The Religious Studies Undergraduate

[Franscetic44]

Hopefully you'll get a very good post-modernist first year Intro to Religious Studies prof who can wean out some of the less open people. I don't think you'll find the truth, RS isn't about belief...it's about how those beliefs shape Humans and our societies. You might find a few doctrinal lessons, but a lot of the time depending on the course you'll be talking Psych, Sociology and History/Politics. Which religions do you ant to focus on? I cannot recommend Chicago enough for Eastern Religions. Luckily, colleges have great libraries with sacred texts in many different translated versions

I've heard of Chicago from multiple people I've spoken to, as I am very interested in Eastern Religions, specifically Buddhism/Zen Buddhism and Taoism. The Eastern mindset/worldview is very intriguing and refreshing to me. I'm reading as many things about it as I can get my hands on (both sacred texts and novels).

I feel as if this subject fits my interests well as I am very intrigued with Psychology (especially Jung), Anthropology, and History. Being that I'm already enrolled in college, would you recommend Chicago for graduate school, should I continue to pursue religion? My school is actually pretty close to Chicago as well.

 

[Benst]

I've heard of Chicago from multiple people I've spoken to, as I am very interested in Eastern Religions, specifically Buddhism/Zen Buddhism and Taoism. The Eastern mindset/worldview is very intriguing and refreshing to me. I'm reading as many things about it as I can get my hands on (both sacred texts and novels).

I feel as if this subject fits my interests well as I am very intrigued with Psychology (especially Jung), Anthropology, and History. Being that I'm already enrolled in college, would you recommend Chicago for graduate school, should I continue to pursue religion? My school is actually pretty close to Chicago as well.

I suggested Chicago because it's where a lot of my own Professors did their graduate studies and Doctorates at Chicago. Of what I can see, if you plan on making this your major, you'll need to learn and specialize in a language. I know in programs related to the Big Three, you'd have to learn either Classical Greek, Latin, Hebrew or Arabic. Same applies to Eastern religions. One of my professors learned to speak and read Pali (a language very similar to Sanskrit) and Burmese (her major area of study is Buddhism in Burma). This is allow you to be able to read texts in their original language. You could also think of going abroad as well... I know here in Ontario University of Toronto has a fairly decent religious studies program (I attended this, but it focussed mostly on general and christianity), McMaster University in Hamilton is well known and has a very strong Asian religions program. Several Unis in the UK are well known for their religious studies programs, and some eminent scholars such as Prof. Donald Swearer and Dr. Gavin Flood operate from them (Gavin Flood is a well accredited scholar studying Hinduism.) Lots of options out there!

If possible, you could also look to do courses at the University of Chicago and see if the credits can be applied to your degree at your own Uni. When you say College, I assume University not community college? You could speak to your school's registrar and the faculty of UofC and see if it's possible to take courses.

 

[Franscetic44]

I suggested Chicago because it's where a lot of my own Professors did their graduate studies and Doctorates at Chicago. Of what I can see, if you plan on making this your major, you'll need to learn and specialize in a language. I know in programs related to the Big Three, you'd have to learn either Classical Greek, Latin, Hebrew or Arabic. Same applies to Eastern religions. One of my professors learned to speak and read Pali (a language very similar to Sanskrit) and Burmese (her major area of study is Buddhism in Burma). This is allow you to be able to read texts in their original language. You could also think of going abroad as well... I know here in Ontario University of Toronto has a fairly decent religious studies program (I attended this, but it focussed mostly on general and christianity), McMaster University in Hamilton is well known and has a very strong Asian religions program. Several Unis in the UK are well known for their religious studies programs, and some eminent scholars such as Prof. Donald Swearer and Dr. Gavin Flood operate from them (Gavin Flood is a well accredited scholar studying Hinduism.) Lots of options out there!

If possible, you could also look to do courses at the University of Chicago and see if the credits can be applied to your degree at your own Uni. When you say College, I assume University not community college? You could speak to your school's registrar and the faculty of UofC and see if it's possible to take courses.

Yes, I will be attending Beloit College, WI next semester. Also, I figured the language specialization would be needed should I decide to study this in grad school. Maybe then I'd major in Religious Studies as well as a Language... or at least Major/Minor. Great advice though! Thank you for your insight. I'm very excited to begin studying the stuff I love.