Bachelor's in Religious Studies

The University of Oklahoma (OU) has been a cornerstone of higher education since its establishment in 1890. As a public research university, OU has a diverse academic portfolio, offering a wide array of undergraduate and graduate programs across disciplines. OU is renowned for its vibrant campus life, fostering a sense of community and inclusivity. Boomer Sooner spirit runs deep, and students engage in a variety of extracurricular activities, from cultural and athletic events to research initiatives. The university's commitment to research and innovation is evident in its state-of-the-art facilities and collaborative projects that contribute to advancements in various fields. With a focus on preparing students for success in a rapidly evolving world, the University of Oklahoma continues to be a hub of academic achievement, creativity, and social responsibility.

The Religious Studies department has grown substantially to become one of the most diverse programs in the College of Arts and Sciences. Religious Studies students take classes from multiple disciplines that given them an in-depth overview of global religious traditions. In addition to full-time RELS faculty members, OU faculty from many departments (e.g., African and African-American Studies, Anthropology, Classics, English, History, Philosophy, Psychology, Sociology, etc.) offer courses each year that count for the RELS major or minor. This multi-disciplinary approach reflects accurately the contemporary study of religion and human religious life. Many students choose to double major or pursue a dual degree program since Religious Studies complements numerous academic disciplines. By examining human activity through religion, both in the present and the past, faculty in the Religious Studies Department enable students to gain a deeper understanding of the ways that human beings make sense of the world in both intellectual and bodily form, particularly as they work through ideas about value, meaning, transcendence, power, and collective forms. The academic study of religion provides students with a strong foundation in deeply culturally-grounded critical thinking, an ability to interrogate and critique forms of power, and a nuanced understanding of the human condition. Students emerge from our major and minor programs prepared engage the diversity and complexity of our global environment in meaningful ways, and equipped with essential skills in analytical writing, active listening, cross cultural communication, critical empathy, public speaking, and scholarly research.