The major in Religious Studies is designed to take full advantage of Washburn University’s unique resources as a public municipal institution in a state capital city. Courses will focus on religious traditions and communities from around the world as they are found in the modern United States of America. Introductory courses (RG 101 Introduction to Religion, RG 102 World Religions) include ethnographic components and local site visits. Core courses (culminating in RG 331 Understanding Religion) invite students to reflect on religious studies as an academic discipline and to position themselves within it. The major culminates in a senior thesis in which students use the theories and methods they’ve learned to analyze a particular religious community that they’ve studied in their elective coursework. Ultimately, religion majors develop a toolkit for understanding human beings in light of their ultimate concerns and the particular contexts in which they live.
Religious studies majors go on to find success in a number of pursuits after graduation. Some go on to graduate studies in religion, which can lead to a Ph.D. and a career in academia. Some go to seminary and seek ordination within their own religious communities. Most, however, go on to graduate study in other areas or find work in business, government, or the non-profit/NGO world. Because religion is pervasive in human experience, studying it provides a foundation for engaging people within any sphere of life.
