Program type:

Major
Format:

On Campus
Est. time to complete:

4 years
Credit Hours:

120
Gain a better understanding of global issues, think critically about big questions, and discover the role that religion has played in human development.
The University of North Texas provides the only Religion degree program at a public university in the region. All of the religions examined are treated equally, encouraging open, thought-provoking dialogue among students and faculty members. In addition, you gain a thorough understanding of the beliefs, practices and histories of multiple religious traditions and hone your oral and written communication skills. Our department has a particular strength in non-western religions and comparative religion studies. Scholarships are available to help you pursue your degree.The program's interdisciplinary approach allows you to focus your studies on a particular area of interest. Courses are available in a wide variety of disciplines, including philosophy, English, history, anthropology, sociology, political science and many others.

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Why Earn a Religion Degree?

With a Bachelor of Arts with a major in religion, you will gain a thorough understanding of the beliefs, practices, and histories of multiple religious traditions and hone your oral and written communication skills.

Your course work while pursuing your degree will address:

  • Historical, cultural and conceptual origins and development of world religions
  • How religion is similar to and different from philosophy, literature, sociology and anthropology
  • How to understand religions objectively
  • How to apply knowledge of religions to local and global issues
  • The influence of religions on politics, law, science and the arts

Our faculty members have expertise in religious studies, the philosophy of religion, and religion and ecology. Their research has examined:

  • Ancient Israel and religious history
  • Comparative studies between Eastern and Western religious traditions
  • Jewish philosophy
  • Religion and the environment
  • Religion, culture and film in South Asia
  • Science, technology and religion
Marketable Skills
  • Familiarity with major world religions
  • Multi-cultural/diversity competencies
  • Relate religion to ecology
  • Interpret historical texts
  • Understanding of roles of religions in cultures

Religion Degree Highlights

The department hosts a colloquium series where students can learn from guests speakers covering topics relevant to philosophy and religious studies.
The Career Center, Learning Center and professional academic advisors are among the many valuable resources available to you at UNT. The Career Center can provide advice about internships, future employment opportunities and getting hands-on experience.
Students can earn a certificate in Jewish and Israeli studies or Jain and India Studies to enhance their degree.

What Can You Do With a Religion Degree?

Many companies hire religion majors because they are interested in people who can not only think critically and communicate effectively but also who possess an understanding of global issues and who are capable of seeing the world from the perspectives of others.

This degree equips you for employment in the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Careers can be found in:

  • Business
  • Law
  • Medicine
  • Publishing
  • Social service
  • Teaching

It can also help prepare you for graduate school such as a Master's of Divinity or other professional programs.

Religion Degree Courses You Could Take

Religion and American Society (3 hrs)
Subjects covered include religious pluralism in the United States, religion and civil rights, evolution and creationism, religion and gender, and religious response to cultural change.
Sociology of Religion (3 hrs)
Explores the sociological approach to studying religion in society. Provides an overview of historical and current sociological research on religion. Topics may include the social and structural influences on individuals’ and societies’ religiosity; secularization theory; denominationalism and congregationalism; church-sect theory; religion and race, class and gender; and separation of church and state.
Rabbinic Judaism (3 hrs)
An investigation of the fundamental principles of Jewish law, a system involving the interplay of biblical sources with evolving Rabbinic interpretations and traditions. Focuses on the major figures in the formation of Jewish Law, the core texts, and how it translates its theological insights into a practical working system that is relevant to the worlds of modernity and post-modernity.
Islam and Philosophy (3 hrs)
An examination of the major issues, figures, and texts of Islamic philosophy and theology, such as al-Kindi, al-Razi, al-Farabi, Ibn Sina (Avicenna), al-Ghazali, and Ibn Rushd (Averroes), as well as questions concerning the ultimate nature of the world, proofs of God’s existence, reason and faith, ethics and the afterlife, science and politics, Islam and the modern world.
Eastern Religion and the Environment (3 hrs)
An examination of non-Western religious traditions for an environmental philosophy geared toward assessing global environmental issues with a focus on South Asian and East Asian philosophical and religious traditions.
World Religions (3 hrs)
Philosophical and social dimensions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Humanism. Emphasizes the diversity of religious experience and traditions.

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