I registered for a course that is crosslisted with religious studies and another department that I am also majoring or minoring in. Can I count the course towards both my religious studies major and my other major or minor?
The religious studies has a policy of letting students double-count 2 courses towards their religious studies major and another major or minor. It is important that you check with your other major or minor department to make certain they have a compatible policy regarding the double-counting of courses.
I just checked my Degree Progress Report on Albert and it says that I still need to take an additional course for the major, but I know that I have taken enough courses already. What should I do?
It is possible that a course that is supposed to count towards the religious studies major is not showing up under the religious major on Albert. This happens because of crosslistings and double counting between majors and/or minors. If something is not appearing under your degree progress report and you believe that it should, please contact the department administrator. He will contact the Registrar to notify them that the course should count towards the major.
Questions for Minors
Can I count a religious studies course I took at another university or another NYU department towards my minor?
You may petition to count up to 2 courses from other institutions or other NYU departments towards your religious studies minor. You will need to submit a syllabus, reading list, or course description for each course you believe should count towards the minor. You can submit your request in person by delivering it to the religious studies offices or by contacting the department administrator at religious.studies@nyu.edu.
Please note that in order for a course from another university to be counted towards the religious studies minor, it must first be accepted as transfer credit by NYU. Please speak to your CAS advisor at the CAS Advising Center (Silver Center, 9th Floor) to petition for credits from another university to transfer to NYU.
Can I count MAP courses, Freshman Honors Seminars, or Collegiate Seminars towards my religious studies minor?
If you take a MAP (V55), Freshman Honors Seminar (V50), or Collegiate Seminar (V28 or V70) with a professor from the religious studies program or an affiliated faculty member (please refer to our website for a complete list of affiliated faculty: faculty listings), in most cases the course will count towards the religious studies minor. Please contact the department administrator so that he can notify the Registrar that the course should count towards the minor.
If the course was not taught by a professor in religious studies or an affiliated faculty member, it may still count towards the minor. Please contact the department administrator to review the applicability of the course towards the minor.
Can I count a course I took at an NYU abroad program towards my minor?
Yes. If the course was offered under the religious studies (V90) course number or if it was crosslisted with religious studies, it will count towards your minor. If a course is not listed under the religious studies number but you feel it is appropriate for the minor, please contact the department administrator to determine whether or not the course would count.
Can I count a class I took abroad at a non-NYU program towards my major?
You may petition to count up to 2 courses from other institutions towards your religious studies minor. You will need to submit a syllabus, reading list, or course description for each course you believe should count towards the minor. You can submit your request in person by delivering it to the religious studies offices or by contacting the department administrator at religious.studies@nyu.edu.
Please note that in order for a course from another university to be counted towards the religious studies major, it must first be accepted as transfer credit by NYU. Please speak to your CAS advisor at the CAS Advising Center (Silver Center, 9th Floor) to petition for credits from another university to transfer to NYU.
I registered for a course that is crosslisted with religious studies and another department that I am also majoring or minoring in. Can I count the course towards both my religious studies minor and my other major or minor?
The religious studies has a policy of letting students double-count 1 course towards their religious studies minor and another major or minor. It is important that you check with your other major or minor department to make certain they have a compatible policy regarding the double-counting of courses.
I just checked my Degree Progress Report on Albert and it says that I still need to take an additional course for the minor, but I know that I have taken enough courses already. What should I do?
It is possible that a course that is supposed to count towards the religious studies minor is not showing up under the religious minor on Albert. This happens because of crosslistings and double counting between majors and/or minors. If something is not appearing under your degree progress report and you believe that it should, please contact the department administrator. He will contact the Registrar to notify them that the course should count towards the minor.
