Career Planning

Philosophy and Religious Studies - Career Planning

Career Overview for the Religious Studies Major

A degree in Religious Studies prepares you to be an engaged leader in a religiously diverse world. As a Religious Studies major, you will cultivate knowledge and skills highly valued by employers. You will learn to engage empathetically with other cultures, make arguments based on evidence, and communicate your ideas effectively both in speech and in writing. You will learn to apply your learning to real-world issues, work with teams of people toward common goals, and articulate your skills and knowledge in terms of career competencies valued employers. By the time you graduate with a degree in Religious Studies, you’ll be well-equipped to take your place as an engaged citizen of the world!

Internship & Career Exploration

What Can I do with this Major?

Seriously, though. What can’t you do with a Religious Studies major? Religious Studies majors go on to careers in social work, nonprofit management, law, medicine, communications, business, library science, international relations, and of course a wide variety of leadership positions in religious and religiously-affiliated organizations, among many other career paths.

For more information, visit the "What Can I Do with This Major" website by clicking the image above.

Recent Religious Studies Internships

Employment & Graduate School

Graduate School Placements of Recent Graduates

Philosophy

  • PhD., University of Houston
  • PhD., Vanderbilt
  • MA, New School for Social Research
  • MA, University of Arkansas
  • PhD., University of Tennessee
  • MA, Kent State University
  • PhD., University of Arkansas
  • PhD. program at the University of Pennsylvania
  • PhD., program at Stanford
  • PhD., Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology at Washington University, St. Louis
  • MA, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
  • PhD., University of Reading (UK)
  • PhD., program at Baylor
  • MA., University of Memphis
  • PhD., University of Miami
  • PhD., Texas A&M
  • PhD., Washington University, St. Louis

    Law
  •  JD/PhD., Law and Government at the University of Texas, Austin
  • JD, Washington University, St. Louis
  • JD, University of Oklahoma
  • JD, University of Illinois

    Business 
  • MBA, University of Denver

     
    Medicine and Public Health
  • MD, Tufts University School of Medicine
  • MPH, University of Pennsylvania
  • MD, Johns Hopkins University

PharmD, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Religious Studies

  • MA, University of Florida
  • PhD., Boston University

Social Work

  • MSW, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
  • MSW, Washington University (St. Louis)

Theological Studies

  • MDiv, Boston University Divinity School
  • MDiv, Candler School of Theology (Emory University)
  • MDiv, Claremont School of Theology
  • MDiv, Duke University Divinity School
  • MDiv, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary
  • MDiv, Louisville Presbyterian Seminary
  • MDiv, George W. Truett Theological Seminary (Baylor University)

Occupations of Recent Graduates

  • Associate Pastor, St. Paul United Methodist Church (Houston, TX)
  • Associate Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church (Louisville, KY)
  • Case Manager, Our House (Little Rock, AR)
  • Chaplain, U.S. Marine Corps
  • Creative Media Pastor, Cavanaugh Free Baptist Church (Fort Smith, AR)
  • Director of Food Justice, First Congregational United Church of Christ (Memphis, TN)
  • Editorial Assistant (Fayetteville, AR)
  • Language Instructor, Japanese Exchange and Teaching Program (Ehime, Japan)
  • Minister for Spiritual Formation, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church (Austin, TX)
  • Program Director, Camp Magruder (Rockaway Beach, OR)
  • Programs Coordinator, Near North Montessori School (Chicago, IL)
  • Public Relations Manager, Veritas Group (St. Louis, MO)
  • Public School Teacher, Santa Fe Public Schools (Santa Fe, NM)
  • Publishing Manager, Taylor & Francis (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Recruiting and Logistics Coordinator, Ozark Mission Project (Little Rock, AR)
  • Resident Physician, University of Vermont Medical Center (Burlington, VT)
  • Website and Analytics Specialist, Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church (Little Rock, AR)
  • Young Adult Volunteer, Presbyterian Church (USA) Young Adult Volunteers (Santa Fe, NM)

Alumni Highlights

Wendy Anderson ’93, former Deputy Chief of Staff to the Secretary of Defense

Karyn Kuan’13, Associate Pastor for Worship and Faith, St. Paul UMC, Houston, TX

Annie Vogt ’15, Resident Physician University of Vermont Medical Center, Burlington, VT

Daniel Williams ’12 Minister for Spiritual Formation, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Austin, TX