<Faculty of Education

Religious Studies

Religious studies as a teachable subject in the Faculty of Education builds upon the existing strengths of the Religious Studies Program in the Faculty of Arts. Currently, this program offers courses clustered into four main areas: religion and culture, biblical studies, Jewish Studies and Christian studies. There are also courses which support students' inquiry into Islam, the religious traditions of Asia and South Asia, and North American First Nations spirituality.

Students wishing to teach religious studies must take six full courses for a first teachable or four full courses for a second teachable from the extensive list of approved courses in the Religious Studies Program. In consultation with the education religious studies adviser, students will be able to design a program of studies that will enable them to teach world religions as a comparative religion course in public schools, Catholic schools or Jewish schools. They will also be able to design a program of studies that will enable them to teach religion classes in Catholic schools, Islamic private schools and a variety of courses related to classical and modern Judaism in Jewish schools.

Academic Requirements:

1. AS/HUMA 2800 9.00 (cross-listed to: AS/SOSC 2600 9.00).

2. One of:

• AS/HUMA 2830 9.00
• AS/HUMA 2000C 6.00
• AS/HUMA 2850 9.00
• AS/HUMA 2810 6.00
• AS/HUMA 3420 6.00

All courses will be counted as six credits towards the teachable subject.

3. For a second teachable, two more upper level full courses selected in consultation with a faculty adviser.

4. For a first teachable, four more upper level full courses selected in consultation with a faculty adviser.

All teacher candidates will also take ED/RELS 3040 3.00 Teaching Religious Studies in the Intermediate Division or ED/RELS 3050 6.00 Teaching Religious Studies in the Intermediate/Senior Division, a practicum course with appropriate practicum placement which allows students to teach religious studies in an intermediate and/or secondary school.

Teacher candidates preparing to teach in Jewish day schools should be enrolled in the Jewish Teacher Education Program and should be sure to include:

• AS/HEB 3210 3.00 or AS/HEB 3211 3.00
• AS/HEB 3220 3.00
• AS/HEB 3230 3.00

These courses are offered on a rotating basis over a three-year cycle. Ed I students are asked to make an appointment for an informal Hebrew language assessment to determine the section in which to enrol: Department of Languages, Literatures and Linguistics 416-736-2100 ext. 55016.

Teacher candidates preparing to teach in Catholic schools should also take ED/EDUC 3000 3.00.

For courses that are weighted nine credits, only six credits of the course weighting will be applied to meet the teachable subject requirement.