For thousands of years, religious belief and practice have played an essential role in creating and challenging societal norms and personal identities. Inherently interdisciplinary, the study of religion straddles and intersects with numerous branches of the humanities and social sciences. The Religious Studies Department offers historically grounded courses in several major religious traditions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism, the religions of China and Japan, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. The Department also offers thematic courses, and courses that focus on the close study of fundamental religious texts, such as the biblical corpus; the formation and histories of religiously defined communities; and the interactions among religion and other historical and cultural phenomena. 

The Religious Studies Department’s courses employ a range of approaches and methods for the study of religion and religious cultures, including historical, literary, social, comparative, and cultural studies, race and gender-based theoretical perspectives, as well as moral and metaphysical reflection. The intellectual breadth and depth of Religious Studies has helped to prepare our graduates for many careers including business, law, medicine, public service, journalism and teaching.