Introduction to World Religions DSST
A Free Study Guide!

Name of Exam: Introduction to World Religions DSST

Number of questions: Around 94 (varies)

Time Limit: 120 Minutes

ACE Recommended Passing Score: 400

Practice Test Available?: No

Cost: $80 + Sitting Fee (Usually no more than $20) at your testing site. Military can take DSSTs for free with Tuition Assistance. Check with your Educational Officer!

Difficulty 1-5 : 3
(One being the easiest, and five being the hardest)

Exam Description:

The Introduction to World Religions DSST covers what a student would learn during a college level Religions class. Specific religions covered may include Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Hinduism, Confucianism, and others. A firm understanding of the origins, beliefs, and terminology is expected.

Personal Thoughts:

I find this subject fascinating, so I really enjoyed studying for this exam. Regardless of your religious background, most of the Introduction to World Religion DSST boils down to memorization. Many religions share common belief systems, yet have small differences. Don't let these trip you up.

The good news is that there are few subjects with more online information than religion. People write about what they believe in, and there are many websites out there with all the information you'll need to pass this exam.

Exam breakdown:

Make sure you check out the Official DSST Fact Sheet for this exam.

Pay attention to the bottom of the fact sheet. It contains some sample questions that closely mimic the type of scenario-based questions you'll see on the actual exam.

The Introduction to World Religions DSST is broken down as follows:

Areas of Study

I'm going to list some specific topics that you'll need to study.

Though there are different versions of the Introduction to World Religions DSST, you'll most likely see some of the following on your exam:

• Shintoism
• Major deity figures
• Religious leaders
• Origins
• Karma
• Dharma
• Sufi
• Sanscript
• Holy books
• Religious terminology

This is not a comprehensive list of topics! I highly recommend (as always) signing up for InstantCert and running through their entire flashcard series as well as seeing the Specific Feedback section for this exam. They've had years to accumulate their information, and it shows.

Recommended Free Study Resources

• Minnesota State University Religion - This is a pretty good breakdown of the major religions. It doesn't include all of the ones that are required, but I like the terminology and history sections. You'll be tested on each so I'd use this.
• World Religions Wikipedia Entry - Ah wikipedia, how I love thee. Go down the list and hit the religions noted on the Official Fact Sheet for the Introduction to World Religions DSST. As always, history, terminology, and beliefs are what you're going to want to look at.
• Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance - A nice site on the different religions from a non-biased viewpoint. Look on the left hand side of the screen and drill down to the specific religions.
• Introduction to World Religions Free Forum Links - From our own Feedback area. Find some other forum posts that we don't have? Let us know via the "Contact Us" form.
• Snazzlefrag's Introduction to World Religions Study Guide - As always, a great resource to refresh after doing the initial study. Go through the other resources first, and then use this to really hammer home the material.

Recommended bargain-priced study resources

The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Religions, 3rd Edition - A good place to start if you haven't had much interest in this subject to begin with. Keep in mind when reading the reviews that this is a sensitive subject. I'm recommending this for it's ability to prepare you for the Introduction to World Religions DSST, not for the veracity of the content. This is religion we're talking about, after all.

History of the World's Religions (12th Edition) - The DSST recommended book for this exam. It's probably safe to say that this book contains everything you need. The main issue I have with it is price. If you're going to spend this kind of cash on a resource, then pick up IC instead. It's got everything you need as well AND you can use it for more than one exam.

If you feel like you just "have" to get this book, then please check your library first or at least pick up a used copy. A new copy of this book, even on Amazon, is over $80.

InstantCert Academy Introduction to World Religions Specific Exam Feedback - Seven pages of targeted information for this exam. Also if you've subscribed, make sure you go through the Flashcards for Introduction to World Religions as well.

If you don't know what InstantCert is, then click here for the scoop as well as a discount code: **InstantCert Academy**

You'll find an InstantCert link for every exam here if that gives you an idea of the amount of information they have available. It's an outstanding resource.

Closing Thoughts

Fascinating stuff, but then again that may just be me. Religion is a touchy subject for a lot of people, and some are comfortable with reading about other religions and some people aren't. In order to correctly prepare for the Introduction to World Religions DSST, it's going to be a requirement. Keep that in mind if you're looking to approach this exam.

The IC flashcards cover the material well, and are my primary recommended resource both for speed of study and cost. If you're sticking to the free material, then I'd really go over the above sites and then use Snazzlefrag's study guide as a final refresh before taking the exam. This isn't a tough exam, but will require you to spend some time and effort on memorization.

Best of luck!