how will a religious studies course help students

Religious studies can be a useful subject to study, as it will help you to see the world from different perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of society as a whole. This is because you will learn about different religions, and the belief systems behind religious viewpoints on things like life, death, marriage, and the afterlife.

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What is it like to study Religious Studies?

As a student of religious studies, there is no doubt you’ll open up your mind, heart, and spirit, you’ll deepen your knowledge, and be fully trained to compare, contrast, and understand the interdisciplinary nature of this fascinating field of study.

Should you travel for your religious studies degree program?

Most dedicated religious studies students will want to get firsthand experience and witness their religion of choice in practice. “Travel is not a compulsory aspect of religious studies,” but definitely enhances the overall degree program, recommends the Oxford Royale Academy.

Why is it important to study the history of religion?

Around the globe, human history has been impacted by religious ideas, religious institutions, religious art, religious laws, and religious commitments. Being able to understand key concepts in the major religions of the world develops you as a more broadly educated citizen, whatever your career path.

What can you do with a religion major?

The study of religion can lead in many directions, qualifying undergraduates for further study in graduate school and giving them a leg up in certain areas of the job market. As an academic major in the humanities, the study of religion is like a history or English major; it imposes no limitations.

What is religious studies?

Religious studies, also known as the study of religion, is a field of study that is devoted to examining the beliefs, institutions, and customs of world religions. Comparing and contrasting the different tenets of each, to more fully understand the historical context and rich nuances of an individual religion, is an example of what you’ll do as a student of religious studies. Graduates of religious studies programs go on to find fulfilling careers practicing their particular religion, or conducting research, furthering the field of study, or even consulting. Here are six top reasons why you should consider pursuing a degree in religious studies.

Why is religious studies important?

Religious studies allows not only for deepening your own self-knowledge, but it also provides the foundational knowledge and opportunity to understand other people’s worldviews and religious beliefs. Kathy McLinn writing for Edutopia aptly points out that religious studies helps with “Finding correlations, connections, relationships, and causation in relation to religion is an essential component in understanding much of what has occurred in history, politically, scientifically, artistically, in literature, personal relationships and economics. When studying a culture, historical or contemporary, we can’t begin to understand a group of people without knowing their beliefs. And a group’s fundamental beliefs about matters of ultimate concern are connected to all other beliefs and behaviors within the culture.”

Why is religion important?

The undeniable fact is that religion -- beliefs, practices, and tenets -- are a vital part of human existence. Humanity would not function without the complexities of religion and the solace it provides to many seeking answers to life’s biggest questions and mysteries. Without a doubt, points out the Oxford Royale Academy, “Religious Studies provides us with can be absolutely vital in understanding the world around us. Religious practices of one kind or another are found in practically every society on Earth, and to understand them gives us an insight into a vital aspect of human existence.” If you are a curious type, or deep thinker, or struggling with making sense of the world, or intrigued by understanding other’s beliefs, then religious studies might be the best major for you.

What can a theology graduate do?

After a little more training, theology graduates can work in pulpits of various denominations across the land or for a church in other roles, such as community ministers or youth work.”.

Can humanity function without religion?

Humanity would not function without the complexities of religion and the solace it provides to many seeking answers to life’s biggest questions and mysteries. Without a doubt, points out the Oxford Royale Academy, “Religious Studies provides us with can be absolutely vital in understanding the world around us.

Is religious studies a good fit for you?

If you have trouble narrowing your interests to just one thing, then religious studies might be the best, maybe most surprising, fit for you. Francis Gilbert, for the Local Schools Network, explains that religious studies is “multidisciplinary in nature, involving textual study, philosophical thinking, ethics, social understanding and the skills of analysis and reasoning developing core skills of literacy.” Religions -- their formation, evolution, and current practices -- are dynamic and are intricately linked to historical and cultural studies, as well as philosophy and ethics.

Is travel required for religious studies?

Most dedicated religious studies students will want to get firsthand experience and witness their religion of choice in practice. “Travel is not a compulsory aspect of religious studies,” but definitely enhances the overall degree program, recommends the Oxford Royale Academy.

What can I do with a religious studies degree?

A religious studies degree equips students with skills to enter a wide range of careers including law, education, medicine, journalism, government, the non-profit sector, and spiritual leadership. Religious studies alumni are civil rights activists, Hollywood screenwriters, motivational speakers, and college professors. Read about what our graduates are doing.

Why is religion important?

The study of religion prepares you for more than a career—it prepares you for life. Religion can inspire and provoke, unite and polarize. It is the primary expression of humanity's quest to find meaning and purpose. Understanding this phenomenon helps us explore the most basic questions of our existence. From politics and art to science and war, ...

Why is it important to study religion?

To study religion is to delve into how religion interacts with all of these facets of our world. Studying religion increases cultural awareness. Religion and culture are two topics that are intertwined.

Why do people take religion classes?

Taking religion courses is a chance to figure out why people are religious and participate in religious practices. A recent study found that Americans—regardless of which religion they practice—are quite likely to pray when they have to make decisions. It also turns out that Americans who belong to a religious organization tend to be happier ...

Why is religious studies important?

Although it may not seem like a practical field to some, religious studies carries with it a variety of advantages and benefits. Learning about other belief systems will not only introduce you to new ways of thinking, it will also aid you in communicating with people whose background and beliefs differ from your own. In an increasingly interconnected world where tensions seem to be rising between people of different faiths, the knowledge that will allow you to bridge the gap will become even more valuable.

Why is it important to study other religions?

Hence, part of the importance of studying other religions: to know what other people believe and why and develop a better idea of where they are coming from. A Christian or Hindu who understands a Muslim’s conviction will better be able to communicate with them while still respectfully disagreeing, and vice versa.

How to cite religious studies?

This system of documentation uses numbered footnotes linked to short citations at the bottom of the page, along with full-length citations in a bibliography at the end of the document. Even if you do not plan to major in religious studies, you will still find this a useful style to learn if you are interested in any of the humanities, from history to the arts.

Is religious studies useless?

Certainly, it should never be said that religious studies is useless. You will find much to be gained from this field, whether you take only a few classes or decide to make it your major.

Why do we need religious studies?

Majoring in religious studies will help you attain critical thinking skills that encourage you to become a life-long learner. It will also enable you to think critically about popular (and often mistaken) generalizations about what “all Hindus,” every Jew,” or “most Muslims” believe or do. This is no small achievement, for as the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has written, the failure of Americans to understand other religions “poses one of the greatest challenges to our public diplomacy.”

What are the skills that come with studying religion?

Studying religion will give you valuable skills in cross cultural understanding, empathy and tolerance that is grounded in critical, informed analysis, independent research skills, interdisciplinary thinking, social research methods, and written and verbal communication skills. In many professional fields, such skills are in high demand.

What are the majors in religion?

Religion majors have also successfully gone on to professional training in: 1 Business (particularly international business) 2 Counseling and Social Work 3 Chaplaincy (chaplains work in a wide variety of settings, from police and fire departments, the armed forces, hospitals, hospices, and businesses) 4 Education 5 Journalism 6 Nursing 7 Church Ministry 8 Religious Art & Music

Can religious studies be combined with other majors?

Religious Studies can easily be combined with other majors, enhancing and deepening your current plan of study. It can easily be combined with political science, anthropology, or journalism, for example, or add a liberal arts component to your degree program in Food Science, Veterinary Medicine, Engineering, Environmental Studies, Kenesiology, or one of the many other degrees that ISU offers.

Is religion a major?

As an academic major in the humanities, the study of religion is like a history or English major; it imposes no limitations. But it also lends its own particular strengths to a number of different career paths.

Do you have to be religious to study religion?

You don’t have to be religious to major in religious studies. Like anthropologists or sociologists, religious studies scholars seek to understand dimensions of the human experience. Some are drawn to study religion because they want to better understand their own faith, while others are drawn simply because they want to better understand the powerful ways in which religions shape our world.

Who said America's failure to understand the role of religion, in all its diversity, in the world today, poses?

Indeed, former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has stated that America’s failure to understand the role of religion, in all its diversity, in the world today “poses one of the greatest challenges to our public diplomacy.”.

What do liberal arts students need to know?

As a liberal arts student, you will know how to communicate clearly in a variety of media, to use reason and logic to think critically and creatively, and to conduct pertinent research, collect data, and interpret and present it in ways that help an organization be more effective and productive.

How many people in the world have a religious affiliation?

According to a recent Pew poll, five out of every six people in the world claims a religious affiliation.

Is there such a thing as religious studies?

Before coming to college, most students don’t even realize that there is such a thing as “religious studies,” especially in a secular university such as ours. But there is! Religious studies is an exciting and fascinating field, and we hope you’ll consider making it part of your educational experience.

Is religion a study?

The study of religion is not “religious.”. That is, we don’t study religion from any particular religious perspective. Rather, we are about the academic study of religion, exploring and interpreting various religious beliefs, ideas, texts, practices and institutions from a variety of scholarly perspectives—comparative, historical, cognitive, ...

How can religious studies help students?

Practically speaking, religious studies can enable students to better practice the task of selfhood by both building self-esteem and making possible the acquisition of competencies crucial for one's well-being in increasingly diverse world cultures.

Why is religious studies so exciting?

Religious Studies is intellectually exciting because it provides access to the mystery of the other.

What is the purpose of teaching religion?

To teach about religion is to study the religions of the world in a manner that is comparative, factual, and fair-minded, and that avoids any hint of faculty or students trying to persuade other faculty or students to subscribe to this or that religious (or non-religious or anti-religious) belief-system. To teach religion, on the other hand, is ...

What is religious studies?

Religious studies, or RE as you might know it, is the study of different religions, cultures and beliefs. You will probably have studied this at school as a compulsory subject, but have you ever considered continuing religious studies at A-level?

What do you learn in religious studies at A level?

Communication and literacy skills - As studying religious studies at A-level involves essay writing and debate, you will learn how to communicate your thoughts clearly, and create structured arguments.

Why is religion important in studies?

Religious studies can be a useful subject to study, as it will help you to see the world from different perspectives, and gain a deeper understanding of society as a whole. This is because you will learn about different religions, and the belief systems behind religious viewpoints on things like life, death, marriage, and the afterlife. We live in a diverse society, so having a deeper understanding of these things is useful to better understand the influence that religion has on different cultures, decision making, and politics around the world. If you are planning on going to university after your A-levels, religious studies is also useful if you want to go on to study subjects like philosophy or theology.

Is religious studies a good subject?

Religious studies can be a useful subject for a wide range of jobs, especially those that require you to work with the public, or involve helping people. Some of these include:

Is a GCSE in RE a good thing?

In terms of entry requirements, while a GCSE in RE is desirable, it is not usually essential (although this may vary from college to college). A strong grade in a subject like English can be useful, but the most important thing is that you have an interest in the subject itself!

Do you have to write an essay for religious studies?

We’re going to be honest with you though - If you decide to take a religious studies A-level, you can expect to write a lot of essays. This goes for your final exams too, as religious studies papers typically require extended essay type answers. So, this is probably not the course for you if you don’t like writing! Alongside the writing though, you can also expect to be having lots of thought-provoking discussions and debates in class

What is Religious Studies?

Religious Studies encompasses the study of different religions around the world and involves extensive research into religious institutions, beliefs, behaviours, societal impact, amongst others. Students get to learn about the religious dimensions of religions of diverse cultures.

Major Courses Offered

As an emerging field of study, there is a wide range of short-term, undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Religious Studies that you can explore. The following sections elucidate upon some of the popular courses in this field:

Popular Universities

Now that you are familiar with the popular courses in religious studies, here is a list of top universities offering the aforementioned programmes in Religious Studies.

Careers in Religious Studies

As a highly theoretical field of study, Religious Studies encompasses diverse career opportunities in copious employment sectors. The inception of a plethora of courses in this field has lead to the emergence of numerous job prospects and some of the major careers have been given a rundown below.