Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies gain a critical but sympathetic understanding of religion, a powerful and pervasive aspect of human experience. Through learning to describe, interpret, explain, and evaluate religious phenomena across cultures, students of religion develop insight into how human beings have made sense of the world and ordered their lives and societies.

Learn

Majors in Religious Studies learn to:

Analyze their own assumptions, presuppositions, and expectations about religion
Examine religious beliefs, behaviors, practices, texts, experiences, communities, and institutions in context and comparison
Employ multiple disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives in the analysis and interpretation of religious phenomena
Demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of religious phenomena
Communicate clearly, persuasively, and respectfully
Identify problems and develop solutions by gathering, analyzing, and assessing data, sources, and arguments
Recognize how their own worldviews are similar to and different from those of others
View religion as a part of the human cultural, literary, and artistic heritage
Understand how religions imagine and implement their visions of a just world

Opportunities

Religious Studies majors develop widely transferable skills of critical and creative thinking, research, and communication, which are highly valued by employers. Religious Studies prepares students for employment or graduate study in fields involving qualitative research—such as law or information science—or intercultural communication—such as international business or social work. This major also provides an excellent background for graduates who seek employment or further study in religion-related fields such as religion journalism, non-profit administration, religious counseling, or religious ministry.