Track II: Texts and Traditions

The texts and traditions track is ideal if you seek in-depth knowledge of a particular religious tradition—for example, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, or an American Indian tradition. It emphasizes learning about the selected tradition through study of its untranslated foundational texts.

For this track, you must complete the fourth semester (or the equivalent) of a language appropriate to the specific religious tradition and its sources.

This track provides a solid foundation for careers serving diverse communities in public arenas, as well as graduate study in the arts, humanities, or social sciences, or in theological or seminary programs.

Track II is particularly recommended if you are interested in such topics as the advanced study of the Bible, New Testament, or the Qur’an in both their original forms and later interpretations; the history of Judaism, Islam, or Christianity; or the study of the traditions and texts of the religions of South or East Asia, whether in their countries of origin or in diaspora.

View full requirements

Sample Track II Concentrations

  • Judaism: Biblical Hebrew (for scriptural or historical area of concentration), Modern Hebrew (e.g., for Jewish literature or 20th-century)
  • Islam: Arabic
  • Christianity: Greek or Latin (for scriptural or medieval concentration), German or Spanish (for relevant geographical/cultural themes)
  • Buddhism: Chinese or Japanese
  • Hinduism: Hindi/Urdu or Sanskrit
  • American Indian religions: Ojibwe or Dakota

Learn about the requirements for the texts and traditions track