<p>My son is working on a college list and he is interested in majoring in Religious Studies. He wants to study world religions, not a particular denomination -- and he is not interested in working for a church or synagogue, but more interested in combining his interest in religion with his interest in international relations (possibly a double major).</p>
<p>I have the list of top schools for international relations, but the only list I could find for religious studies was in Rugg's Recommendations. Is there any other place we should look?</p>
<p>Let me say up front that I dislike rankings and view them with extreme scepticism. Having gotten that out of the way the Pilosophical Gourmet does attempt to rate college faculties and has a subranking of Philo of Religion faculties. Here is the link which I suggest using as a starting point only!!!!!!</p>
<p>thanks!! I am not the biggest fan of rankings either, but we need a starting point. religious studies seems to be offered just about everywhere -- but when you start looking at the department offerings and such, there are big differences.</p>
<p>It was nice to see his safety on the list! UC Boulder</p>
<p>Philosophy of religion is very different from religion, though it is very useful to those interested in religion as such. I'd include Harvard, Princeton and Chicago among the top programs in non Western religions (Buddhism and Islam in particular) but also strong on the Judeo-Christian tradition(s). Notre Dame and the University of St Louis are excellent on Christianity and especially Catholicism. Brandeis and Yeshiva for Judaism.</p>
<p>good suggestions -- and some of the same colleges known for international relations. He wants to be able to take upper level courses in non-western traditions, but doesn't want to attend a school with a particular focus (like Notre Dame or Brandeis). </p>
<p>So far, he is looking at these schools:</p>
<p>University of CA, Berkeley
University of Chicago
Columbia
Duke
Georgetown
Princeton
Yale
Stanford
Dartmouth
Tufts
Brown</p>
<p>plus the odd ball ones he is considering (St. John's and Deep Springs)</p>
<p>with his safeties as University of Colorado, Boulder and Colorado College</p>
<p>His list is very top heavy -- but he has excellent safeties, so he really doesn't need schools that aren't better than they are. His stats are strongs enough to be in the pool for the top schools and he knows it is a crap shoot.</p>
<p>Any of the schools on his list stand out for good or bad reasons? It seems to me that Emory has a very Christian slant to all religious studies, but we don't know about the others. He is currently interested in International Relations, Middle-Eastern Studies and World Religions -- don't know if that will stay, but it has been his interests for about three years, with Religion being the main focus.</p>
<p>He definitely has a good list. I'd also consider Vanderbilt and Penn. Possibly Rice, although their offerings are more limited. Michigan and Hopkins are superb in Middle Eastern Studies and IR, and although they don't have cohesive religion programs, they're worth a look.</p>
<p>Duke has an excellent program, although I haven't found it very accomodating.</p>
<p>I would not consider Vanderbilt if I were your son. I feel compelled to post because I go to Vanderbilt and have nearly the same interests as your son (International relations, religious studies, East Asia). The religious studies program has a very pronounced Christian bent, understandably, but almost to the exclusion of other religions. Arabic is only offered through four semesters, which is not going to take you far in such a difficult language.</p>
<p>I've felt very restricted in pursuing my interests here, particularly my interest in religion, and I think your son probably would too.</p>
<p>My D, about to graduate from Oberlin College with a major in Religion, found it an excellent department, with good balances among all the world's major religions. She is doing a second major so it's evidently possible to manage it.</p>
<p>She tells me there are two strands within the department: Philosophy/theology of religion and Culture/Practices of religions. She has interest in the latter.</p>
<p>Read their religion department's website for the history of that department, because they helped define the academic study of religion away from a specific faith and more across-the-faiths. </p>
<p>A second major there in any Social Science would be productive. I don't know much about those departments. </p>
<p>It's a fascinating field. I notice that Harvard has just decided to add Religion (calling it "Culture and Belief" or something along those lines) to its core curriculum for all students. </p>
<p>Best wishes. I hope you enjoy hearing home talk about the belief systems of African tribes, the differences among the writers of the Gospels, Intro toTalmud, Confuscianism; Mysticism and Buddhism; and now that she's gotten through all that, she's taking a course in the Ethics of Islam and a private reading in Persian.</p>
<p>A friend of ours has the exact same combination of interests. She applied last year to Brown, NYU, Chicago, Trinity (in Connecticut), Occidental and Tulane. Tufts would have been on that list but she refused to apply since she wanted to leave the Boston area. She's now at NYU, and is very happy.</p>
<p>warblersrule -- can you elaborate on why you haven't found Duke accomodating?</p>
<p>Trina -- thanks for the info on Vanderbilt -- that is exactly what he is trying to avoid.</p>
<p>paying3tuitions -- I will have him take a look at Oberlin, it was on his list at one time. We have already experienced the long and draining conversations at home!!! he kept kosher for six months, strictly observed the sabbath (including no electricity), wore a kipa every day of the week (everywhere!) and prayed daily -- and we are not Jewish, nor have anyone Jewish in our family. Just what he does to learn a religion from the inside out. Neighbors thought we were crazy. He did the same for Islam and he is currently practicing Tibetan and Zen Buddhism. Our eyes just glazed over when he starts talking!</p>
<p>boysx3 -- his biggest concern was that Emory seemed to have an approach to religions from a Christian standpoint. He loved the study abroad program there in Dharamsala. Does you son find the approach to be an overview of "all religions are correct in and of themselves" or do they interpret them through Christian viewpoints?</p>
<p>sly -- I will have him look at those schools. NYU seems to bombard him with literature!</p>
<p>Definitely look at Notre Dame. Our theology department is among the strongest in the country and don't expect our Catholic Affiliation to give you a limited view, as it won't. We also have an incredible study-abroad program that's top 3 nationwide, so you can not only get a good education here, you can have an opportunity to study world religions around the world! If nothing else, at least look into Notre Dame. So many people write us off as "That closed-minded Catholic school" that it gets very frustrating sometimes. We have people of all different viewpoints here and none of them (in my experience) has been the subject of a conversion attempt or admonition so far. We're very open-minded, despite our reputation, so give us a look!</p>
<p>The reason he wasn't interested in Notre Dame was the Catholic nature of the school. I will have him take another look at Notre Dame. </p>
<p>I am not sure if it would be the best "fit" for him -- he is not a "sports" person at all and has never attended a game and he would definitely prefer a secular school atmosphere -- not things that Notre Dame is known for, but the reputation may not accurate.</p>