Religious Studies

What you’ll study.

Explore the ways that religion shapes individuals and institutions in every major culture, dating all the way back to human prehistory. Ask critical questions about religious doctrines and the Bible. Examine the beliefs and practices of Hindus, Buddhists, and Muslims. Analyze religious history, literature, and philosophy, mystics and sacred texts, rituals and ethical principles. Majors and minors.

What you’ll do.

Enjoy personal attention, small seminars, and close mentoring relationships with faculty. Pursue directed study or write an honors thesis and present your findings to the American Academy of Religion. Intern at a church or another religious organization. Visit a local church, temple, or mosque; study in Chicago, India, or Rome. Student research.

Where you’ll go.

Because our program teaches students to think critically about all aspects of human existence, you’ll be prepared for success in a wide variety of careers and advanced study. Our alumni are pastors and professors. They write books; they practice law; they provide social services; they own bicycle shops. Potential career paths.