The Program

Intellectual Excitement: Religious Studies provides a fascinating perspective on the study of other disciplines such as education, psychology, art, music, literature, and social work, as well as an opportunity to delve into the heritage of spiritual wisdom. The program challenges students to confront ethical issues, encourages them to learn how religion has shaped and been influenced by society, and provides them with a rich context for understanding the world's cultures.

Career Opportunities: Graduates of the program may pursue a variety of careers, including the teaching of religion in elementary school and high school, and work in pastoral ministry or religious education.

Preparation for Graduate Work: Students may continue their education in the fields of religious studies, religious education, theology, or pastoral ministry, as well as in the humanities, social studies, and international studies.

Personal Enrichment: The personal benefits are many, including the opportunity to investigate questions of human identity, purpose, and meaning; to appreciate the importance and power of religions in the lives of individuals and communities; and to cultivate a mature, intelligent faith coupled with compassionate understanding of the faiths of others.

Learning Goal and Objectives for Religious Studies Majors

Goal:

The goal of the Religious Studies Department in its work with its majors is to develop proficiency in the field of Religious Studies.

We understand proficiency to mean the acquisition, synthesis and communication (oral and written) of knowledge about religion in general as well as specific religious traditions (hereafter indicated as "religion(s)").

This proficiency is cultivated through study of the content and methodologies of Religious Studies, the skills of liberal education, and the application of this learning to one's life and world.

Objectives:

Content. The academic study of religion requires comprehension of a body of information about religion(s) and the history of its study. Religious Studies majors accumulate knowledge about several religions in terms of their histories, beliefs, concepts of the sacred, ritual practices, moral teachings, symbol systems and communal life. They recognize the place of religion(s) within cultures and appreciate the complex interactions of religion(s) with other dimensions of culture. They also come to understand Religious Studies as an academic field: its history, organization, methods and critical issues.

A student who graduates with a major in Religious Studies demonstrates proficiency by being able to:

comprehend fundamental factual and theoretical knowledge in required areas of study in the major: world religions, theology and spirituality, sacred texts, ethics, and contemporary issues in religion;
understand religion as a dimension of culture, and how it both shapes and is shaped by other dimensions of culture;
appreciate the history of, and major issues within, the field of Religious Studies.

Methodologies: Religious Studies majors develop the mental agility to analyze religion(s) through diverse methodological "lenses." They become adept at a schema of "characteristics" by which they can explain the typical features of religion(s) – so they may say what religion is or involves. They appreciate that Religious Studies is inherently multi-disciplinary and that various academic disciplines (e.g., anthropology, history, literature, philosophy, psychology, sociology, theology) make distinct and important contributions to the study of religion(s). They understand the value of analyzing religion(s) through approaches that emphasize the categories such as gender, economics, race and political power. They see the value of combining these many methods in a single, complex, interactive academic conversation.

A student who graduates with a major in Religious Studies demonstrates proficiency by being able to:

understand and make productive use of a set of "characteristics" of religious phenomena;
understand and appreciate the perspectives of a variety of academic disciplines upon religion(s) and the methods proposed for the study of religion by those disciplines.

Skills: Religious Studies majors see their education in the core curriculum of the College as an integrated whole and are able to relate their work in Religious Studies to their studies in other disciplines. They develop the skills of liberally educated persons, skills that will benefit them regardless of their future professional pursuits. These skills begin with the habits of thought known as "critical thinking." The skills learned in studying religion foster the ability to observe the world acutely, describe accurately, interpret empathetically, analyze precisely, and compare fairly and insightfully. They develop strengths in reading carefully, communicating effectively in written and oral modes, and using information technology effectively to acquire and disseminate knowledge. They learn to research matters of religion(s) so they will be equipped for independent, on-going study in the field.

A student who graduates with a major in Religious Studies demonstrates proficiency by being able to:

observe, describe, interpret, analyze and compare critically and accurately religious phenomena in their appropriate cultural contexts;
read, comprehend, interpret and analyze critically scholarly literature in the field of Religious Studies;
research religion(s), their histories and their contemporary expressions;
communicate concepts and ideas of and about religion(s) in written form;
communicate concepts and ideas of and about religion(s) orally;
use information technology to acquire and communicate knowledge about religion(s).

Application. Religious Studies majors develop the confidence to apply their academic learning to interpret the world around them independent of the structure and guidance of teachers and courses. They become "life-long learners" with a sustaining passion for the study of religion and the ability to pursue this study on their own. They develop the intellectual and emotional maturity to value the diversity and complexity of religion(s). This enables them to engage in open and meaningful communication with adherents of a variety of religions. They are able to apply their academic study of religion(s) to the humane tasks of improving the world through engagement with issues of critical social need and by living a life of purpose and meaning.

A student who graduates with a major in Religious Studies demonstrates proficiency by being able to:

recognize that learning about religion(s) is a life-long process and exhibit an enthusiasm for this endeavor;
appreciate the fact and value of religious diversity and its manifestations in specific cultural communities;
apply understandings of religion(s) to issues of social concern and human welfare;
apply understandings of religion(s) to questions of personal meaning, purpose and values.