Fall Quarter 2026
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Catalog Descriptions
Undergraduate Course Descriptions
- RST 001B Death & Afterlife | Ryan Brizendine
Introduction to comparative religion, focusing on the theme of death and the afterlife in different religious traditions.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 011 Ethical Eating | Lynna Dhanani
In every culture food lies at the center of a complex value system that involves religious beliefs and rituals, social hierarchies, and gender distinctions. Food is the cement that binds groups together, but it also separates individuals according to age, wealth, status, and gender. Both natural product and social construction, food should be “read” in specific cultural contexts. It is the purpose of this course to introduce students to the varied ethical, religious, and cultural meanings food has had across the centuries and globe as well as to its physical effects. This course also assesses our modern industrial forms of food production on the animals we raise and eat, on our environment, and its effects on our own bodies. Included as part of our journey through food cultures and production are guest lectures and a possible field trip to the UC Davis Student Farm and/or a local organic farm.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Oral Skills (OL); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 060 Introduction to Islam | Ryan Brizendine
Introduction to topics central to the Islamic tradition. Muhammad, the Qur'an, Islamic law, theology, philosophy, cosmology, worship, and mysticism. Race and gender in Islam, Islamic revival, and varying experiences of Islam in different historical and cultural settings.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH) or Social Sciences (SS); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 103 Medieval & Byzantine Christianity | Wendy Terry
Christianity in Europe and the Near East from the year 600 to 1450. Focus on the development of Catholic and Orthodox traditions in ritual, art, and thought, with attention to interactions between regional groups, and Christian interaction with Islam.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 137 Topics in Buddhism: Mandalas: Buddhist Art, Cosmology & Symbolism | Layne Little
Thematic exploration of historic developments, periods, regions and sects in Buddhism from an interdisciplinary perspective.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 144 History of the Bible | Wendy Terry
History of the formation of the Christian biblical canon, with emphasis on differences between Christian traditions; survey of translations and adaptations of biblical narrative in Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, as well as in contemporary culture.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).
- RST 171 Buddhist Art | Layne Little
A historical survey of Buddhist art in relation to the development of Buddhist doctrine and philosophy.
General Education: Arts & Humanities (AH); Visual Literacy (VL); World Cultures (WC); Writing Experience (WE).