Courses

Spring 2026 course offerings include three new courses – “Catholicism: History and Theology”, “Oneness: Poetry of Mystical Experience” and “Sacred Places, Sacred Journeys: Pilgrimage Around the Globe”. We’ve also brought back a favorite courses – “Jesus in Film and History”. Don’t forget that registration is open for summer courses. Consider taking our internship course!

Click here to see all of the course offerings for the 2025-26 academic year which fulfill Study of Religion requirements.

Have questions? Contact Student Services Advisor, Beth Kraemer.

For information about specific section times and locations, please view the UCLA Schedule of Classes.

Click here to see a full list of courses with their numbers and short names which fulfill requirements for the Study of Religion major and minor.

Spring 2026

  • RELIGN M107 - Islam in West

    Instructor(s): Ahmed Alzohairy, Muhammad Souman Elah, Asma Sayeed

    (Same as Islamic Studies CM107.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Acquisition of understanding of basic doctrines and practices of Islam. Survey of history of Islam in West, with focus on U.S. and France. Analysis of issues relevant to growth and development of selected Muslim communities in West. Exposure to diverse expressions of Islam through independent research on Muslim communities and institutions in U.S. Development of strong analytical writing and speaking skills. P/NP or letter grading.

  • RELIGN M135 - Religion in Ancient Israel

    Instructor(s): Jeremy Smoak

    (Same as Ancient Near East M135.) Lecture, three hours. Introductory survey of various ancient Israelite religious beliefs and practices, their origin, and development, with special attention to diversity of religious practice in ancient Israel and Canaan during 1st millennium BCE. P/NP or letter grading.

  • RELIGN M175 - Topics in Philosophy of Religion

    Instructor(s): Mark Johnson

    (Same as Philosophy M175.) Lecture, three hours; discussion, one hour. Requisite: Philosophy 21 or 22. Intensive investigation of one or two topics or works in philosophy of religion, such as attributes of God, arguments for or against existence of God, or relation between religion and ethics. Topics announced each term. May be repeated for credit with consent of instructor.

  • RELIGN 177 - Variable Topics in Religion: Jesus in Film and History

    Instructor(s): Simon Joseph

    Study of historical person of Jesus through readings in Gospels; historical research from past two centuries; and various cinematic portraits and representations, from silent picture era to present. Students become acquainted with methodological tools of historical Jesus research, critical film studies, and preparation for further study in this area. Designed to help students develop critical skills needed to investigate historical and theological texts, narratives, and literary works. Study requires critical thinking, analytical exercises, and evaluation of rival hypotheses.

  • RELIGN 177 - Variable Topics in Religion: History and Theology of Catholicism

    Instructor(s): Joshua Waugh

    Introduction to world of early Catholicism. Covers its origin as rogue religious sect navigating late-Roman period, to established creed that would go on to dominate Western mindset for more than millennium. Exploration of beliefs, practices, and political structures that helped shape Catholic identity. Attention given to primary texts that explore development of rites, rituals, and theology surrounding canonization of core Catholic beliefs concerning Christology, trinity, and original sin. Study also covers heresies that contributed to fierce debate over future of Christianity. Students gain nuanced understanding of how early theological disputes and institutional growth laid foundations of Catholic tradition.

  • RELIGN 177 - Variable Topics in Religion: Sacred Places, Sacred Journeys: Pilgrimage around the Globe

    Instructor(s): John Dagenais

    Study asks how particular place comes to take on spiritual meaning. Study looks at what factors of belief, history, politics, and topography combine to motivate individuals to undertake long journeys to visit such places. Examination of multiple case studies from around the globe.

  • RELIGN 177 - Variable Topics in Religion: Oneness: Poetry of Mystical Experience

    Instructor(s): John Dagenais

    Study of efforts by poets from variety of times, places, cultures, and beliefs to describe transcendental experiences. Study includes Upanishads, medieval Christian mystics, Kabbalah, Sufi mystics, Rumi, and Zen poetry, among others. Focus on how poetic language is used to seek to talk about spiritual experiences beyond language, and how it may be shaped by particular religious and cultural contexts.