Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
Contrary to popular belief, most religious studies departments study religion from a completely objective perspective, as opposed to theology, which centers more on personal faith. Believe it or not, studying religion can help you understand the behavior of many people, and that is a super helpful to certain employers. As with most college majors, you'll pick up some sweet critical thinking and writing skills, which are incredibly valuable in the job market.
The story is the same for most humanities degrees. You're probably not going to get paid to be a linguist, philosopher, or Russian literature scholar. Unfortunately, not many people get paid to just ponder, but what's great about humanities majors is that they leave you with great critical thinking, analytical, and deduction skills, and you become all-around very well-rounded.
What job you actually end up getting might depend on your personal interests or hobbies, so if you're totally cool with your infinite knowledge of Confucian philosophy being just that—knowledge—then consider us the bearers of good news.
Common Career Fields
CIA Agent. There's pretty much nobody cooler than Jason Bourne, although James Bond could certainly give him a gun-chased run for his money. We'll be real, though—a CIA job may not be as glamorous as you see painted on the silver screen. In fact, a large part of an officer's job is to recruit such agents so they can act as informants and collect much-needed information. Being knowledgeable about people's religions and cultures certainly helps when you're in a foreign country trying to get people to work for the U.S. government (and being cool doesn't hurt).
Counselor. A counselor often serves as the initial, and ongoing, point of contact for a client who needs support services. Rehabilitation counselors coordinate the efforts of psychologists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech therapists, among others. Specifically, rehab counselors work with client groups such as the elderly and people with physical and mental disabilities. Religious Studies majors are usually pretty open-minded and compassionate, both of which are requirements for counselors.
Diplomat. Exotic locales. Formal dinners. Meeting heads of state. Luxurious accommodations. A wealth of stories to tell at cocktail parties. No, you're not suddenly Bruce Wayne. All of these things can be yours (and more) if you become a diplomat. Diplomats represent their country and its interests to other countries, and you can bet your bobblehead that the religious studies major leaves you extremely qualified.
Journalist. We know what you must be thinking. "Religion and the media? Isn't that a…questionable combination?" We're aware that religion is somewhat of a taboo subject at the dinner table, but trust us, as a religious studies major, you'll learn how to respectfully discuss religion. Journalists gotta be curious, knowledgeable, good communicators, and have a functioning moral compass. Now, if you paired your religious studies degree with an English or journalism degree, you'd be the next Lois Lane.
Religious Leader. So a pastor, a priest, and a rabbi walk into a bar…and they were all religious studies majors. That's right, Shmoopers—turns out, religious studies majors can (and do) go into the clergy. Depending on which religion might bring you to your knees, you'll probably need to be patient, perseverant, an effective orator, and a good people person, but it does help to know a thing or two about how faith and humans interact. Pair this with a theology degree, and you're set.
Social Worker. Social workers counsel people through tough life situations. They're like Gandalf except, you know, more reliable. Social workers who particularly have a religious studies background tend to have a deep understanding of how humans and religion interact, and can suggest faith as a coping mechanism. For example, someone suffering with anger issues might benefit from the meditative lifestyle of Buddhism. Social workers also need to be understanding and sensitive towards their clients, who may already be religious. After all, no one likes being told they're doing it wrong.
Theologian. (A Master's is required.) Theologians are deep thinkers that study all of the most important life questions that are brought up in religion. In fact, they go even further and study religious history and context, as well as the concept of god and nature and how these interact within different religions. After college, they get to showcase their linguistic prowess at a school of divinity or a seminary by reading manuscripts about creation narratives, the existence of god, and philosophy. You can probably say they're mega-pro religion experts. Sounds pretty divine, if you ask us.
Current unemployment of the major
4%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
53%Stats obtained from this source.