Educational Goals

• Students of religious studies reject all dogmatic views derived from a single doctrinal of a particular religion and acquire an objective and unbiased viewpoint to study religion. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain an attitude of critically reflecting on whether theories, concepts, terms, and research methodologies of religious studies are appropriate. The study of Korean religion has two specific goals: to understand the flow of various religions in the context of Korean history, and to grasp the dynamic existence of Korean religions in the social and cultural situations of contemporary Korea. Furthermore, religious exchanges and interactions between Korea and neighboring countries are studied in the context of East Asia.

Educational Focus

• Study religions originated in Korea or imported from abroad in the context of Korean religious history.
• Observe and analyze active religions of the contemporary Korean society through field work.
• Use comparative methods that reflects the context and specificity of each religion.
• Aim for interdisciplinary research in cooperation with various disciplines in the humanities and social sciences.