"What were humans doing in 60,000 BCE?"
Outside of human and Neanderthalic migration across the globe, that’s also when archaeological evidence suggests religious practices began.
From ancient Mesopotamia to modern-day America, sacred beliefs, rituals and stories have influenced cultural values, social structures, laws, ethics, art and life's meaning — profoundly shaping the development of our modern world.
Since religion remains deeply woven into the human experience, how do we accurately capture its influence? What can we learn from it?
One option is religious studies — a field that lets you explore societies worldwide by analyzing religious traditions, texts, behaviors and institutions. Scholars in this field illuminate humanity's cultural roots and aid in cross-cultural understanding.
If investigating religion's historical and cultural applications sparks your curiosity, consider a master's in religious studies and explore what the field offers.
What is religious studies?
Religious studies uses tools from many disciplines to examine religious phenomena across cultures and areas:
- History
- Anthropology
- Sociology
- Psychology
- Philosophy
- Religion
Unlike theology's faith-based approach, religious studies take an academic, non-theological stance.
Why do people pursue graduate programs in religious studies?
A religious studies degree leads to fulfilling careers:
Education: As a teacher or professor, you can inspire students to grapple with profound questions and develop cross-cultural understanding. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for all teachers and instructors was $66,450 in 2022. With a master’s in religious studies, salaries often reach higher.
Social Services: Social workers, counselors and community organizations interact with diverse populations daily. Religious studies equips you to better support people from all religious and cultural backgrounds. Social workers earned a $64,360 mean annual wage in 2022.
Chaplaincy and Ministries: Chaplains provide spiritual care and counseling in settings like hospitals, hospices, prisons, universities and the military. Some pursue careers as pastors, priests, ministers or faith leaders within a tradition. Their training helps minister to different faiths, guiding vulnerable communities who need support, direction and care. Clergy, including chaplains, earned a $60,180 mean annual wage in 2022.
While there are more common career paths for religious studies graduates, they’re not the only options. When graduates earn their religious studies degree, they also earn the opportunity for a highly customizable career.
Other potential career paths include:
- Nonprofits
- Museums
- International aid
- Government services
- Global development where religious literacy proves invaluable.
The History of Religion Helps Us Examine (And Support) Our Modern Environment
Studying religion lets you trace humanity's spiritual sensibilities to ancient origins.
As early civilizations emerged, polytheistic belief systems proliferated with pantheons of gods and sacred narratives. Later, influential faiths like Judaism, Christianity and Islam synthesized these into unified monotheistic traditions.
Major religions like Christianity, Islam and Buddhism then spread across continents, driven by missionary efforts, trade, cultural exchange, conquest and empire-building — absorbing local folk traditions through religious syncretism.
Learning this specific kind of history ultimately helps us gather insight and apply its effects to modern economics, social norms, policy and behaviors.
In simplest terms: If we know what’s happened throughout the history of religion and why, we can better understand the next steps as we strengthen and support spiritual communities across the globe.
Religious Studies is Personally Fulfilling
For many religious studies scholars, the joy of their work stems from the personal development it cultivates.
You'll explore how religious communities worship, shape moral norms and help individuals grapple with life's deepest questions, expanding their horizons.
Religious studies provide a unique lens for making sense of our world; it's central to creating world citizens.
What do you learn in a master's of religious studies degree program?
Religious studies cultivates critical thinking, cross-cultural competency and ethical insight — elevating professional impact across occupations: educating, serving others or leading communities to make a profound difference.
In a typical master's program, you'll examine a variety of theories and their applications:
- Connections between religious traditions and surrounding societies/cultures over time.
- How religions aim to bring order, meaning and moral guidance through scriptures, stories, rituals and values.
- Interplays between religion, politics, economics and other power/human activity spheres.
- Intersections between religious doctrine and gender norms, sexuality and family structures.
The most valuable programs in the religious studies field will sharpen cognitive prowess, build applicable knowledge and draw from a highly interdisciplinary set of tools to help you forge a customized, personally fulfilling career path.
Master's of Religious Studies at MSMU: Develop Crucial Skills for Your Future
Whether serving others, educating minds or leading communities, religious studies fuels profound intellectual and personal growth. It equips you with invaluable tools for navigating our multicultural, globalized world wisely and compassionately.
Mount St. Mary's University's Master's in Religious Studies offers distinct advantages:
Unique intellectual lens: The program proudly embraces the Catholic tradition while uniquely offering an interreligious concentration in The Study of Religions — the only one of its kind in the state of California.
Vibrant Campus: Based in the heart of Los Angeles, MSMU offers two concentrations — Theology and The Study of Religions, which can be completed in 2-3 years.
Real-World Perspective: As articulated through the principles of the Mount’s founding Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, we recognize religious studies transcends academics, effecting positive change. You'll gain a deeper appreciation for religion's practical dimensions.
Take the next step toward unlocking insight — and a rewarding career — from the world's religious traditions. Our new resource, Understanding the History of Belief: The Value of a Master’s in Religious Studies, can help you understand the nuances of the field and how to turn it into a career you love.
