The Religion Department and The School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA) have partnered to offer a Religion and Politics Certificate. This certificate program will be offered on the UGA Athens campus, effective in the Fall of 2026! To view approved Religion and Politics Certificate courses that will be taught in the upcoming semester, please see our Courses page. This certificate program will advance undergraduate students’ understanding of the complex and dynamic interactions among religion, religious institutions, political values, and political systems in the United States and in international and global contexts. The curriculum considers humanistic and social scientific vantage points on the nexus of religion in politics, as well as politics in religion. This program of study deepens students’ understanding of both the historical and contemporary contexts where faith, moral reasoning, and politics interact and shape societal and governance institutions. Courses and Curriculum To complete the certificate, students will take five courses from the approved list below to reach a total of at least 15 hours. The requirements for the certificate are based on course prefixes to ensure an interdisciplinary experience. At least two courses (6 hours) must come from the RELI prefix. At least two courses (6 hours) must come from the INTL and/or POLS prefixes. The fifth course may be fulfilled by RELI(POLS)(INTL) 4699, Religion and Politics Internship, or another course (3 hours) from the list of INTL, POLS, or RELI prefix courses. Approved INTL Courses INTL 3300, Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 hours) INTL(AFST) 4280, Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict (3 hours) INTL 4335, Far Right Politics in Western Democracies (3 hours) INTL 4370, Middle East Politics (3 hours) INTL 4371, Israeli Politics (3 hours) INTL 4455, Violent Political Conflict (3 hours) INTL 4960R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research I (1-6 hours) INTL 4970R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research II (1-6 hours) INTL 4980R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research III (1-6 hours) INTL 4990R, Undergraduate Research Thesis (or Final Project) (1-6 hours) Students may petition to have other relevant courses count toward the certificate. Approved POLS Courses POLS 3000, Introduction to Political Theory (3 hours) POLS 4645E, Applied Civic Engagement – Service Learning (3 hours) POLS 4690, Religion and American Politics (3 hours) POLS 4710, Constitutional Law: Rights and Liberties (3 hours) POLS 4960R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research I (1-6 hours) POLS 4970R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research II (1-6 hours) POLS 4980R, Faculty-Mentored Undergraduate Research III (1-6 hours) POLS 4990R, Undergraduate Research Thesis (or Final Project) (1-6 hours) Approved RELI Courses
