Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies
Program Overview & Goals
Students in the Religious Studies major at Hendrix College explore the beliefs, practices, texts, histories, and cultural expressions of religious traditions across the world. They engage in interdisciplinary study and critical inquiry, to examine how religion shapes individuals, societies, ethics, politics, and cultural life. Through engagement with diverse traditions and perspectives, students foster an understanding of religion’s role in historical and contemporary contexts.
Via Hendrix
Whether your goals include engaging in meaningful work in community or faith-based organizations, undertaking a career in public service, education, or business, or pursuing further theological, graduate, or professional studies, you can get there Via Hendrix.
At Hendrix, learning extends beyond the classroom from the very beginning.
Via Hendrix integrates career readiness into the college experience through hands-on projects, immersive opportunities, and personalized support that help students explore interests, gain experience, and prepare for meaningful futures. The result is an education that equips you not only for a career, but for a life shaped by purpose and possibility.
Careers & Outcomes
Religious studies majors cultivate a broad array of skills essential to many professions, including textual interpretation, critical analysis, ethical reflection, intercultural fluency, and the ability to engage constructively in dialogue, enabling them to provide leadership in diverse professional environments.
Salary Projections
The median salary for a secondary educator is $72,040, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Top Industries
- Higher and Secondary Education
- Law and Public Service
- Government and International Affairs
- Business, Non-profit and Social Services
- Media, Publishing, and Communications
- Medicine, Health, and Caregiving Professions
- Religious Leadership/Clergy/Chaplaincy
Career Options
A degree in Religious Studies prepares students to be engaged leaders in a religiously diverse world. Hendrix Religious Studies alumni work in a variety of interesting, fulfilling careers, including:
- Educator
- Attorney, Advocate, or Counselor
- Diplomat or Foreign Service Officer
- Non-profit or Social Service Executive
- Journalist, Author, or Content Creator
- Human Resources or Communications Specialist
- Healthcare Provider or Physician
- Religious Leader, Clergy, or Chaplain
Co-op Opportunities
Experience separates good job candidates from great ones. At Hendrix, Religious Studies students engage in meaningful experiential learning through internships, community partnerships, and applied work in diverse settings. Through this required component of the major, students have worked at places including:
- Faith-Based Nonprofit Organizations
- Hospitals and Chaplaincy Programs
- Museums and Cultural Heritage Institutions
- Interfaith and Community Outreach Organizations
Roadmap to the Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies
Every Religious Studies major and minor takes foundational courses in world religions, sacred texts, and ethical traditions. Through experiential learning opportunities, students develop critical thinking, cultural understanding, and analytical skills while exploring the beliefs, practices, and social forces that shape human life across diverse communities and traditions.
Year One
Our First-Year Experience gives you the freedom to discover what you care about most and find a path to get there. Your coursework in Religious Studies this year will build a foundation of religious literacy across familiar and unfamiliar traditions, and introduce you to constructive ways of approaching the academic study of religion. You also gain experience interpreting texts, examining diverse worldviews, and engaging thoughtfully with complex questions about religion, culture, and society.
Year Two
In your second year, you will have a stronger vision of what your academic experience and career planning look like. Your integrated advising team of faculty, career counselors, and mentors will ensure that the things you study align with your future goals while still providing room to explore, as your Religious Studies coursework opens up new ways of thinking about the field and methods for studying it.
Year Three
Your third year includes a required full-time co-op. For one semester, you earn credit while applying knowledge from your coursework in a professional setting.
Year Four
Your last year is not the finish line. Bring together years of research and reflection in a senior project, working alongside faculty mentors and a close cohort of peers. You will graduate ready to pursue what comes next and engage thoughtfully with an increasingly interconnected world.
Meeting the Faculty
Every Religious studies faculty member brings deep expertise in the study of different dimensions of the field, with a commitment to thoughtful engagement with the sacred texts, cultural traditions, histories, and values of religion and spirituality in its many forms. Just as importantly, they are dedicated to you. They work closely with you as teachers, mentors, and advisors, supporting your intellectual growth and guiding you toward meaningful careers, graduate study, and lives of purpose and understanding.
- Dr. William Gorvine
- Dr. Christopher Valencia
Related Programs
Via Hendrix, you can explore the beliefs and traditions that shape cultures around the world, learn to analyze religious texts and practices, or even design your own academic path focused on meaning, ethics, and human understanding.
Your Next Steps Via Hendrix
Every field is shaped by human meaning and culture. Learn how much insight and real-world value a Religious Studies major or minor from Hendrix College can deliver for you while preparing you to think critically about ethics, traditions, and human understanding.