Department Information

and
Typical Discipline-Specific Academic Degree and Qualifications1
of faculty within

Religious Studies

 

 

General Description of the Department

The Department of Religious is closely linked with a number of interdisciplinary programs, including: African-New World studies, Asian studies, Environmental Studies, Judaic Studies, Latin American and Caribbean Studies, and Women's Studies. Established in 1972, FIU is one of the fastest - growing, most diverse and dynamic universities in the nation. It is a doctoral/Research University Extensive, and is the youngest institution in the United States with a Phi Beta Kappa chapter.

The Religious Studies major serves as a basis for students who wish to pursue the study of religion or theology as a career, for students preparing for a career in counseling, education, business, law or medicine, or for students who wish to undertake a dual major in a related field. The major is designed to allow students to focus either on comparative topics, using a critical approach to understanding religious phenomena and their relation to society in a broad cultural context, or on the theory and practice of a specific religious tradition in its historical setting.

 

Degrees offered

The Religious Studies Department offers these programs:

BA in Religious Studies

MA in Religious Studies

 

Terminal Degree2 for each discipline taught in Religious Studies

Ph.D. in Religion/Religious Studies

 

Related Disciplines3

Ethnic, Cultural and Gender Studies (05.0299) - all courses

History (54.0101) - all courses

Middle/Near Eastern and Semitic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics (16.11) - all

      courses

Theological and Ministerial Studies (39.06) - all courses

 

Related Disciplines3 for specific courses

Asian Studies (05.0103) - ASN 3042, 3403, 5120, 5130, 5315

 

Other Teaching Qualifications (Description of Required Academic Degree and Justifications4 for the programs in Religious Studies)

Consideration of other teaching qualifications in lieu of academic credentials is made on a case-by-case basis and accepted in special cases where evidence of exceptional experience, research or other qualifications can be documented and are directly applicable to the course being taught.

 

 

 1

Whenever instructors are not credentialed by their advanced degree or by an approved CIP relationship, they must be credentialed through a narrative justification of the instructor’s qualifications to teach this/these course(s).  Such credentialing is based on the proposed instructor’s academic and professional preparation; diplomas, certificates, or relevant licensures; publications and presentations in the field; honors, awards, and professional recognitions; and other demonstrated competencies, skills, and experiences which the instructor brings to the University.  These must be clearly tied to the specific courses to be taught and should establish beyond doubt that the instructor is qualified to teach the specific courses they are to be assigned. 

The Office of the Provost reviews all such justifications and where the justifications warrant the instructor’s teaching the courses proposed, it will either approve the justification for the appropriate period (seven years for full-time faculty members, or four years for part-time faculty members) or employ one of two additional clearance categories beyond the advanced degree and related-discipline categories which it may use to credential some instructors where their accomplishments warrant this:

Active Research Clearance in the Discipline or Active Artistic/Special Talent Clearance in the Discipline

 

 

 2

The level and discipline of the terminal degree (e.g., Ph.D., MS, MFA, doctorate) that is required to teach graduate courses in the discipline

 

 

 3

For each discipline, all strongly-related degree(s) and/or equivalent names for the discipline (include level) that would also be appropriate for teaching at the graduate level

 

 

 4

(1)The appropriate academic degrees and justifications for each related degree above if not obvious; (2) the justification for why the terminal degree is not a doctorate in a discipline, e.g., specific examples of best practice in the discipline and accrediting association language; and (3) any other criteria used to determine appropriate academic qualifications to teach specialty courses in the program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Current as of 3/11/11