Undergraduate Programs

Careers

The career options open to religious studies majors are limited only by the imagination. Majoring in religious studies provides students with the critical thinking and writing skills and general knowledge of the world necessary to perform a tremendous variety of professional tasks. While some religious studies majors pursue graduate study or careers in fields directly associated with religion, many others pursue further graduate and professional education or careers in other fields. Undergraduate majors in religious studies have long been valued by law schools, business schools, medical schools, public policy programs, and a wide variety of employers and graduate programs.

But then we were not born for work alone. A religious studies major can provide a great deal of thought to engage one's mind in whatever profession one chooses. The study of religion grants one access to a wide range of human possibilities; it broadens and deepens one's understanding of the diverse richness and mystery that attends being human. Students majoring in religious studies will not only be better equipped to understand people of very different backgrounds, but will also learn much about themselves: how their ideas and values were formed, how they differ from others, and the significance of these differences. This is knowledge that will remain relevant for a lifetime, and is the key to a life of conscious choice.

The Department of Religious Studies strives to insure that majors are well prepared for life after college. To that end the department offers "career nights" each semester, exposing students to career options and planning strategies. In addition, the religious studies advisor is available for career and graduate school consultation, and serves as a liaison to other career services on campus. The department also encourages students to consult faculty members with regard to preparation for graduate school and careers in religious studies.