SPS140 Understanding Religion
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
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Political Science and International Relations
Mustafa Krupalija
Course Lecturer
Course Objectives
The main objective of this course is to develop a cross-cultural understanding of the world’s religions and their significance within diverse societies. The course pays particular attention to religion in a rapidly changing global context, examining its relationships with society, culture, and history. Students are introduced to key themes such as globalization and religion, gender and religion, science and religion, interfaith dialogue, and the sociological and psychological dimensions of religious belief and practice. Through this approach, the course encourages students to critically engage with the role of religion in both historical and contemporary contexts.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
Michael Molloy. Experiencing the World's Religions. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005; Matthews Warren. World Religions. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2013; Ronald L. Johnstone, Religion in Society: A Sociology of Religion, 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2004. Kate M. Loewenthal. The Psychology of Re;ligion: A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. Alan Aldridge, Religion in the Contemporary World. Maiden. MA: Blackwell Publishers Inc. 2004. Jeffrey Haynes, (ed.). 2009. Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics. New York: Routledge.
Additional Literature
Albert M. Craig, William A. Graham, Donald Kagan ... [et al.] (2006), The Heritage of World Civilizations. Combined Volume. 7th Edition. Upper Saddle River, N.J.Teaching Methods
This course will follow; class discussions
Assignments
Face-to-face interaction and readings as teaching methods.
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Course Introduction | |
| 2 | Understanding Religion: Definitions, Concepts and Theories | Warren, pp. 1-13 |
| 3 | Hinduism: The Transcendent Unity of Religions and Spiritual Practice | Molloy, pp. 71-112 |
| 4 | Buddhism: The Psychology of Religion | Molloy, pp. 119-175 |
| 5 | Confucianism: Ethical and Social Values | Molloy, pp. 227-249 |
| 6 | Judaism: History, Scriptures, Beliefs, Practices and Contemporary Influences | Molloy, pp. 283-335 |
| 7 | Christianity: History, Scriptures, Beliefs, Practices and Contemporary Developments | Molloy, pp. 341-442 |
| 8 | MID-TERM WEEK | |
| 9 | Islam: The Conception of Religion and the Foundation of Ethics and Morality | Molloy, pp. 431-481 |
| 10 | Methods and Approaches to the Study of Religions | Molloy, pp. 2-34 |
| 11 | Studying Religion Sociologically | Johnstone, pp. 1-19 |
| 12 | Psychology of Religion: Beliefs, Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors | Loewenthal, pp. 1-151 |
| 13 | Sacralization of Modernity: Civil and Political Religion | Aldridge, pp. 140-159 |
| 14 | Religion and Globalization | Haynes (Ed.), Ch. 20 |
| 15 | Final Exam Review |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
| Section | Type | Day 1 | Venue 1 | Day 2 | Venue 2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPS140.1 | Course | Thursday 13:00 - 14:50 | B F1.23 - Amphitheater I | - | - |
Office Hours & Room
| Day | Time | Office | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday | 12:00 - 15:00 | A F1.9 | |
| Friday | 13:00 - 14:00 | A F1.9 |
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Mid - term exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Group Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Participation / Attendance
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Quiz
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 3 ECTS credit course corresponds to 75 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture Hours
26 hours ⏳ (13 week × 2 h)
Home Study
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Midterm Exam Study
7 hours ⏳ (7 week × 1 h)
Final Exam Study
15 hours ⏳ (15 week × 1 h)
Group Presentation
8 hours ⏳ (2 week × 4 h)
Quiz
4 hours ⏳ (1 week × 4 h)
75 Total Workload Hours
3 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [SPS140] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
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Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| SPS140 | Understanding Religion | 2 | 0 | 3 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | None | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Mustafa Krupalija | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Tuesday: 12:00-15:00 Friday: 13:00-14:00 |
|||||||
| mkrupalija@ius.edu.ba | ||||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | The main objective of this course is to develop a cross-cultural understanding of the world’s religions and their significance within diverse societies. The course pays particular attention to religion in a rapidly changing global context, examining its relationships with society, culture, and history. Students are introduced to key themes such as globalization and religion, gender and religion, science and religion, interfaith dialogue, and the sociological and psychological dimensions of religious belief and practice. Through this approach, the course encourages students to critically engage with the role of religion in both historical and contemporary contexts. | |||||||||
| Textbook | Michael Molloy. Experiencing the World's Religions. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005; Matthews Warren. World Religions. Belmont: Wadsworth, 2013; Ronald L. Johnstone, Religion in Society: A Sociology of Religion, 7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson, 2004. Kate M. Loewenthal. The Psychology of Re;ligion: A Short Introduction. Oxford: Oneworld Publications. Alan Aldridge, Religion in the Contemporary World. Maiden. MA: Blackwell Publishers Inc. 2004. Jeffrey Haynes, (ed.). 2009. Routledge Handbook of Religion and Politics. New York: Routledge. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature |
|
|||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | This course will follow; class discussions, assignments, face-to-face interaction and readings as teaching methods. | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Face-to-face | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | ||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Course Introduction | |||||||||
| Week 2 | Understanding Religion: Definitions, Concepts and Theories | Warren, pp. 1-13 | ||||||||
| Week 3 | Hinduism: The Transcendent Unity of Religions and Spiritual Practice | Molloy, pp. 71-112 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Buddhism: The Psychology of Religion | Molloy, pp. 119-175 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Confucianism: Ethical and Social Values | Molloy, pp. 227-249 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Judaism: History, Scriptures, Beliefs, Practices and Contemporary Influences | Molloy, pp. 283-335 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Christianity: History, Scriptures, Beliefs, Practices and Contemporary Developments | Molloy, pp. 341-442 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MID-TERM WEEK | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Islam: The Conception of Religion and the Foundation of Ethics and Morality | Molloy, pp. 431-481 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Methods and Approaches to the Study of Religions | Molloy, pp. 2-34 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Studying Religion Sociologically | Johnstone, pp. 1-19 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Psychology of Religion: Beliefs, Thoughts, Feelings, Behaviors | Loewenthal, pp. 1-151 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Sacralization of Modernity: Civil and Political Religion | Aldridge, pp. 140-159 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Religion and Globalization | Haynes (Ed.), Ch. 20 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final Exam Review | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Mid - term exam | 1 | 30 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Group Presentation | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Participation / Attendance | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| Quiz | 1 | 10 | 1,2,3,4,5 | Not Allowed | |
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture Hours | 2 | 13 | 26 | Home Study | 1 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Midterm Exam Study | 1 | 7 | 7 | Final Exam Study | 1 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Group Presentation | 4 | 2 | 8 | Quiz | 4 | 1 | 4 | |||
| Total Workload Hours = | 75 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 3 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||