Bachelor in Religious Studies
Middle Tennessee State University
Key Information
Campus location
Murfreesboro, USA
Languages
English
Study format
On-Campus
Duration
4 years
Pace
Full time
Tuition fees
USD 1,178 / per credit *
Application deadline
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Earliest start date
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* in-state tuition per credit hour: $385 | out-of-state tuition per credit hour: $1,178
Scholarships
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Introduction
MTSU’s new Religious Studies major is the first for a public university in middle Tennessee. The academic study of religion contributes to the wider study of global cultures and international affairs, as well as personal and collective identities. Coursework in Religious Studies prepares students for occupations in a variety of fields, including education, research, religious ministry, counseling, human resources, and marketing. In addition to developing critical thinking skills, religious literacy helps prepare students to succeed in an increasingly diverse and multicultural society and workforce, from jobs as wide-ranging as an international business leader to an elementary school teacher. MTSU classes include such activities as experiential learning, fieldwork and ethnographic projects, scholarly research, production of short documentary films, independent foreign study, and language training.
Admissions
Curriculum
Students majoring in Religious Studies at MTSU have the option of pursuing the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree, which requires proficiency in a foreign language, or the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.
As a descriptive, interpretive, comparative, and historical field, Religious Studies coursework helps prepare students to become well-informed, independent, and creative thinkers equipped with the methods and theories necessary to study religious phenomena in a systematic way, synthesize findings, and analyze critically what one finds.
The Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies also offers a B.A. and B.S. in Philosophy, while minors are available in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Additionally, the department contributes to 17 academic minors.
Program Tuition Fee
Career Opportunities
A Religious Studies major provides students with an invaluable foundation for a wide range of careers in which reading, writing, understanding, and analysis are essential. A bachelor’s degree in Religious Studies also prepares students exceptionally well for graduate programs, according to a 2015 report from the American Academy of Religion. Over 75% of Religious Studies graduates surveyed nationwide had pursued graduate work in fields such as religion and theology, psychology, law, history, philosophy, anthropology, and sociology. The survey also found majors were primarily employed in these areas:
- Religious organizations (20.3%)
- College faculty and administration (13.3%)
- K–12 education (9.6%)
- Nonprofit or community organizations (8.7%)
- Business and finance (8.0%)
- Law (5.9%)
- Medicine and nursing (5.2%)
- Counseling and mental health (4.4%)
- Information systems and technology (4.4%)
- Government and public administration (3.8%)
English Language Requirements
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