Religious Studies: Turn Your Faith into a Rewarding Career

For some graduates, a career means more than just a means to a paycheck. That's why religious studies degree programs remain a popular liberal arts-based field of study. This is an education with a social conscience that can lead to a variety of meaningful career options.

Religious Studies Degree and Career Options

Degree options for online degree programs in religious studies range from the two-year, associate's to the five-year, doctoral degree. Graduates wishing to follow a teaching career track should aim for a master's degree or better in order to remain competitive.
Typical job titles for religious studies graduates include:

• Youth Ministry Worker
• Missionary
• Program Administrator or Director
• Writer/Editor
• Peace Corps Worker
• Church Administrator
• Self-Enrichment Education Teacher

Employment Outlook and Potential Salary

Graduates with an online degree in religious studies that intend to teach will enjoy a welcoming job market. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that employment of self-enrichment education teachers is projected to grow by 23 percent through 2016; that's much faster than the national average for all occupations.
With respect to salary, median hourly earnings of self-enrichment teachers were $16.08 in May 2006. Religious activity and education directors made a median salary of $39,470. Members of the clergy tend to have a variable salary scale, depending on where they are practicing.

Online Study Options in Religious Studies

The typical coursework of an online education in religious studies includes the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature, and art of religion. Instruction in phenomenology, mythology, scriptural and textual studies, religious history and politics, and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior, gets you ready to enter your career of choice.
Earning a religious studies degree online gives you the freedom to complete your education while keeping your personal and professional obligations. Convenient class scheduling and a network of support make distance learning quicker and more affordable than the traditional campus route.
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Clergy
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Directors, Religious Activity and Education
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Teachers--Self-Enrichment Education

Kelly Richardson has over fifteen years of creative and technical writing experience. He teaches secondary Honors-level English and writes ad copy for a variety of clients in industries such as medicine, technology, and education.