Understanding the power of religion in human history and culture. Comparing religions to appreciate both their similarities and differences. Arriving at an intelligent, compassionate spirituality of your own. These are just a few of the themes we explore in the religious studies degree program.
In this major, you will join a community of scholars passionate about the connections between the academic study of religion and what it means to engage the challenges and opportunities of living in the 21st century. Our approach is interdisciplinary by nature and in practice, setting the stage for you to draw on the perspectives of history, literature, and philosophy, health care and business management, theology, natural and social sciences, and the fine arts, to name a few.
You will pursue questions of meaning and purpose asked by humanity across every culture and each time period as you discover the common themes of religions and make sense of their enlivening differences. And as part of this intellectually challenging journey, you may find yourself participating with students from multiple religious traditions in national leadership programs.
As our students and alumni can attest, there is no limit to the ways in which the academic study of religion can significantly contribute to your professional life—from education and physical therapy to business and law to public administration and pastoral ministry, among many others.
Learn about degrees. See student, faculty, and alumni experiences:
Religious studies and music double major; minors in interfaith studies and music history
"The degree blessed me with amazing mentors and an opportunity to dive deeper into my passion for learning more about religion and spirituality in our world — while also being able to continue studying music. I especially carry with me all I've learned from my time spent studying religions at Naz as I continue with my theological education both academically and experientially."
Ceara Curry Kilpatrick went on to pursue a Master of Divinity degree with Boston College School of Theology and Ministry and serves as a Spiritual Care Department chaplain intern at Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, N.Y. "With religious studies and interfaith studies in my toolkit, I feel that I bring more empathy, love, understanding and appreciation to every person I encounter at the hospital, no matter their spiritual or cultural background."