Why Study Religion at the College of Charleston
Focusing the Lens of Religion on Ourselves, Our Community and the World
Our rigorous religious studies program promotes a global understanding of the past that is relevant to the world today.
Study here and you'll get to know our faculty. Your professors bring creative, student-centered pedagogy into and beyond the classroom. They're dedicated to advanced scholarship. As a student, you'll have the opportunity to connect with your professors. You'll develop deep, professional relationships and mentorships that last beyond graduation.
Our majors and minors conduct award-winning undergraduate research projects. They also have high placement rates in leading graduate schools, non-profits and pursue a wide range of careers.
Our courses explore many different religions through a variety of dimensions and themes. You'll study ritual, myth, symbol, mystical experience, gender, ethnicity and identity. You'll also consider the role played by political, economic and social factors in the development of religions in their global context.
Religious studies provides you with context to engage in a holistic and sustained examination of human belief, behavior, history, diversity and ingenuity. It's one of the hallmarks of liberal arts and sciences education.
Location
As the Holy City, Charleston is the perfect location to study religion. There are so many places within walking distance from campus that are important points of interest. In fact, the Department of Religious Studies has a prime location. It's located next door to the Jewish Studies Center and across the street from Grace Episcopal Church and Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal.
Home to more than 400 churches, Charleston is the best place to be if you're interested in fieldwork or ethnography. Your courses include field trips to local places of worship, or you can set up a time to visit on your own.
The pioneering scholar of religion, Ninian Smart, often remarked that it is no longer necessary to travel to exotic locations to study world religions; they are now down the block. Nowhere is this phenomenon truer than in Charleston. Link back to the interest page in student opportunities with places of interest.
