Religious Studies (former program)

Learn to think deeply about the origin and purpose of life, and ask BIG questions

Ex​plore​​ the​ wide range​ variety​ of​ religious responses to ​ human beliefs and behaviours surrounding these ​age-old question​s​: What is the meaning of life?​ What is the good life? What is love? What is evil?​ ​Does God exist? Examine the wisdom drawn from diverse religious traditions to these questions, and consider the variety of ways religion shapes culture and society, and vice versa. ​Compare and understand how religion affected the lives of ancient peoples, and consider how it affects humankind today. How has religion shaped culture and society?

Your studies will focus on western religious thought, biblical studies, religion and modern culture, and contemporary religious issues. ​Now​​, more than ever​ before​, it is ​vital​​ to understand the ​complexities of religious thought and practice​, in light of our globalized and multicultural society.​ While not promoting a particular religion or viewpoint, Religious Studies fosters respectful, informed, productive dialogue on questions that are central to human existence.

Thorneloe courses count as Humanities credits and may be used towards a major in Religious Studies at Laurentian with a 3 or 4-year BA.

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary Schools
• 1 grade 12 4U English
• 5 other grade 12 4U/M courses
• For more information, contact RLST@thorneloe.ca

Program options Include:

• 4-year BA (single or combined concentration)
• 3-year BA (single or combined concentration)
• Major in Religious Studies
• Minor in Religious Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies

years: 4 TOTAL CREDITS: 120

Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies

years: 3 TOTAL CREDITS: 90

(as published by Laurentian University in April 2015)

BA – Promotion Requirements

To be in good academic standing in a B.A. program, a student must:

1. have satisfied all conditions of admission;
2. have maintained a concentration/specialization/major GPA of 3.5;
3. have failed no more than six of the previous 30 credits;
4. have achieved a GPA of 3.5 in the previous year or in the previous 30 consecutive credits.

A student is subject to a one-year probationary period if he or she:

1. fails more than 6 credits in an academic year or a sequence of 30 credits;
2. does not maintain a minimum concentration/specialization/major or overall GPA of 3.5 in an academic year or a sequence of 30 credits.

A student is required to withdraw from the university if he or she:

1. does not satisfy all conditions of admission after one year or 30 consecutive credits;
2. fails more than 42 credits;
3. has not achieved good academic standing in two consecutive years or 60 consecutive credits.

Students required to withdraw may petition the Senate Committee on Academic Regulations and Awards for readmission after one calendar year, with a recommendation from the academic unit prior to consideration by the committee.

BA Graduation Requirements (pre-September 2017)

To graduate with a 3 year Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must:

1. meet all stated requirements for the degree;
2. complete 90 credits after no more than 132 credit attempts, with a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 (only courses taken at Laurentian University or its affiliated colleges are included in the calculation of averages);
3. not count more than 42 credits of first year courses.
4. minimum of 6 credits in Sciences

To graduate with a 4 year Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must:

1. meet all stated requirements for the degree;
2. complete 120 credits after no more than 162 credit attempts, with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (only courses taken at Laurentian University or its Affiliated Colleges are included in the calculation of averages);
3. not count more than 42 credits of first year courses.
4. minimum of 6 credits in Sciences

Notes:

• A specialization normally consists of 60 credits.
• Students may take a maximum of 78 credits in a single subject area for credit toward the degree.
• A major consists of 42 credits
• A concentration consists of 36 credits

BA Graduation Requirements (September 2017 and onwards)

To graduate with a 3 year Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must:

1. meet all stated requirements for the degree;
2. complete 90 credits after no more than 132 credit attempts, with a minimum overall GPA of 3.5 (only courses taken at Laurentian University or its affiliated colleges are included in the calculation of averages);
3. not count more than 42 credits of first year courses.
4. minimum of 6 credits in courses promoting linguistic awareness
5. minimum of 6 credits in courses with a minimum of 50% Indigenous content
6. minimum of 6 credits in scientific literacy

To graduate with a 4 year Bachelor of Arts degree, a student must:

1. meet all stated requirements for the degree;
2. complete 120 credits after no more than 162 credit attempts, with a minimum GPA of 3.5 (only courses taken at Laurentian University or its Affiliated Colleges are included in the calculation of averages);
3. not count more than 42 credits of first year courses.
4. minimum of 6 credits in courses promoting linguistic awareness
5. minimum of 6 credits in courses with a minimum of 50% Indigenous content
6. minimum of 6 credits in scientific literacy

Notes:

• A specialization normally consists of 60 credits.
• Students may take a maximum of 78 credits in a single subject area for credit toward the degree.
• A major consists of 42 credits
• A concentration consists of 36 credits

Linguistic Awareness Requirement for the BA (6 credits)

NOTES: 

• Transfer credits in languages not currently taught at Laurentian University or its federated partners (e.g. Hebrew) may be used to fulfill this requirement. Credits earned in various languages may be used towards the 24-credit Certificate in Basic Multilingual Competence.
• FL courses are available in many disciplines in Arts and Science. Students who obtain at least 15 credits in each official language can obtain the https://laurentian.ca/faculty/arts/certificates-ba-students Certificate of Bilingualism while completing their degree. Go to: for further information.

Indigenous Content Requirement for the BA (6 credits)

All students must take 6 credits of courses with at least 50% Indigenous content from the following list:

List of courses (EL & FL) with at least 50% Indigenous content (some courses have a prerequisite)

Note: All INDG courses will count towards this requirement

ANTR 2166EL Living with Things: Theories of Material Culture

ANTR 2036EL Ethnology of North American Native Peoples

ANTR 2046EL Peoples of the World: Tribes, States and the Global Village

ANTR 2146EL The (De) Colonial Struggle

ANTR 2906EL Introduction to Linguistics

ANTR 3087EL Ethnomedicine: Cross-Cultural Healing

ANTR 3116EL Anthropology of the Arts

ANTR 3216EL Visual Ethnography

ANTR 4116EL Critical Perspectives in Medical Anthropology

ANTR 4136EL Ethnopsychiatry and Cross-Cultural Mental Health

ARCL 3095EL Archaeology Field School

ARCL 3207EL New World Archaeology

BIOL 3066EL Indigenous Peoples: Ecology, Science and Technology

EDUC 1046EL Indigenous Ways of Learning

ENGL 1511EL Academic Reading and Writing in English for Aboriginal Students I

ENGL 1512EL Academic Reading and Writing in English for Aboriginal Students II

ENGL 2677EL Indigenous Poetics in Canada

ENGL 3456EL Indigenous Literatures in Canada I

ENGL 3496EL Indigenous Women’s Resistance Writing & Material Art

ENGL 3516EL Creative Writing

ENGL 3517EL Studies in Creative Writing

ENGL 3576EL The Craft of Life Writing

ENGL 3577EL The Craft of Writing Poetry

ENGL 3546EL Media Representations of Indigenous Peoples in North America

ENGL 3566EL Indigenous Oral Storytelling

ENGL 4686EL Rhetoric of Apology

ENGL 4787EL Indian Residential School Fiction

ETAM 1106FL Les Premières Nations de l’Amérique du Nord: Perspective euro-américaine

ETAM 1107FL Les Premières Nations de l’Amérique du Nord: Perspective amérindienne

FOLK 2276FL Légendes et traditions orales amérindiennes

FOLK 2287FL Coutumes amérindiennes: le cycle de la vie

FOLK 2337FL Objets de la vie quotidienne des Amérindiens

FREN 2717FL Thèmes de la littérature canadienne-française

GEOG 3497EL Geography of Northern Canada: Developmental Issues

HIST 1406EL Canadian History: Pre-Confederation

HIST 2466EL Indigenous Representations from Colonialism to Sovereignty

HIST 2616EL The First Nations in Canada in Historical Perspective

HIST 3216FL L’histoire des Premières Nations au Canada

HIST 3276EL History of Northern Ontario

HIST 3276FL Histoire du Nord de l’Ontario

HIST 3486EL Indigenous Histories, Indigenous Food Ways: Understanding Contact and Conflict through Dietary Change

HIST 3876EL The Social History of Canadian Art

HIST 4436EL Ideas, Ethics and Method: Oral History in Thought and Practice

JURI 3426FL Droit applicable aux peuples autochtones

LITT 3146FL Littérature et culture des Autochtones et des Métis du Québec et du Canada français

POLI/INDG 3105EL Canadian Law, Politics and Aboriginal People

POLI 3437EL The Colonizer and the Colonized

PSYC 4066EL Culture and Psychology

PSYC 4066FL Culture et psychologie

RLST 2285EL North American Native People: Tradition and Culture

SOCI 2266EL Cultural Marginality and the Environment: Environmental Risk and Indigenous Populations

SOCI 2276FL Enjeux autochtones contemporains

SOCI 3326FL Sociologie de la mémoire

SOCI 4306FL Sociologie du droit autochtone

SOCI 4256EL Aboriginal Peoples and Society

WOMN 2046EL Gender, Race and Racism

WOMN 2906EL/HIST 3966EL/SOCI 3907EL Special Topic: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women

Scientific Literacy Requirement for the BA (6 credits)

All students must take a total of 6 credits of Scientific Literacy from any of the five (5) lists below (or combination of lists):

NOTE : COSC 1701 and COSC 1702 CANNOT be used towards the Scientific Literacy Requirement 

1) INTERDISCIPLINARY SCIENCE COURSES – NO PREREQUISITES 

These new interdisciplinary courses are team-taught by faculty in Biology, Chemistry and Physics. They will be of particular interest to students in the B.Ed.

SCEN 1006EL Integrated Science I

SCEN 1007EL Integrated Science II

2) GRADE 12U EQUIVALENT SCIENCE COURSES 

These grade 12U-level courses prepare students to enter first-year courses in Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics required for degree programs in those disciplines. Note that Biology

does not require a grade 12U course or equivalent as a prerequisite for entry into the first year course (BIOL 1506EL/FL).

CHMI 1031EL Elementary Chemistry (No prerequisite)

CHMI 1031FL Chimie élémentaire (No prerequisite)

CHMI 1041EL Chemical Concepts (No prerequisite)

CHMI 1041FL Concepts chimiques (No prerequisite)

MATH 1911EL Finite Mathematics (One grade 12 mathematics)

MATH 1911FL Mathématiques discrètes (One grade 12 mathematics)

MATH 1912EL Elementary Calculus (One grade 12 mathematics)

MATH 1912FL Calcul élémentaire (One grade 12 mathematics)

PHYS 1211EL Understanding Physics I (No prerequisite)

3) INTRODUCTORY SCIENCE COURSES THAT COUNT TOWARDS A MINOR, CONCENTRATION, MAJOR OR SPECIALISATION 

Students may count these credits towards a minor or major in a Science discipline within the B.A. degree.

ANTR 2016EL Human Biological Variation, Adaptations and Health

ANTR 3046EL Environmental Anthropology

ANTR 3047EL Public Health and Epidemiology

ANTR 3086EL Medical Anthropology: Medicine, Culture and Society

ANTR 3087EL Ethnomedicine: Cross-cultural Healing

ANTR 4006EL Food and Disease Prevention

ANTR 4007EL Origins of Sickness and Medicine

ANTR 4116EL Critical Perspectives in Medical Anthropology

ANTR 4136EL Ethnopsychiatry and Cross-Cultural Mental Health

ARCL 1006EL Introduction to Archaeology and Physical Anthropology (No prerequisite)

BIOL 1506EL Biology I

BIOL 1506FL Biologie I

BIOL 1507EL Biology II

BIOL 1507FL Biologie II

BIOL 2026EL Introduction to Microbiology (BIOL 1506/1507 or 12U Biology)

BIOL 2026FL Introduction à la microbiologie (BIOL 1506/1507 or 12U Biology)

BIOL 2105EL Human Anatomy and Physiology (No prerequisite)

BIOL 2105FL Anatomie et physiologie humaine (No prerequisite)

BIOL 2356EL Principles of Ecology (No prerequisite)

BIOL 2356FL Principes d’écologie (No prerequisite)

BIOL 2757EL Biological Aspects of Human Sexuality (BIOL 1506/1507 or 1700, or permission)

BIOL 2757FL Les aspects biologiques de la sexualité humaine (BIOL 1506/1507 or 1700, or permission)

BIOL 3066EL Indigenous Peoples: Ecology, Science and Technology (No prerequisite)

BIOL 3927EL Forest Entomology (BIOL 1000, 2356, 3706 or permission)

BIOL 4717EL Animal Behaviour

BIOL 4717FL Comportement animal

CHMI 1006EL General Chemistry I

CHMI 1006FL Chimie générale I

CHMI 1007EL General Chemistry II

CHMI 1007FL Chimie générale II

COSC 1046EL Computer Science I

COSC 1046FL Informatique I

COSC 1047EL Computer Science II

ENSC 1406EL Earth’s Environmental Systems

ENSC 2216EL Our Environment: The Science Behind the Stories (24 cr. completed)

ENSC 4146EL Urban Waters (ENSC 1406 or permission)

GEOL 1006EL Introduction to Geology I (No prerequisite)

GEOL 1007EL Introduction to Geology II

MATH 1036EL Calculus I

MATH 1036FL Calcul I

MATH 1037EL Calculus II

MATH 1037FL Calcul II

MATH 1056EL Discrete Mathematics I

MATH 1056FL Mathématiques discrètes I

MATH 1057EL Linear Algebra I

MATH 1057FL Algèbre linéaire I

PHYS 1006EL Introductory Physics I

PHYS 1006FL Introduction à la physique I

PHYS 1007EL Introductory Physics II

PHYS 1007FL Introduction à la physique II

PHYS 1206EL Physics for the Life Science I

PHYS 1206FL Physique pour les sciences de la vie I

PHYS 1207EL Physics for the Life Science II

PHYS 1207FL Physique pour les sciences de la vie II

PSYC 2606EL Brain and Behaviour

PSYC 2606FL Le cerveau et le comportement

PSYC 2617EL Human Neuropsychology

PSYC 2617FL Neuropsychologie humaine

PSYC 2656EL Physiological Psychology

PSYC 2905EL Receptor Processes and Perception

PSYC 2905FL Sensation et perception

PSYC 2917EL Sensation and Perception

PSYC 3106EL Evolutionary Psychology

PSYC 3306EL Learning

PSYC 3306FL Apprentissage

PSYC 3307EL Laboratory in Learning and Memory

PSYC 3307FL Laboratoire en apprentissage

PSYC 3506EL Neuropharmacology

PSYC 3507EL Behavioural Neurobiology

PSYC 3706EL Topics in Cognitive Psychology

PSYC 3706FL Psychologie cognitive I – Processus fondamentaux

PSYC 3707EL Laboratory in Cognitive Psychology

PSYC 3707FL Psychologie cognitive II – Processus supérieurs

PSYC 3757EL Sleep and Dreaming

PSYC 4506EL Advanced Experimental Psychology I

PSYC 4507EL Advanced Experimental Psychology II

4) COURSES WITHOUT PREREQUISITES 

BIOL 1000EL Canadian Environmental Biology

BIOL 1700EL Structure and Function of the Human Body

BIOL 1700FL Structure et fonction du corps humain

BIOL 2110EL Medical Microbiology

BIOL 2701EL Human Physiology

FORS 1016EL Fundamentals of Forensic Science I

GEOL 1021EL Understanding the Earth I

GEOL 1021FL Comprenons la Terre – La planète et ses processus internes

PHYS 1905EL General Astronomy

PHYS 1905FL Astronomie générale

5) COURSES WITH PREREQUISITES 

BIOL 2011EL Fundamentals of Genetics (grade 12U level chemistry, CHMI 1030 or 1041, or BIOL 1506)

CHMI 1032EL Essential Concepts of Organic Chemistry (CHMI 1031, 1041 or equivalent)

CHMI 1032FL Concepts essentiels de la chimie organique (CHMI 1031, 1041 or equivalent)

CHMI 1202EL Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry (CHMI 1041 or grade 12U level Chemistry)

CHMI 2031EL Natural Products (CHMI 1032 or equivalent)

CHMI 2041EL Introductory Environmental Chemistry (CHMI 1202, 1032 or 1007)

FORS 1017EL Fundamentals of Forensic Science II (FORS 1016)

GEOL 1022EL Understanding the Earth II (GEOL 1021)

GEOL 1022FL Comprenons la Terre – La croûte terrestre: les roches et les minéraux (GEOL 1021)

PHYS 1212EL Understanding Physics II (PHYS 1006, 1206 or 1211 or grade 12U level Physics)

NOTES: 

• All courses in Archaeology (ARCL), Biology (BIOL), Chemistry (CHMI), Computer Science (COSC) with the exception of COSC 1701/1702EL/FL, Environmental Science (ENSC), Earth Sciences (GEOL), Mathematics (MATH), Physics (PHYS), and Integrated Science (SCEN) may be used to fulfill this requirement.
• A. students are not eligible to take courses in Forensic Science (FORS) with the exception of FORS 1016/1017EL. However, students transferring from Forensic Science into the B.A. may use their FORS credits towards this requirement.

Change of concentration/specialization/major within Arts or Science

A student who wishes to change concentrations/specializations/majors requires the permission of the department chair of the new concentration/specialization/major. The student’s current academic status must be “may proceed in program” or “may proceed in program on probation.”

Offered in English only at Thorneloe University

For a complete listing and full course descriptions, please see the Religious Studies section of Laurentian University’s Academic Calendar or the web pages for the Joint Department of Religious Studies.

Other RLST courses are offered by the Religious Studies departments at the University of Sudbury or Huntington University.

Religious Studies

RLST 1116 EL – Ideas of Love I (3 credits)
RLST 1117 EL – Ideas of Love II (3 credits)

RLST 2136 EL – Christian Thought and Culture I (3 credits)
RLST 2137 EL – Christian Thought and Culture II (3 credits)
RLST 2166 EL – The Problem of Evil (3 credits)
RLST 2167 EL – Religious Constructions of the Human Good (3 credits)
RLST 2216 EL – Religion and Violence (3 credits)
RSLT 2246 EL – Women, Religion and Spirituality I
RLST 2247 EL – Women, Religion and Spirituality II
RLST 2316 EL – Cults/New Religious Movements (3 credits)
RLST 2326 EL – Dimensions of the Paranormal (3 credits)
RLST 2327 EL – Jesus in Film (3 credits)
RLST 2336 EL – Religious Themes in Literature I (3 credits)
RLST 2337 EL – The Chronicles of Narnia (3 credits)

RLST 2365 EL – Religion in Film (6 credits)
RLST 3126 EL – The Prophets of Israel (3 credits)
RLST 3127 EL – The Pauline Letters in the New Testament (3 credits)
RLST 3166 EL – Mark’s Gospel (3 credits)
RLST 3266 EL – J.R.R. Tolkien and the Religious Imagination (3 credits) NEW COURSE
RLST 3286 EL – C.S. Lewis and the Religious Imagination (3 credits)
RLST 3306 EL – Issues in Religion and Science (3 credits)
RLST 3386 EL – Faith and Atheism (3 credits)

RLST 4005 EL – Honours Thesis (6 credits, departmental permission required)
RLST 4345 EL – Special Readings in Religion and Modern Culture (6 credits)

The following Religious Studies courses are offered by distance. For more information please visit Laurentian Online at online@laurentian.ca or contact Thorneloe’s Distance Education Coordinator at online@thorneloe.ca.

RLST 1116 EL 12 – Ideas of Love I (3 credits)
RLST 1117 EL 12 – Ideas of Love II (3 credits)
RLST 2136 EL 12 – The Development of Christian Thought I (3 credits)
RLST 2137 EL 12 – The Development of Christian Thought II (3 credits)
RLST 2326 EL 12 – Dimensions of the Paranormal (3 credits)
RLST 3126 EL 12 – The Prophets of Israel (3 credits)
RLST 3166 EL 12 – Mark’s Gospel (3 credits)
RLST 3306 EL 12 – Issues in Religion and Science (3 credits)

Professor Emeritus

Honorary Fellow of Thorneloe University