Overview
RELS 204 is a junior-level course designed to acquaint students with the major religious traditions of the world, and to the academic discipline of religious studies.
The religions studied are Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. They are examined through a study of their history, doctrinal concerns and development, literature, and ritual practices.
Evaluation
To receive credit for RELS 204, you must achieve a course composite grade of 50% or higher. You must complete and submit all written assignments and write both exams for the course by your stipulated contract end date. You must achieve a grade of D (50 percent) or higher on both the midterm and the final examinations.
| Activity | Weight |
| 4 Exercises (5%-10% each) | 30% |
| 2 Research Papers (15% each) | 30% |
| 2 Exams (20% each) | 40% |
| Total | 100% |
The midterm and final examinations for this course must be requested in advance and written under the supervision of an AU-approved exam invigilator. Invigilators include either ProctorU or an approved in-person invigilation centre that can accommodate online exams. Students are responsible for payment of any invigilation fees. Information on exam request deadlines, invigilators, and other exam-related questions, can be found at the Exams and grades section of the Calendar.
To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University’s online Calendar.
Materials
Digital course materials
Links to the following course materials will be made available in the course:
Ludwig, Theodore M. 2006. The Sacred Paths, 4th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall. (PDF)
Physical course materials
The following course materials are included in a course package that will be shipped to your home prior to your course’s start date:
Smart, Ninian, and Richard D. Hecht, eds. 1982. Sacred Texts of the World: A Universal Anthology. New York: The Crossroad Publishing Company.
Other Resources
All of the other course materials are online, including a detailed Study Guide.
Challenge for credit
Overview
The challenge for credit process allows you to demonstrate that you have acquired a command of the general subject matter, knowledge, intellectual and/or other skills that would normally be found in a university-level course.
Full information about challenge for credit can be found in the Undergraduate Calendar.
Evaluation
To receive credit for the RELS 204 challenge registration, you must achieve a grade of at least D (50 percent) on the examinations, and an overall grade of at least D (50 percent).
| Activity | Weight |
| Essay | 50% |
| Exam | 50% |
| Total | 100% |
Challenge for credit course registration form