Religious Studies Minor

The Religious Studies minor guides students in developing interdisciplinary skills to understand many different religious traditions, interrogate personal and communal religious experience, and explain the intersections of religion with other fields of study and interest.

In addition, Religious Studies students will gain valuable portable skills in critical thinking, analysis, and communication that are effective in nearly every career option.

Religious Studies is descriptive and analytical; it examines religion from a scholarly perspective, not a devotional one. Students of all backgrounds are welcome, whether they are personally religious or not.

Religious Studies students find careers in a wide variety of fields. A survey conducted by the American Academy of Religion found that Religious Studies students were employed most commonly in areas such as religious organizations, college faculty/administration, K-12 education, non-profit or community organizations, business/finance, law, medicine/nursing, and counseling/mental health.

The same survey found that significant majorities of students explicitly used skills learned in their Religious Studies undergraduate programs on the job – research and communication competencies, data analysis and critical thinking, ability to work with varied populations, among others.

Introduction to World Religions (SBS 1500 HU/EDI) required, plus 15 credit hours of interdisciplinary course options – at least 9 of which must be in 3 different disciplines.

No more than 3 hours may be lower division. Minimum grade of C in all minor courses (a C- is not accepted) and minimum overall GPA of 2.5 in minor courses.

This minor is open to all majors. However, courses taken as part of a student’s major will not count as fulfillment of the minor requirement.

Course Requirements