Religion, Conflict and Peace - Certificate

It's a complicated world. Prepare yourself.

About the program

Overview

When you understand the crucial role of religion in both conflict and peace, you'll gain a broad knowledge of human division and unity. This understanding and the skills you learn in the program will be assets when pursuing your choice of career.

ASU’s Undergraduate Certificate in Religion, Conflict and Peace provides a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of the dynamics of religion, conflict, and peace by exploring questions such as:

  • What are the religious and non-religious causes of conflict or factors that contribute to it?
  • What do we mean by the term “religious violence”?
  • What secular and religious resources exist for resolving different kinds of conflict?
  • What do we mean by “peace”?
  • How can religion inform the pursuit of peace?

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Requirements

Current Certificate Information 

The certificate requires a minimum of 18 credit hours. At least 12 credit hours must be completed in upper-division coursework and at least 12 credit hours must be completed at ASU. At least six upper-division hours in the certificate must be completed in courses offered by The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. A grade of "C" (2.00 on a 4.00 scale) or higher is required for each course used to fulfill a certificate requirement.

Humanities and Social Sciences Requirement

At least six of the 18 credit hours must be fulfilled with courses from the humanities and at least three credit hours from the social sciences.

  • When choosing courses from the lists below, complete six credit hours from the following subject areas to fulfill the humanities requirement: ARB, CEL, CHI, FMS, GER, HEB, HST, IAS, JST, PAX, PHI, REL, or SLC.
  • When choosing courses from the lists below, complete three credit hours from the following subject areas to fulfill the social sciences requirement: AFR, ASB, COM, GCU, JUS, NEW, POS, SGS, SOC, or WST.

Regional Component Courses

  • Select two Regional Component Courses from two different geographic regions. Available regions are Africa, Asia, Europe, Middle East and United States. (6)

Electives (two courses)

Certificate Electives (6)

  • Students select electives from any of the course lists above, keeping in mind that at least 12 credit hours within the certificate must be upper division.
  • In some cases, the same course can be used to fulfill more than one requirement. For more information, please contact the certificate director in the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict.
  • If a course is used to meet more than one component requirement above, additional electives may be required to meet the 18 credit hour minimum.
  • Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.

Eligibilty

Q: Why should I consider a certificate in Religion and Conflict?

A: An enhanced understanding of religion and conflict is proving to be increasingly vital. Religion has played a crucial role in various forms of human conflict, historically and in our current times. The certificate may be of particular interest for students pursuing careers in journalism, law, policy work, diplomacy, the military, public advocacy, publishing, education, ministry, or other fields in which an enhanced understanding ...

Q: What can I expect to get out of the program?

A: The certificate program provides students a broad, interdisciplinary understanding of the dynamics of religion, conflict, and peace by exploring questions such as:

  • What are the religious and non-religious causes of conflict?
  • What do we mean by "religious violence"?
  • What do secular and religious resources exist for resolving conflict?
  • What do we mean by "peace"?

Q: Who is the certificate open to?

A: The certificate is open to any undergraduate student enrolled at Arizona State University in any degree or non-degree program. 

Q: Is the certificate available to online students?

A: The religion and conflict certificate is not currently designed as an online certificate program.  

Q: What if I still have questions? Who can I get in touch with?

A: Matt Correa coordinates our student programs, and he's available to answer any questions (matt.correa@asu.edu).

Process

How to add this certificate

Here are the steps for enrolling in the religion and conflict certificate program:

1)  Add Certificate 
This link will take you to a page with more information and a button that says "Add Certificate". Please click on that button to enroll in this program via an online form. NOTE: If you are not majoring in History, Philosophy, or Religious Studies (the SHPRS' majors), you should also meet with your academic advisor to let him or her know that you intend to add the certificate.

2) Please download and complete this form and email it to Matt.Correa@asu.edu
 

Progress and completion

  • Check your Degree Audit Report (DAR) regularly to confirm that your courses are being properly applied.  
  • Once you have completed all certificate requirements, or to check on your progress, email the form to Matt.Correa@asu.edu 
  • If you would like to use a course for the certificate that is not on the lists of pre-approved courses, please review the Instructions Form and email any questions to Matt.Correa@asu.edu 

Courses

complete list of eligible courses | see ASU course schedule to confirm semester availability

Recommended Regional Components

to complete the certificate you must have two regional courses from two different regions

Religion and Europe

  • HST 350 Later Middle Ages
  • HST 360 The Crusades
  • REL 374 Witchcraft & Heresy in Europe (also as HST 361)
  • REL 494 Empire and the Making of Modern Europe

Religion and the Middle East 

  • ARB 335 Arabic Culture and Islam
  • ARB 341 Quran Text and Women
  • ARB 394 Iraqi Culture & Society
  • HST 372 Modern Middle East
  • REL 366 Islam in the Modern World (also as HST 339)

Religion and the United States

  • AIS 430 Contemporary Indigenous Spirituality
  • ENG 333 American Jewish Literature During the Cold War

  • HST 211 Jews and Judaism in America (also as REL 211)
  • REL 320 American Religious Traditions
  • REL 321 Religion in America
  • REL 330 Native American Worldviews
  • REL 394 Spirituality in America

Religion and Africa

  • AFR 300 Precolonial Africa

Religion and Asia 

  • HST 391 Modern Southeast Asia (also as SGS 381)
  • JPN 355 Religious Practice/Modern Japan
  • REL 240 Intro to Southeast Asia
  • REL 345 Asian Religious Traditions
  • REL 350 Hinduism
  • REL 351 Buddhism

Religion and Latin America 

  • LAS 449 LatinAmCinema: Dead/Disappeared
  • SPA 427 Colonial&Postcol Latin Am Lit

Political Component

  • CEL 100 Great Ideas Politics & Ethics
  • CEL 494 Political Leadership and Statesmanship
  • COM 312 Communication/Conflict & Negotiation*
  • COM 394 Communication, Culture, and New Media Technologies
  • HST 454 History of Genocide
  • JUS 374 Holocaust, Genocide, & Human rights
  • PAF 461 Homeland Security
  • PAF 469 Terrorism Defense
  • POS 332 American Political Parties*
  • POS 348 Do You Want to Build a Nation?*
  • POS 364 National Security/ Intl Terrorism*
  • POS 368 Ethics and Human Rights*
  • POS 394 The Future of War*
  • POS 480 Global Justice*
  • POS 494 National Security Policy Design*
  • REL 107 Religion and Globalization (also as SGS 107)
  • REL 349 Nature, Sustainability, & religion (also as JST 349, HPS 349, and SOS 349)
  • REL 379 Rel/Nationalism/Ethnic Conflict (also as SGS 343)
  • SGS 340 Violence Conflict Human Rights
  • SGS 394 Politics of Global Justice
  • SGS 394 Human rights and US Foreign Policy (also as POS 394)
  • SWU 456 Immigrants and Refugees

Cultural Component

  • ARB 335 Arabic Culture and Islam
  • ARB 341 Quran Text and Women
  • ARB 394 Iraqi Culture & Society
  • COM 394 Communication, Culture, and New Media Technologies
  • HST 339 Islam in the Modern World (also as REL 366)
  • HST 454 History of Genocide
  • IAS 406 Moral Dilemmas (also as PHI/FOR 406)
  • IAS 430 Science and Religion
  • PHI 318 Philosophy of Religion
  • REL 201 Religion and the Modern World
  • REL 202 Religion and Popular Culture
  • REL 300 Future of Religions (also as PHI 303)
  • REL 320 American Religious Tradition
  • REL 321 Religion in America
  • REL 345 Asian Religious Traditions
  • REL 350 Hinduism
  • REL 366 Islam in the Modern World
  • REL 374 Witchcraft and Heresy in Europe (also as HST 361)
  • REL 381 Religion and Moral Issues
  • REL 390 Women, Gender, and Religion
  • REL 494 Issues in Death & Dying
  • SOC 353 Death and Dying in Cross-Cultural Perspective* (also as ABS 353)
  • SOC 420 Sociology of Religion*
  • SWU 418 Global Violence Against Women
  • WST 302 History of Black Women in America*
  • WST 377 History of American Feminist Thought*
  • WST 378 Global Feminist Theory*

Note: any approved course can be used for 1 of the 2 electives for the certificate, see the "overview" tab for details about requirements.

Course archive

For more information on how these courses work in the certificate program, click the "overview" tab.

This course archive includes both regularized and special topics courses (i.e., omnibus, non-regularized—usually numbered 394 or 494) that may be used for various components of the certificate. You may also petition to include a course that is not on this list as part of this certificate.


 For questions or to request a course be added to the list, please email Matt.Correa@asu.edu

Regional component 

To complete the certificate you must have two (2) regional courses and they can't both be from the same region.

Religion and Europe

  • FMS 494 Holocaust and German Media
  • HST 304 Rebirth of European Jewish Life after 1950 (also as JST 304)
  • HST 350 Later Middle Ages
  • HST 352 Europe’s Reformation
  • HST 355 Total War and the Crisis of Modernity
  • HST 360 The Crusades*
  • HST 361 Witchcraft & Heresy in Europe (also as REL 374)
  • HST 394 Christianity in Europe
  • HST 432 Eastern Europe and the Balkans in the 20th Century
  • JST 445 Holocaust & German Memory (also as SLC 445/GER 445/HON 494)
  • REL 364 Islam in Eurasia and Central Asia
  • REL 374 Witchcraft & Heresy in Europe
  • REL 377 Religion in Russia
  • REL 471 Reformation & Modern Christianity
  • REL 494 Society & Culture in Modern Europe
  • RUS 494 Slavophiles and Westernizers (also as SLC 494, HST 494)

Religion and the Middle East 

  • ARB 331 Arabic/Islamic Culture and Literature
  • ARB 335 Arabic Culture and Islam
  • ARB 341 Quran Text and Women
  • ARB 394 Iraqi Culture & Society
  • ARB 394 Islamic Philosophy
  • GCU 328 Geography: Middle East/ N. Africa
  • HST 372 Modern Middle East
  • REL 366 Islam in the Modern World
  • POS 394 Middle East Politics*
  • HST 394 War and Peace in the Middle East* (also as POS 394)

Religion and the United States

  • AFR 394 American Islam* (also as POS 394)
  • HST 211 Jews and Judaism in America* (also as JST 211/REL 211)
  • HST 315 Political History of the US
  • REL 320 American Religious Traditions
  • REL 321 Religion in America
  • REL 323 African American Religion
  • REL 386 America & the Holocaust*
  • REL 394 Religion & the American Presidency

Religion and Africa

  • GCU 328 Geography: Middle East/N Africa
  • HST 302 Islam in African History
  • POS 359 African Politics and Society*
  • POS 394 Islam/Islamic Societies in Africa
  • REL 362 Islam and Islamic Society in Africa* (also as AFR 372, SGS 366)
  • REL 461 Different Voices within Contemporary Islamic Discourse* (also as AFR 480, SGS 442)
  • SGS 394 Peace and Conflict in Africa

Religion and Asia 

  • HST 303 Modern China: Violence*
  • HST 384 Modern China: 1700 to Present*
  • HST 391 Modern Southeast Asia* (also as SGS 381)
  • HST 452 Chinese Cultural History
  • HST 452 Chinese Cultural History II*
  • HST 498 Gandhi & Politics of Non-violence
  • POS 394 Media, Identity, and Politics in Southeast Asia*
  • REL 345 Asian Religious Traditions
  • REL 347 Religious Pluralism and Conflict in India
  • REL 357 Theravada Buddhism in S & SE Asia
  • REL 364 Islam in Eurasia and Central Asia
  • REL 377 Religion in Russia
  • REL 394 Religions of India

Religion and Latin America 

  • REL 332  South American Indian Religion

Political component 

  • CEL 100 Great Ideas of Politics and Ethics in Comparative Perspective
  • CEL 494 Political Leadership and Statesmanship
  • COM 312 Communication/Conflict & Negotiation*
  • COM 377 Communication, Terrorism and National Security*
  • COM 394 Communication, Culture, and New Media Technologies*
  • COM 494 Communication, Conflict, & Peace Building*
  • FMS 394 American Jews in U.S. Politics & Media
  • FMS 494 Holocaust and German Media
  • HST 304 Totalitarianism: Hitler & Stalin*(also as JST 304)
  • HST 315 Political History of the US
  • HST 355 Total War and the Crisis of Modernity
  • HST 360 The Crusades: Religion & Conflict in the Middle Ages
  • HST 372 Modern Middle East
  • HST 391 Modern Southeast Asia (also as SGS 381)
  • HST 432 Eastern Europe/the Balkans 20th Century
  • HST 454 History of Genocide (also as FOR 454)
  • JUS 374 Holocaust, Genocide and Human Rights*
  • JUS 467 Terrorism, War, and Justice*
  • JUS 473 Religion, Violence, & Conflict Resolution* (also as REL 482 & POS 473)
  • POS 359 African Politics and Society*
  • POS 364 National Security/ Intl Terrorism*
  • POS 368 Ethics and Human Rights
  • POS 394 The Future of War
  • POS 394 Media, Identity, and Politics in Southeast Asia*
  • POS 394 Middle East Politics*
  • REL 363 Islam and World Affairs (also as AFR 373, SGS 394, POS 394)
  • REL 378 Religion, War and Peace*
  • REL 380 Theology of Terror
  • REL 387 Religion & Conflict: Theories & Cases
  • REL 388 Religion, Ethics, & International Politics
  • REL 394 Religion and Ecology
  • REL 394 Martyrdom & Self-sacrifice
  • REL 394 Religion & the American Presidency
  • REL 394 Justice in Religion and Politics
  • REL 494 Religion, War, and Revolution
  • REL 494 Justice in Religion & Politics
  • REL 494 Sacred Crimes: Religion, Violence and Criminality
  • SGS 340 Violence, Conflict & Human Rights*
  • SGS 343 Religion, Nationalism, & Ethnic Conflict (also as REL 379)
  • SGS 394 The Israel-Palestine Conflict: The Struggle
  • SGS 394 After 9/11 US & War on Terrorism (also as POS 393)
  • SGS 394 Women’s International Human Rights* (also as WST 394)
  • SGS 441 Religion and Global Politics* (also as REL 480)

Cultural component 

  • AEP 598 Philosophical and Spiritual Issues in Death & Dying (also as REL 598)
  • AFR 373 Islam and World Affairs (also as REL 363, SGS 394, POS 394)
  • ARB 331 Arabic/Islamic Culture and Literature
  • ARB 335 Arabic Culture and Islam
  • ARB 341 Quran Text and Women
  • ARB 394 Islamic Philosophy
  • ARB 394 Iraqi Culture & Society
  • COM 394 Communication, Culture, and New Media Technologies*
  • ENG 494 Nonviolence & the Civil Rights Movement
  • FMS 313 Anti-Semitism in the Media (also as REL 313)
  • HST 302 Women, War, and Peace*
  • HST 302 Envisioning Peace*
  • HST 302 Jews and Christians & Muslims in Early Modern World*
  • HST 304 History of Antisemitism* (also offered as JST 304)
  • HST 304 Rebirth of European Jewish Life after 1950* (also as JST 304)
  • HST 352 Europe’s Reformations
  • HST 359 Jewish History from 1492 to 1948
  • HST 361 Witchcraft and Heresy in Europe (also as REL 374)
  • HST 394 History of Israel
  • HST 452 Chinese Cultural History
  • HST 452 Chinese Cultural History II*
  • HST 494 Islam, Women, and Peacebuilding
  • HST 498 Gandhi & Politics of Non-violence
  • HST 498 Women in Islamic Africa
  • IAS 406 Moral Dilemmas (also as PHI 406)
  • IAS 410 Evolution of Ideas
  • IAS 430 Science and Religion
  • PHI 318 Philosophy of Religion
  • PHI 494 Religion & Science (also as REL 494)
  • POS 473 Religion, Violence, & Conflict Resolution (also as REL 483)
  • POS 494 Different Voices Within Contemporary Islamic Discourse (also as REL 494)
  • REL 201 Religion and the Modern World
  • REL 202 Religion and Popular Culture
  • REL 300 The Future of Religions
  • REL 320 American Religious Tradition
  • REL 321 Religion in America
  • REL 345 Asian Religious Traditions
  • REL 352 Modern Buddhism
  • REL 357 Theravada Buddhism in S. & S.E. Asia
  • REL 366 Islam in the Modern World
  • REL 369 Women in Islam
  • REL 374 Witchcraft & Heresy in Europe
  • REL 377 Religion in Russia
  • REL 381 Religion and Moral Issues
  • REL 390 Women, Gender and Religion (also as WST 390)
  • REL 394 Religion, Science and Citizenship
  • REL 394 Global Citizenship: Critical Perspective (also as SGS 394)
  • REL 394 Christian Syncretism in the Middle Ages
  • REL 394 The Crusades
  • REL 394 Religion and Ecology
  • REL 411 Judaism/Beginnings Christianity
  • REL 461 Different Voices within Contemporary Islamic Discourse* (also as AFR 480, SGS 442)
  • REL 471 Reformation and Modern Christianity
  • REL 481 Religion and Bioethics
  • REL 483 Religion and Science
  • REL 494 Issues in Death & Dying (also as MAS 550/PHI 494)
  • REL 494 Inquiry into Religion and Conflict
  • REL 494 Science and Religion
  • REL 494 Society and Culture in Modern Europe
  • REL 503 Post-Holocaust and Reparative Ethics
  • SGS 394 Gender and Armed Conflict (also as POS 394)
  • SGS 394 Islam and World Affairs (also as POS 394)
  • SOC 353 Death & Dying in Cross Cultural Perspectives*
  • SOC 420 Sociology of Religion*
  • STS 394 Religion and Conflict in Technology*
  • WST 345 Gender, Religion, and Global Violence*
  • WST 390 Women and Religions* (also as REL 390)
  • WST 477 Women and Violence*