The Senior Exercise in Religious Studies has four parts:

1. Senior Seminar (RELN 490).
2. Objective examination (short answers).
3. Research paper
4. Senior Symposium.

1. Senior Seminar

   All seniors must pass the senior seminar, RELN 490, offered every fall semester. The content of the Senior Seminar and the faculty member in charge varies from year to year.

2. Objective examination

   This examination is intended to determine how well students have learned the basic facts and characteristics of the religious traditions taught in the Department. In addition, the exam will test a student's knowledge of fundamental theories and methods in the study of religion. This is a two-hour exam consisting of 100 questions divided by traditions. Opportunities to sit for this exam will be given once late in the fall semester and once early in the spring semester. Minimum passing grade is 65. A student who fails the exam can take it again. (Here is a more detailed description.)

3. Research paper

   The paper need not be comparative (i.e. with equal emphasis on two traditions), but it should be theoretically informed and be written with a comparative perspective.

   1. Standard option:
      • A 12-15 page paper written over a period of 10 days (a week plus two weekends) in November, before Thanksgiving break. There will be no reading or meeting of senior seminar that week.
      • The student chooses the tradition and general topic; the relevant faculty member formulates a specific topic or question. Students must discuss this with the relevant faculty member by October 25.
      • The topic will be assigned November 1, and the paper due November 11.
      • Pass/Fail notification by the end of the semester (no conditional pass).
      • If you fail, you will write a paper on an assigned topic over a 72-hour period early in the second semester.

   2. Longer paper option:
      • A 20-25 page paper on a topic chosen by student, subject to approval by faculty.
      • The topic will be due by the second meeting of Senior Seminar.
      • The paper will be due on Friday of the first week in December.
      • Pass/Fail notification by the end of the semester (no conditional pass).
      • If you fail, you will write a paper on an assigned topic over a 72-hour period early in the second semester.

      NOTE: Although a paper may be read at several stages by different faculty members, no paper has passed until its final copy has been read and evaluated by the entire Religious Studies Department faculty.

4. Senior Symposia

   The senior symposia, held during the two weeks before Spring Break, consist of small-group discussions and critiques of the papers (both types) written for the Senior Exercise. Each group will include three or four students and two or three faculty members. Each paper is discussed for about forty-five minutes, beginning with a short statement about the paper by the author. Faculty members keep quiet for the first twenty minutes, to assure opportunity for peer discussion. Evaluation is based on your defense of your own work and your prepared discussion of the work of the others in your group.

Questions about these requirements are welcome and should be directed to the Chair.