Pursue scientific explanations for religious beliefs and behaviour
Are you interested in how science can help us understand religion? Have you ever wondered why some people are religious, and others aren’t? Or whether religion affects a person’s mental and physical health?
The scientific study of religion examines topics that are important locally and globally. A minor in the Science of Religion will allow you to explore experimental, cross-cultural and survey-based research design and learn how scientific methodologies can help us understand religious beliefs and behaviour.
Why study Science of Religion?
Religion is a fundamental feature of human nature and exists in all human societies. Understanding religion will also be critically important in helping to solve many of the world's most pressing social issues. A scientific approach to the study of religion can increase our understanding of key aspects and concerns of human life.
The Science of Religion minor will give you a general ability to understand and appreciate scientific research. The papers in this minor introduce hypothesis testing through a range of experimental, comparative and survey-based research designs. You'll discover what cutting-edge psychology experiments reveal about religious belief. You'll learn about the place of religion on diverse scales, from the context of human evolution to contemporary New Zealand. And you'll examine the future of religious belief and unbelief.
This subject is a valuable addition to degrees across all university disciplines – Arts, Science, Health Sciences and Business.
Teaching style
Students attend lectures and small-group tutorial sessions. For those who cannot study on campus, it is possible to take all Religion papers by distance study, regardless of where you live.
Recommended background
There are no prerequisites for this minor. All students are welcome.
Minor-only subject
Please note: this subject can only be taken as a minor.
A minor subject can be included in many of our undergraduate degrees. To earn a minor, you typically must complete a minimum of 90 points in that subject, with at least 18 points at the 300-level.
Your minor can be a subject more commonly taken for a different degree. For example, a BCom majoring in Marketing can include Japanese as a minor subject. To include this subject as a minor in your application, first find a major subject through our Subject Search or Study Match.
You can check what’s required to receive the minor accreditation in the programme details below.
Compare programmes for this subject as a major and minor (where available).
A minor subject can be included in many of our undergraduate degrees. To earn a minor, you typically must complete a minimum of 90 points in that subject, with at least 18 points at the 300-level.
Your minor can be a subject more commonly taken for a different degree. For example, a BCom majoring in Marketing can include Japanese as a minor subject. To include this subject as a minor in your application, first find a major subject through our Subject Search or Study Match.
You can check what’s required to receive the minor accreditation in the programme details below.
Available as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Music (MusB), Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr), Bachelor of Health Science (BHealSc), Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom), Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) degree
Level
Papers
Points
100-level
RELS 110 Introduction to the Scientific Study of Religion One of: BIOA 101 Introduction to Biological Anthropology PSYC 111 Brain and Behaviour PSYC 112 Human Thought and Behaviour SCOM 109 Communicating Science: an Introduction STAT 110 Statistical Methods
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