Course Description
Examination of sacred and secular beliefs in cross-cultural perspective. Emphasis on symbols, ritual, and their functions.
Syllabus
Student Learning Outcomes, Goals, Objectives:
Students successfully completing this course will be able to:
Identify major anthropological and archaeological approaches to the study of religion.
Describe and apply key concepts in the anthropology of religion, including ritual, symbolism, myth, cosmology, taboo, liminality, and belief.
Analyze how individuals and communities create meaning through religious, magical, and supernatural practices.
Compare cross-cultural beliefs about spirits, witchcraft, monsters, ancestors, and other supernatural beings.
Apply anthropological methods and perspectives to the study of ritual, religion, death, and remembrance.
Course Grading Information:
Activity/Performance Measure | Percentage/Points |
|---|---|
Attendance | 50 points |
Quiz I | 75 points |
Quiz II | 75 points |
Quiz III | 75 points |
Ethnographic Observation | 75 points |
Final Paper | 100 points |
Final grades are based on the percentage earned in the course and follow the grading scale below.
Grading Scale
Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
93-100.00% | A |
90-92.99% | A- |
87-89.99% | B+ |
83-86.99% | B |
80-82.99% | B- |
77-79.99% | C+ |
73-76.99% | C |
70-72.99% | C- |
67-69.99% | D+ |
63-66.99% | D |
60-62.99% | D- |
below 59.99% | F |
Attendance/Participation:
As this class format is a blend of lecture and discussion, attendance for this course is required.
Course Materials Purchased by the Students:
No course materials are required.
Scholarly Perspectives
This course engages diverse scholarly perspectives to develop critical thinking, analysis, and debate and inclusion of a reading does not imply endorsement.