2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2022-2023 Yavapai College Catalog [PREVIOUS CATALOG YEAR]

REL 205 - Life, Sex, and Death


Description: Development of the vocabulary and conceptual frameworks for thinking and discussing life, sex, and death, arguably the most significant and misunderstood aspects of human experience, by looking to religion, philosophy, film, anthropology, and literature. Examination of the ways that humans have understood the transformative experiences of birth, sexual maturity, death, and the passing of generations as discussed by the world traditions. 

Prerequisites: ENG 101  or ENG 101A  or ENG 103 . Reading Proficiency. Due to the course's subject matter, students must be at least 18 years of age to take course.

General Education Competency: Written Communication; Diversity

Credits: 3
Lecture: 3
Lab: 0

Course Content:
  1. Methods for studying religions
  2. Rites of passage as they occur in world traditions
  3. Historical accounts of religious traditions and their understanding of rites of passage, including birth, puberty, and death
  4. The role of women in religious traditions and their involvement in religious rites of passage
  5. The portrayal of rites of passage in fiction and film
  6. Contemporary understandings of rites of passage

Learning Outcomes:
  1. Explain the historical development, key features, and rites of passage found in various religious traditions. (2, 3, 5, 6)
  2. Analyze key religious texts and their influences. (1)
  3. Explain how different religious traditions incorporate various rites of passage. (3-6)
  4. Explain how rites of passage help humans understand and cope with life, sex, and death. (1-6)
  5. Analyze personal beliefs regarding life, sex, and death. (6)

Required Assessment:
  1. Demonstrate thoughtful and precise writing skills by completing at least 2,500 words of monitored writing, which includes a 1,500 word essay that undergoes iterations of the writing process (i.e., outline, rough draft, and etc.), using academically appropriate sources.