History 112 - Intro to World Religions

What is religion, and why do people care so much about it? This course will examine the origins and development of some of the world's major religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. We will read sacred texts and travel to sites of worship. We will also consider how religion continues to shape current affairs. Students will prepare analytic essays, participate in group discussions, and attend off-campus field trips. The course will demonstrate that understanding religion is critical to participating in a global community and will neither advocate or denigrate religious participation. (Gen. Ed. I, DG)

Open to first-year students in the Engineering RAPs in Dwight, Dickinson, or Leach Hall. The Engineering MAJORS RAP in Dwight Hall, Northeast Residential Area, is open to any student who has been admitted to UMass Amherst as an Engineering Major. Students will have the option to join History 112 which full fills the Diversity Gen Ed requirement. In this course, we will address questions such as: What is religion? Where does it come from? and Why do people care so much about it? We will explore the origins and early development of some of the world's major religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam and consider how religion continues to shape current affairs, and popular culture.

See https://www.umass.edu/rap/engineering-majors