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Job outlook for religious studies professors in the United States
Are religious studies professor jobs in demand?
Religious studies professor job and salary trends over time
Religious studies professor jobs over time
Religious studies professor job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2,327 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 2,564 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 2,728 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 2,535 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 2,535 | 0.00% |
Average religious studies professor salary over time
Religious studies professor salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $85,735 | $41.22 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $83,810 | $40.29 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $80,950 | $38.92 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $78,547 | $37.76 | --1.1% |
| 2022 | $79,406 | $38.18 | +1.0% |
Religious studies professor jobs by state
Most common states for religious studies professors
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 82 | 12% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 53 | 8% |
| 3 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 102 | 6% |
| 4 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 397 | 5% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 303 | 5% |
| 6 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 220 | 5% |
| 7 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 89 | 5% |
| 8 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 46 | 5% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 35 | 5% |
| 10 | New York | 19,849,399 | 798 | 4% |
| 11 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 138 | 4% |
| 12 | Mississippi | 2,984,100 | 118 | 4% |
| 13 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 39 | 4% |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 429 | 3% |
| 15 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 266 | 3% |
| 16 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 173 | 3% |
| 17 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 153 | 3% |
| 18 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 141 | 3% |
| 19 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 106 | 3% |
| 20 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 41 | 3% |
Most common cities for religious studies professors
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Coral Gables | 1 | 2% | $69,487 |
| 2 | San Jose | 1 | 0% | $121,938 |
Religious Studies Professor job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of religious studies professor experts
Ohio State University
Elon University
North Carolina State University
Hope College
Drake University
Xavier University
Bethel University
Case Western Reserve University
Swarthmore College
Azusa Pacific University
Winebrenner Theological Seminary
Mercer University
Oakland University, Rochester MI
Wesley Theological Seminary
Loyola University Chicago
Texas Woman's University
University of Wyoming
University of Mississippi
Professor Isaac Weiner
DirectorOhio State University
Religion/Religious Studies
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Professor Isaac Weiner: I have two weeks before the article is due :)
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Professor Isaac Weiner: Thanks for your inquiry. I actually don't have much information about job opportunities or workplace status for religion grads.
What will help Religious Studies Professors increase their earning potential?
Professor Isaac Weiner: Let me point you to Professor Isaac Weiner, who is the director of the Center for the Study of Religion at Ohio State. You can contact Professor Weiner at weiner.141@osu.edu.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: The best advice I would have for recent graduates is to be optimistic about job opportunities. By having an open- minded outlook, there are numerous careers that are well- suited for the knowledge and training they bring. Graduates should be confident about their exposure to contemporary global settings. Their educational background makes them particularly attractive to employers for positions in the government sector at local, state, federal, and international levels. Any job in which people of diverse racial, ethnic, sociocultural, religious, and political backgrounds come together benefit from religious majors in positions of leadership. This is due to the political and economic disputes among nations today that are often deeply affected by underlying religious conflict. Religious majors have been trained to deal specifically with these kinds of challenges. Through studies in comparative religion, they understand significant differences among major world religions, like Christianity and Islam, as well as smaller religious groups like Jainists or Daoists. They also have understanding regarding sects and cults, some of which may be militant or incendiary in certain settings. Therefore, the special skills that these individuals bring should make them confident and motivated when seeking and entering new employment. What they have to offer is extremely important.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: In the next five- ten years, Islam will continue to grow numerically and in the next twenty years, the number of Muslims will almost equal the number of Christians globally. This is just an indication of the need for leaders to have greater abilities to communicate in a religiously pluralistic world. Religious studies majors develop critical thinking skills during their education. These skills allow them to be efficient in problem solving, crisis resolution, and conflict mediation. This makes them highly sought after leaders in an increasingly diverse and pluralistic global context in which various religious systems and faith practices intersect with political, economic, and cultural structures. Religious studies graduates are today entering careers like teaching, government diplomacy, political action committee fundraising and lobbying, media consultation, grass- roots organizing, social work, not- for profit centers, counseling, ministry, and law- enforcement because of these complex skills and training that make them indispensable in positions that require emotional intelligence, negotiation skills, and analytical abilities.
What will help Religious Studies Professors increase their earning potential?
Rev. Tamara Lewis PhD: Religious studies majors often complement their training with other study fields. Many join their religious education to studies in fields like medicine, law, business, nursing, and teaching. Thus they maximize their salary potential by increasing their education, skills, and training in interlocking areas that allow them to develop highly specialized training and education, making them attractive to employers. Also, these individuals make the best of their unique skills by forming their own businesses, firms, and networks in which they offer their services to the public or special clientele. The goal is to develop multiple sources of income through utilizing what they have to offer, which satisfies needs in the market.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: Students who major in many liberal arts disciplines are gaining enduring intellectual skills that enable them to function as nimble actors in the working world. As such, Religious Studies majors, like many liberal arts majors aren’t preparing for work in “a” professional field, they are preparing to be agile workers, managers, leaders, and thinkers who can move into any numbers of professional fields. The skills that are necessary in the workplace in the next 3-5 years include increased awareness and understanding of racial, cultural, and ethnic differences and diversity, including knowledge of the role and complexity of religion in the world.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: The primary skills that Religious Studies majors acquire in their undergraduate programs are research skills, critical thinking, critical reading, crafting arguments, and engaging in logic and reason all skills that are imminently transferable to any job on the market. Remember to highlight and discuss how you can use these skills in job that you apply for. And, of course, understanding the role and complexity of religion in a diverse world in an incalculable skill in a diverse work environment and can be an advantage in many fields.
What will help Religious Studies Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Rebecca Peters Ph.D.: It is important to highlight the skills and experience you have and to have some knowledge of comparable starting salaries in comparable positions. If your knowledge and/or skills are higher than others in comparable positions, you should negotiate for a higher starting salary.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: Jobs are few for people with Ph. D.'s in religious studies. Those who do have jobs often teach large sections of introductory courses.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: Religion is a highly topical subject. The study of religion is a good asset for anyone working in fields where appreciation of diversity and religious differences are valued.
What will help Religious Studies Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Melissa Conroy: A religious studies teacher prepares lectures and research on current issues in world religions.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Dr. Wayne Brouwer: Be open to all career possibilities, recognizing that your Religion Major or Minor is a way of viewing life, and not necessarily a career in and of itself. You have gained perspective that allows you to function more fully and personally and profoundly in many different "jobs" because you understand better the values and worldview groundings that create "norms" and "rules" in any culture or business system or corporation or social entity.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Wayne Brouwer: I'm not into "maximizing salary potential."
What will help Religious Studies Professors increase their earning potential?
Dr. Wayne Brouwer: The study of "religion" or "religions" or "faith systems" or "faith perspectives" or "beliefs" or "faith practices" is that of becoming more and more aware of the worldviews that sustain our daily existences, and the practices that give evidence and structure to our beliefs. We are all religious people, because we all assume and presume certain fundamental values or ideas that cannot be proven or disproven: the origin of reality, the nature of power and powers, whether powers have intelligence and personhood (God, gods, angels, demons, etc.), whether we are complete free creatures or if there are boundaries of fate or chance or predestination or horoscope definitions. If we argue with others on the basis that we are "right" and they are "wrong," we create a world of animosity and conflict. But if we approach one another with respect for our different perceptions and worldview assumptions (i.e., religious faiths), we can talk meaningfully about the things that truly matter, even while respecting one another for our different ideologies.
What skills stand out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
Tim Knepper: -Job aspirants for professorial positions in religious studies (at the university level) need to continue to understand that "fit" is the number one criterion, at least at my university. If the job is in, e.g., South East Asian religions, then we just won't consider applications for which that is not the area of specialization (and probably also get irritated in the process of determining this).
-Beyond this, we look at teaching experience; perceived ability to teach dynamic, innovative, student-centered classes (for undergrads); understanding of "what we are" (as a university and department); likelihood of "wanting to be" where we are (geographically); and a certain "Je ne sai quoi."
What soft skills should all Religious Studies Professors possess?
Tim Knepper: I guess I really don't know this distinction, but I would guess that our relevant "soft skills" include everything under the second bullet-point above-most of all, pedagogical innovativeness, reflexiveness, and conscientiousness.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Religious Studies Professors?
Tim Knepper: If "hard" means "technical," then perhaps the answer is "none." But if it includes an area of specialization, then see the first bullet-point under #1 above.
What skills will help Religious Studies Professors earn the most?
Tim Knepper: For my university, this question simply makes no sense. You get paid what the university pays someone in a starting tenure-track, visiting, or adjunct position.
Mich Nyawalo
Associate Professor of Critical Ethnic, Black Race StudiesXavier University
Gender and Diversity Studies Program
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Mich Nyawalo: The pandemic has certainly revealed the precarity of many service sector jobs, such as those working in the restaurant or tourist industries. Furthermore, COVID-19 has also both revealed and exacerbated pre-existing structures of inequity that include the symbiotic relationships among people's access to healthcare, social class disparities, and systemic racism. There is a growing need and urgency for people who are equipped with the training and critical skills to not only understand the complex history from which our current moment of crisis stems but are also able to effectively navigate these realities as people working either in the for-profit or non-profit sectors of the economy. Employers will be looking for employees who can effectively adapt to our new realities by virtue of their ability to historically and culturally understand it, as well as envision sustainable strategies for success based on this knowledge. In a world that is increasingly multicultural and globally interconnected, the skills acquired by our majors make them particularly appealing as employers look for people who can effectively serve a diverse population.
What skills stand out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
Mich Nyawalo: One of the latest surveys conducted by the Association of American Colleges and University involving 501 business executives at private sector and non-profit organizations as well as an additional 500 hiring managers reveals that some of the most looked for and exalted skills by employers are individuals who are able to effectively communicate orally, apply critical thinking/analytical reasoning in the workplace, apply ethical judgement and decision making, work effectively in teams composed of diverse people, able to communicate effectively in writing, and can apply knowledge/skills to real-world settings. The report states that "employers overwhelmingly endorse broad learning and cross-cutting skills as the best preparation for long-term career success." According to the report, "executives and hiring managers place a high priority on graduates' demonstrated proficiency in skills and knowledge that cut across majors" www.aacu.org. GDST majors take a plethora of courses tackling diversity from different disciplinary perspectives (the composition of faculty in the GDST/Sociology department is itself interdisciplinary). Furthermore, the skills honed in these classes (critical thinking, oral communication, research and writing on a variety of topics etc...) are those that are especially valued by employers in the survey.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Religious Studies Professors to find work opportunities?
Mich Nyawalo: Our majors often structure their course of study to fit a wide variety of career paths that interest them (the interdisciplinary flexibility of our major enables them to do so). GDST majors can therefore find careers in human resources, public relations, nonprofit organizations, and law (among many other options).
James Beilby Ph.D.
Professor of Biblical and Theological StudiesBethel University
Biblical and Theological Studies
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Religious Studies Professors?
James Beilby Ph.D.: Yes. Our students typically head down one of three paths after graduation: graduate school/seminary, church ministry, or non-profit/parachurch ministry. All of these paths have been negatively impacted by the pandemic. Since some of these headwinds pre-date the pandemic, it is likely that the impact of the pandemic will be ongoing.
What type of skills will young Religious Studies Professors need?
James Beilby Ph.D.: Two skills stand out as crucially important: (1) Communication skills, both oral and in writing and (2) critical thinking. And it is important to be able to use these skills in environments that are culturally and ideologically diverse.
What experience really stands out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
James Beilby Ph.D.: Actually on-the-ground experience is crucial. If you want a teaching job, what experience do you actually have teaching? If you want a ministry job, what is your experience in a church setting?
What skills stand out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
Timothy Beal: - Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Graduates in religious studies are experts in this area. They have in-depth knowledge of different religious and cultural identities and perspectives around the world and in the country. They are skilled at understanding cultural differences and how they affect dynamics in workplaces and in communities. They know where to begin in promoting greater diversity in offices and companies.
- Writing and communication. Graduates in religious studies are highly skilled writers, editors, and communicators, in traditional media as well as in new and emerging social media.
- The importance of story. Graduates in religious studies understand the importance of story to a company. They can help a company build its identity and brand through the story it tells about itself and its people.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Sibelan Forrester: I really don't know what the trends will be, but two of our most recent graduates are now working in an organization that investigates cybercrime. That tells me that the most important thing for college students and new graduates is to develop a wide range of skills (which you can do by pursuing the subjects you find most interesting), but also be flexible and imaginative in how to apply them. There are going to be new kinds of jobs, and growth in jobs that you might not have considered before. I'd also say: it's not going to be easy for new graduates to get jobs, and they should be willing to explore various options. There's no magic trick, you have to look for your own chances.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Sibelan Forrester: In a gap year: concrete experience is always a good thing, of whatever kind. (Everyone notices, if they go to graduate school or professional school, that the graduate/professional students who took some time off are more mature, more focused, more sure about what they want. Even if the things those older students did before they went back to school weren't related to their academic plans-even if they were just working a job so they could feed themselves and have a place to stay.) If you can build experience with the kind of work you want to get eventually, small things can add up.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Sibelan Forrester: General advice I guess would be to keep contact with your mentors. They can often forward information about some new opportunity-maybe they'll get a request or an invitation that they don't have the time to pursue, but they can recommend you.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Robert Duke Ph.D.: The pandemic has demonstrated the need for people to be skilled not only in the content of their field but in how to deliver that content in technologically up-to-date modalities. Basically, the pandemic has shown that what one knows needs to be partnered with knowing how to deliver that knowledge. This will not be the last time we face something that requires flexibility in one's pedagogical abilities. For those in religious studies and relevant fields, like ethics and philosophy, the pandemic has demonstrated a high need for experts that can bring clear thinking to making decisions in the areas of government, health, and education.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Robert Duke Ph.D.: A gap year would be well-spent reading and reflecting on various career paths that would interest the student who has a degree in religion or relevant field. This past year has shown the myriad decisions that are having to be made. Reading in the area of ethics will help one in whatever career path they find themselves in the future.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Robert Duke Ph.D.: Be humble and listen to others with whom you work as you begin your career. You have a degree, but there is still much to learn about how a specific employment site functions. Also, be courageous in sharing your opinions and thoughts since you have much to offer.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Brent Sleasman Ph.D.: Something I’ve observed for those seeking a church-based job is that many job seekers will need to be creative due to organizations cutting expenses. For example, a new employee may need to be able to balance a few part-time jobs until funds allow hiring into a full-time capacity. Creativity is always a marketable skill! However, this season is especially challenging.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Brent Sleasman Ph.D.: There is great value in the experiences received right after graduation. The reasons why someone would “need” to take a gap year should be very limited. For those who absolutely must wait a year before entering the job market full-time, there are great opportunities to be found in local church and non-profit settings. This type of work allows someone to develop additional examples of how the ideas from the classroom apply to various settings. This will be incredibly valuable in an interview context when someone asks the inevitable question of, “Can you give us an example of when you…?”
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Dr. Brent Sleasman Ph.D.: There are so many opportunities for using a degree in this area of study. The most successful graduates need to be willing to learn new skills and demonstrate an openness to new ways of thinking about organizational life. This sounds very basic, but be willing to relocate. We too often limit ourselves when we draw an imaginary line on the map and say, "I only want to go here," or, "I won't go there." Follow the opportunities and see what doors open.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Karen Massey Ph.D.: For jobs in the areas of church ministry, chaplaincy, or non-profits, there will be fewer full-time job opportunities. The pandemic has forced many of these organizations to cut their employee positions in half, or to limit their positions to part-time only. For persons planning to teach in higher education in theology schools or seminaries, there will be fewer teaching positions available. Due to CoVid and the economy, enrollment is declining in most theology schools in the United States, therefore there are fewer teaching positions available in narrowly-defined disciplines such as New Testament, Old Testament, Ethics, etc.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Karen Massey Ph.D.: For graduates who want to do church ministry, chaplaincy, or work in non-profits, I would suggest that they hone their technology skills. Committee and board meetings will continue to meet online. Also, though maybe not predominately, bible studies and worship services will continue to be conducted online. Graduates will need to know how to conduct meetings and worship services online that reflect professionalism along with an awareness of theological grounding. For graduates who want to teach in higher education, it will be important that they have experience in planning and teaching online courses that are creative and that pay attention to the learning styles of students.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Dr. Karen Massey Ph.D.: For any graduate beginning their career, I would tell them to consider being bi-vocational. Because there are fewer jobs and more part-time jobs, it would benefit a graduate to consider taking on two jobs. One job might be part-time in a religious profession, and the other in the secular arena. Or both could be part-time in the religious field. It would be important to develop skills that would serve them well in various vocational environments. For graduates who want to teach in higher education, I would suggest that they diversify their field of study so that they have the ability to teach in more than one discipline. To be able to teach in more than one discipline will make him/her more marketable.
Dr. Michael Pytlik Ph.D.
Director of Judaic Studies and the Director of the Cis Maisel Center for Judaic Studies and Community EngagementOakland University, Rochester MI
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, Social Work and Criminal Justice
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Michael Pytlik Ph.D.: I think it's a bit too early to talk about jobs during the pandemic, but I think it will be critical for potential job seekers to be flexible, self-starting, and possess a variety of skills. I think learning to communicate effectively in writing and spoken words is vital, as always. We will probably be in a virtual world for a while, and perhaps post-pandemic, but this opens doors that perhaps were not there before. Knowledge of the world is critical, so humanities are vital now, as always. Specific job skills can be taught on the job, but employers will desire flexible, well-rounded employees who can converse with the world and have some idea of its history and cultures beyond their own.
What skills stand out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
Dr. Michael Pytlik Ph.D.: Effective communication, broad-based skills in academics, language study, international travel, and examples of working with others: team skills, volunteering, internships.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Religious Studies Professors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Michael Pytlik Ph.D.: We don't know how the pandemic will create openings, but they will come. Take advantage of the virtual world because, in some ways, there are more opportunities to learn remotely, work remotely, train remotely, and be creative. Of course, there will be openings in medical, technology, and infrastructure jobs. If there are no hot spots, make one!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Religious Studies Professor job market given the pandemic?
Mike McCurry: We'll probably see continued growth in the gig economy with more people taking on short-term projects than long-term occupations. Health care and elder care will be vital sectors in the labor market.
What Religious Studies Professor skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Mike McCurry: I recommend two things. Excellent writing skills and seek to get longer-form essays published. Tweets only get you so far. Second, I'd take Spanish classes since that will be an increased communication need in becoming a bi-lingual country.
What general advice would you give to a Religious Studies Professor?
Mike McCurry: Don't be shy about volunteering if it is hard to find a paying job. Make yourself useful and vital to an organization you respect, and that shares your values. You'll get noticed and end up with a real job sooner than you think.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Religious Studies Professors?
David Dault Ph.D.: We have already heard from our chaplaincy students that the pandemic has completely upended their ministry's everyday practices. The fact that so much that had been face-to-face is now remote and virtual requires many organizations to rethink what a pastoral presence might mean. But for the chaplains themselves, this has also told them they have to rethink what motivates them in ministry. They felt called to this vocation for many because they could be a positive presence in real-time, in-person with the suffering. The pandemic has required us to rethink these expectations, and I expect that will have effects on ministry for years to come. And not just for chaplaincy, but for religious educators, deacons, and all forms of ministry.
What type of skills will young Religious Studies Professors need?
David Dault Ph.D.: One of the things that the Institute of Pastoral Studies does well is coupling academic rigor with hands-on experience. All our graduates spend a portion of their degree learning in real-world contexts, out in the field. They are working with seasoned mentors, but many of our students are being taught in these situations to become mentors themselves. Whether we're talking about spiritual direction, pastoral counseling, or other rural ministry forms, our students are trained by leaders to become leaders in their field. What makes me so proud of IPS is that this is not merely a focus on a "business leadership" style, but with a real emphasis on the human-centered, pastoral components of leadership. Especially as we come out of the pandemic, these community-focused and trauma-informed leadership styles will be essential, and IPS are at the cutting edge of this type of education.
What experience really stands out on Religious Studies Professor resumes?
David Dault Ph.D.: "For pastoral leaders, it is not merely a matter of what you know. As the Talmud reminds us, ""a clever mind is not a heart."" Coming out of the pandemic, it seems clear that employers will be looking for demonstrations of adaptive learning. That is, being able to step out of a rigid box and respond to the needs in front of you. But for chaplains, and pastoral counselors, and other forms of ministry, there is also going to be a need to demonstrate an ability to create real human connection in an increasingly virtual and remote landscape.
So, in addition to a demonstration of pastoral skills, it will help graduates to be able to demonstrate communications skills and a bit of an entrepreneurial mindset. That's one reason I'm so glad for the way I see my colleagues at IPS working with students. I know every faculty member is bringing their best to this moment to help find new ways to give our students the skills and resiliency they will need to be ministers for this moment's needs. In the Jesuit tradition, we talk about ""cure personal"" or care for the whole person. Our graduates can demonstrate that they take this kind of care very seriously, and I believe it stands out on a resume."
Agatha Beins Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorTexas Woman's University
Multicultural Women's and Gender Studies Program
What are the best companies to work for a Religious Studies Professor?
Agatha Beins Ph.D.: The best workplaces are those that allow someone to practice their beliefs, feel welcomed and accepted, and earn a living wage. Happily, as my comments below indicate, a women's and gender studies (WGS), or ethnic studies degree, prepares people for a long list of potential job opportunities that fit their interests. Many students choose these areas of study because they're interested in social justice and community development, so after graduating, they seek out positions with nonprofit organizations and businesses. But many degree programs have built-in flexibility, through elective coursework or concentrations, that allow students to build a portfolio for a career path that could take them into the corporate, academic, creative, political, or nonprofit spheres.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Religious Studies Professors to find work opportunities?
Agatha Beins Ph.D.: Graduates with a WGS degree leave the university with a rich and broad toolkit of transferrable skills. Coursework includes a significant amount of reading, writing, discussion, and research and engages scholarship from different disciplines. This training builds a student's ability to communicate effectively, seek out information, solve problems creatively, view an issue from multiple perspectives, be sensitive to the impact of social and cultural differences, and-importantly-to think critically. Personally, after I completed an MA in women's studies, I worked part-time for the College Board to develop test questions while enrolled in a Ph.D. program, and I think they hired me primarily because of these transferrable skills. At the university, where I currently teach, we encourage students to cast a broad net when looking for work, and our graduates occupy a wide range of professions, including community organizer, artist, university professor, librarian, a state government employee, advocate for victims of sexual and domestic violence, county health department, and Child Protective Services. Therefore, one of my messages to WGS students and ethnic studies students is to seek out mentors at their university who can guide them in developing and framing these transferrable skills for the type of work opportunities they're interested in.
Dr. Susanna Goodin Ph.D.
Associate ProfessorUniversity of Wyoming
Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies
What type of skills will young Religious Studies Professors need?
Dr. Susanna Goodin Ph.D.: Flexible approach and ability to teach new stuff to themselves. Ability to think broadly and deeply rather than repeat learned skills (since specific skills learned in college tend to become obsolete within a year or two of graduation). Graduates must learn how to learn and how to do this for themselves.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Religious Studies Professors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Susanna Goodin Ph.D.: Philosophy works equally well in all areas, urban or rural. And philosophy graduates will not look for work in their field, in philosophy itself. Instead, they will look for work in any area that needs the ability to read demanding texts, either in the way of reports or manuals, communicate, and, above all, think logically, while being able to draw upon exposure to the many great thoughts humanity has had about human nature, the nature of reality, the heart of god, the nature of knowledge, the nature of science, the nature of scientific reasoning, the nature of consciousness, the nature of intelligence, the nature of suffering, the nature of justice, the nature of society, the nature of social justice, the nature of morality, the nature of race, the nature and value of rights, the nature of beauty, the nature of matter, and the nature of what it is to think and live a life worth living. A bit hard to imagine any job that doesn't deal with philosophy in one way or another.
How do you envision technology impacting Religious Studies Professors in the next 5 years?
Dr. Susanna Goodin Ph.D.: Greater access to a more excellent range of information that can then be used in innovative new ways. Perhaps the most significant application is that philosophers will not need to live where there are many businesses in the hope that one will hire philosophers. Philosophers can live across the entire country and world and still provide their valuable skills to employers anywhere. One could continue living on the family ranch in Wyoming while delivering insights and clarity to corporations, non-profits, educational institutions, governmental entities, marketing firms, technology, etc.
Dr. Sarah Mose
Associate Professor of ReligionUniversity of Mississippi
Department of Philosophy and Religion
What type of skills will young Religious Studies Professors need?
Dr. Sarah Mose: They will need flexibility in a tough economy in which many sectors will still be slowed down in terms of hiring. But I also think that specific skills are always valuable, and always make a graduate more competitive: clear oral and written communication, reliability, a strong work ethic, and the capacity for independent projects. Employers also want to hire people who can work collaboratively with co-workers. The U.S. is also an incredibly diverse country in terms of race, ethnicity, cultural background, and religion. Graduates need to respect and know cultural and religious diversity and the ability to engage respectfully with a diverse range of people (both co-workers and clients).
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Religious Studies Professors to find work opportunities?
Dr. Sarah Mose: Like many fields, large urban areas will offer more opportunities in terms of the higher education sector. But for students interested in the non-profit sector, there are opportunities everywhere. I think students will want to look at areas of the country with population growth and economic opportunity.
How do you envision technology impacting Religious Studies Professors in the next 5 years?
Dr. Sarah Mose: Like most sectors, technology has already been changing our field. Positively, technology has made research more accessible and has facilitated easier collaboration with people to spread worldwide. With the pandemic, technology has also increased in importance for religious communities, which allows for fascinating research into spiritual practices. Technology will continue to expand and change, over the next five years, and so I think, graduates need to have comfort with the use of technology and a willingness to learn new platforms.