Religious Studies
About Religious Studies
Our Program and Courses
Religious studies is a major and a minor at F&M. Through a blended lens of humanities and social sciences, you will engage in unbiased studies and analyses of a variety of religious traditions embedded in myth, ritual, art, ethics, doctrine, philosophy, and literature. Most of all, you will explore what it means to be human by investigating the limits of human beings, their audacious explanations of the immaterial and transcendental, the extremity of their practices and beliefs, the ordinary ways in which they confront violence and suffering, and much more.
By the time you graduate, you will be able to demonstrate:
- Familiarity with a wide range of the major religious traditions through use of primary sources.
- The ability to approach objects, activities, and people from an unbiased, critical perspective.
- A fluency in the basic theories of religion and a complex understanding of its historical contexts.
- Familiarity with social scientific methodologies for the study and analysis of religion as a living and evolving practice.
- The ability to use your understanding of religion and religious belief systems to analyze current national and international events.
Curious what a course in religious studies is like? Explore our course catalog to see the depth and breadth available to you.
Learning Outside the Classroom
We value individualized, independent study, and offer many opportunities for exploring the topics that intrigue you both on campus and around the world. With our many research and study-abroad opportunities, you can step outside the structure of the classroom and embark on your own explorations in religious studies.
Research Opportunities
Every student at F&M has extraordinary opportunities to engage in independent or faculty-led
research. Recent students have studied specific Native American traditions, Hindu mythology,
spiritual healing, 20th-century women mystics, and modern commentaries on the Book
of Job.
Explore research at F&M
Off-Campus Study
We offer many opportunities for you to explore topics that pique your interest both
on campus and in locations around the world. We also offer students the option of
taking a religious course at Lancaster Theological Seminary, a college for aspiring
theologians and religious practitioners located just across the street from F&M’s
campus. Additionally, many students choose to study abroad. Previous students have
visited Japan, Israel, India, Nepal, South Africa, Tibet, Morocco, Scotland, and the
United Kingdom.
Explore off-campus study at F&M
Success Beyond F&M
The intellectual and analytical activities that make up the work of religious studies — including social research, data gathering, collaborating with others, and critical thought — help you develop useful and productive skills, which are highly valuable for any post-college plan.
Graduate School
The religious studies department has an excellent record of preparing students for a broad range of careers and elite graduate programs, including those at Harvard, Yale, the University of Chicago, and University of California, Santa Barbara.
Career Paths
Religious studies graduates enjoy a vast array of careers, including in the nonprofit sector, business, medicine, government, and education. They hold positions such as:
- Attorney
- Clergy
- Copywriter
- Director of Student Success
- Librarian
- Minister
- Pastor
- Pediatrician
- Physician
- Professor
- Psychotherapist
- Rabbi
- Teacher
Impermanence: Losang Samten
Video by Andrew Bilindabagabo
Student Spotlight
“The moment you attain the title of ‘Diplomat,’ F&M becomes a family to you.”
Faisal Niazi ’27, an intended religious studies and biology double major, said he chose to attend F&M because the College provided him with a sense of belonging. “The College has really good faculty-to-student connections, and it is filled with excellent mentors for students who are going into a profession after college,” he said. “The moment you attain the title of ‘Diplomat,’ F&M becomes a family to you and everyone supports you as much as they can. It’s as though you are a blood-related family member.”Read More »
Student Spotlight
“F&M encourages students to become global citizens.”
Fatimata Ly ’25, a religious studies minor, said she chose F&M because of its proximity to home and the prospect of being a Diplomat on and off campus. “F&M encourages students to become global citizens by broadening their perspectives through interactions with people from around the world,” she said. “F&M's commitment to off-campus study prompted me to study abroad during the spring semester of my junior year. I had the privilege of studying in Tunisia and Italy, which deepened my interest in international affairs.”Read More »
Alumni Spotlight
“I am able to study everything under one branch: religious studies, literature, texts, anthropology, sociology.”
Initially drawn to F&M for its international study programs, Ashley Guernsey '22 was quickly captivated by the College's liberal arts approach to religious studies. "I like the way they study different religions from an interdisciplinary lens. I am able to study everything under one branch: religious studies, literature, texts, anthropology, sociology."Read More »
Related Fields of Study
History of Art and Architecture
What does art of the past tell us about the transformation of visual and material experience over time? By studying History of Art and Architecture at F&M, you’ll actively engage with this living dimension of the past through its artifacts, images, architecture, and relevant texts.
Classics
Immerse yourself in a rich artistic and intellectual tradition. By studying Classics at F&M, you’ll gain a deep understanding of the ancient Mediterranean while building an appreciation of its lasting legacies, empowering you to become a productive and thoughtful citizen in today’s rapidly changing world.
Philosophy
Learn to think clearly and creatively about the big questions: the nature of meaning, morality, justice, art, the mind, knowledge, language, and reality. By studying philosophy at F&M, you’ll search for understanding while discovering how to value the reason for an answer as much as the answer itself.
A Glimpse at F&M Religious Studies
November 18, 2024
F&M Professor Joins Elite Company of Scholars
A Franklin & Marshall College religious studies professor has taken a fellowship at a prestigious scholarly center where some of the 20th century’s intellectual titans have studied.
November 13, 2024
Sophomore Explores Emergency Medicine
Faisal Niazi ’27, an aspiring surgeon, spent his summer learning to be an EMT with Harrisburg Area Community College and Penn Medicine/Lancaster General Health.
September 5, 2024
A Summer in D.C: Senior Eyes Career in Foreign Service
Senior Fatimata Ly spent six weeks in the nation’s capital as part of the Charles B. Rangel International Affairs Summer Enrichment Program. “As an aspiring U.S. foreign service officer, this program offers an excellent opportunity to gain relevant experience and education in the field,” Ly said.