A Degree in Religious Studies

Are you aware that you can take courses in religious studies at colleges and universities? Are you surprised to hear that its nothing like Sunday school, Bible study, or seminary training? Can you believe that a Degree in Religious Studies is one of the fastest growing programs?

The academic study of religion does not begin with any religious or theological assumptions; rather, it begins with the simple observation that religion is a diverse, age-old phenomenon, which has played a hugely important role in human culture and history. When you study religion in college, you learn about all of the world's major religious traditions, trace their history and development, explore recurring themes (ethics, mysticism, science and religion, the role of women, etc.), and become familiar with both their leaders and their "ordinary" practitioners. As the world grows increasingly smaller, and religious conflicts assume an increasingly significant place in political and international affairs, it is important now more than ever for students to learn the religious worlds of your classmates, neighbors, and fellow citizens. It is also important to look into the religious lives of both your friends and your adversaries.

But what can you do with a degree in religious studies? Are there ever jobs listed in the local newspaper looking for someone with just that background? Well, it's a good question and you may be surprised to hear that religious studies majors make a wide variety of career choices. True, you don't often see companies advertising for someone with this particular degree, but many important skills – research, critical thinking, data analysis – are all very much associated with religious studies. For example, religious studies graduates are usually well prepared for careers in education, not only teaching social studies, but also working in student affairs, multicultural programming, library and information services, and study abroad administration. Likewise, some graduates choose to go into media, communication and the arts, doing such things as writing, editing, publishing, advertising, public relations, commercial art, and website design for newspapers, publishing houses, television and radio stations, museums, and galleries.

Because one of the most important aspects of a degree in religious studies is the exposure to different traditions and cultures, it makes a lot of sense that graduates often find many creative opportunities in various international areas. Federal government agencies with an international focus (USAID or the Peace Corps), humanitarian and relief organizations (CARE, International Red Cross), private voluntary organizations, non-profits and non-governmental organizations (NGO's), and even think tanks are often hiring people to work in humanitarian services, economic and community development, program administration, conflict resolution, volunteer coordination, and other forms of public services. Of course, travel abroad programs, which are often sponsored or coordinated by colleges and universities, can provide a useful complement to the classroom work for students with international aspirations.

There are also a number of possible careers in social services, including counseling, programming, vocational training, rehabilitation and crisis services, case management, advocacy, and community organizing or development. For these types of occupations, you can work for shelters, nursing homes, hospitals and hospices, residential treatment facilities, correctional institutions, migrant/immigrant/refugee service providers, lobby agencies, youth organizations and camps, and a range of social service organizations. And yes, believe it or not, a degree in religious studies actually prepares you well for law school, or for a career in business. Corporations, service industries, staffing agencies, banks, retail stores, and insurance firms look appreciatively on job applicants who possess sharp critical thinking and communication skills; a background which makes them good candidates to learn recruitment, training and development, and equity/diversity functions, not to mention sales and management. When you tell your parents you plan to major in religious studies, it may not scare your parents that much after all!

Of course, there are indeed opportunities for those who do want to work in religiously affiliated areas, and even this is far more diverse than you might imagine. Apart from the conventional paths to clergy and chaplaincy, you might consider mission work – in church development, agricultural development, education, medicine – or local outreach in youth and adult ministries, counseling, day care, food bank and emergency ministries, family life center management, music-oriented ministries, or religious camp administration. It's all out there.

So, why get a degree in religious studies? It's interesting, it's important, it's useful, and it really could lead you to some fascinating careers in ways that you may never have imagined.

Editorial Provided By Jonathan R. Herman, Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of Undergraduate Studies at Georgia State University.