do you know anything about the Religion programs at U of T?
why are so many of the courses not offered every year?
i know everything about everything. i am just selective about the info that i give out. ask my profs who have just tested the hell out of me. if i actually told them everything i know, they might arrest me, fearing that i’ll take over the university, maybe all of toronto, maybe the whole world.
ummmm…yeah, maybe you should pretend you didn’t see that. the religion programs at UofT are your basic minor/major/specialist programs. that means that you either take 4, 6, or 10 religion courses. they offer many different kinds that you can see in either the calendar, or on the website. the thing about religious studies is that it is so broad (everybody believes in something, right? well, you see what i mean…) and not as many people want to learn about it. so, if you are in a religion program, and are studying it throughout your four years at this glorious institution, they assume you will take what they offer.
here’s an arbitrary and made up example: joe religion wants to study jainism as well as religion and ecology. when he tries to sign up, he sees that religion and ecology isn’t offered this year. “jesus,” he swears. “all i want is to take what i want when i want to take it.” however, the profs down in the religious lunch room have talked about this years ago, realizing that statistically, most kids who take jainism end up taking religion and ecology the next year. so one year jainism is full and ecology is empty and vice versa the next year. so they wisely being offering them in alternating years, so that their class sizes will look larger in the readouts that the faculty gets and the religion department will get more money. money that will go to joe religion, somewhere down the line, be it through a new desk for his prof who no longer has to mark the papers on the floor of the basement, and therefore is relieved of his piles, or by a coke machine in the staff room, so his prof has his proper caffiene buzz and begins doing extraordinary lectures.
and that is why you and joe curse the lord above when your classes are not offered when you want them.
another good thing about the department (i mean besides the false hope of great classes every year) is the number of cross-listed classes. check those out when you’re on the department website.
cheers,
askastudent