<p>So, we took the campus tour yesterday. All in all, we were very impressed. Ann Arbor is great, the campus is beautiful, the Adcom was incredbile and the academic choices were endless. The literature says U of M offers 40,000 courses.</p>
<p>But in all those choices, myriad departments and more majors than Carters has liver pills, there was no "Department of Religion". Oh, there were some concentrations that were close "Ancient Civilizations and Biblical Texts", but no pure religious studies. In fact, on the tour my S asked the tour guide where the "Department of Religion" classes were held. The tour guide got a puzzled look on his face and said, "Wow, I don't know."</p>
<p>In truth, it was very disappointing. Is Michigan just too PC to have such a concetration? It seems like they are doing everything possible to dance around it, but won't attack it head on.</p>
<p>Go5878, from the little I know about Michigan's "Religious Studies" offerings, they are limited to Philosophical and Academic arenas. If your son wishes to study religion from a faith-based angle, I would recommend another state school, like Indiana-Bloomington or UVA. I would not say that Michigan is too "PC" to offer faith-based instruction, but I would say that it has thusfar not been popular enough an approach to education at Michigan for it to warrant the creation of a department or major.</p>
<p>Alexandre, I quibble with the use of the term "faith-based." No public school is going to offer a "faith-based" education, not even Indiana or UVa. But it is possible to study religion, and have a religion department, without being faith-based.</p>
<p>Whether or not there is a religion department has nothing to do with "PC." We don't have a vet school either. Nor much of an undergraduate geography department. Even a large flagship is not going to offer every major. </p>
<p>What I think is generally the case is that religion at Michigan is dispersed among Area Studies. So, for example, a lot of studies dealing with Judaic traditions will be found in the Jewish Studies department. Asian religions would be found in East Asian Studies, and so on. It an organizational question; some campuses would house them in a single department, others wouldn't. It's not "dancing around," it's just an artifact of how the scholars at Michigan are organized.</p>
<p>I would imagine that a student interested in a religion major would probably have to do an IDP (individualized degree program) but I would think he would have little trouble putting together and interesting, coherent program given Michigan's depth in area studies.</p>
<p>There are tons of religion classes - but they are, as hoedown says, in their corresponding area studies department. I imagine this is a philosophical approach that says you need to understand the context to understand the religion. There are also many religious students on campus - Christian, Jewish, Islam being the big three. In addition to the Catholic parish for students (St Mary) and a Luthern chapel located on campus, there are 99 student organizations that have something to do with religion -- according to the "Maize Pages," a directory of student organizations. Whether it is studying religion or participating in it, there are plenty of opportunities at Michigan. Of course, Michigan is not a seminary school - so if your daughter wants to be ordained, she'll have to go elsewhere.</p>
<p>Wow, did I ever say I was looking for a "faith based" program. NO. It's kind of interesting that the moderator immediately jumped to "faith based" when the word "religion" was mentioned. That's kind of liberal knee-jerk.</p>
<p>Look around. Any practically every school that offers a top-notch liberal arts education offers extensive offerings in a "Department of Religion". I think we could all agree that a complete understanding of this topic is crtical in the world today. Just look around.</p>
<p>Go5878, I may have been vague in my answer. Hoedown's answer was far better than mine. But I must say that you took my response a little too personally and in the process, endowed me with American characteristics. I am neither Liberal nor conservative as would be defined by American standards, nor do I have any feelings (positive or negative) regaridng the study of theology/religion.</p>
<p>I think there's been some misunderstanding on this thread, but not just in one direction. Divinity programs are not the same as religion programs, and I'm glad that's been cleared up. </p>
<p>I think A. explained himself (and I am sure he appreciates your apology). However, I am disarmed by the accusation that he was too hastily interjecting politics into this thread. I think it bears a little more examination even though I'm glad to see the rancor has subsided.</p>
<p>Alexandre misused the term "faith-based" but that's not necessarily political (as he later confirmed). But even if his comment had been meant that way, it would have been no more political than the OP's assumption, which was that the University is being "PC" or cagey about a religion major. That wasn't a neutral way to interpret things. I can understand why one might think that, especially if your tour guide was acting weird, but that slant permeated the question as it was asked of members of this forum. </p>
<p>Just to repeat myself, it's no more PC or sneaky than putting dance in the music school instead of the art school. Scholarship can be organized in many different ways. Thanks to snorky et al for confirmation of this.</p>
<p>Go5878, I neither sought nor expected an apology, but I accept your apology. I find it amazing that even in an academic context, religion can cause so much confusion. I always avoid political and religious conversations precisely because it incents such powerful feelings.</p>
<p>And this thread is exactly why I am thrilled my S is considering the academic study of religion. It is such an important and neglected area of study, especially given the state of world affairs. A more informed and factual approach to various religions might broaden our world view and further the pursuit of peace and understanding.</p>
<p>Any suggestions for other schools that might fit this area of study?</p>
<p>U-M is a great place for that, I would think. I'm no familiar with what schools are known be strong in religious studies, but it might be a good question to ask in the parents forum.</p>
<p>Incidentally, I poked around some and learned that U-M used to have a separate Program in Religous Studies but they changed it, mostly because the faculty and expertise were so dispersed across the campus. In the wake of that change, they added some postdoctoral fellowship positions in religion, to be housed in key departments. That means they've added key faculty resources who have expertise in religious studies.</p>
<p>The IDP (which I mentioned before) is a good option. Religion courses and topics can be found across a wide variety of departments/majors:</p>
<p>Afroamerican and African Studies
American Culture
Ancient Civilizations and Biblical Studies
Ancient Greek Language and Literature
Arabic, Armenian, Persian, Turkish, and Islamic Studies
Asian Studies
Hebrew and Jewish Cultural Studies
History
Judaic Studies
Middle Eastern and North African Studies
Near Eastern Civilizations
Philosophy
Political Science
Sociology</p>