Image, above, from studyreligion.org (American Academy of Religion)

Is Religion Important? “If there was ever any doubt, 9/11 proved that, as with our recent election, you can’t understand the world without understanding religion.” -Gerald F. Powers “You can't understand America without understanding religion.” –David Stowe “You cannot understand the human condition without understanding religion.” -Stephen Jay Gould

Why Study Religion at MSU? A Large, Diverse and Excellent Faculty Leslie Baynes - New Testament Stephen C. Berkwitz - Buddhism Martha L. Finch - American Religions Mark Given - New Testament Lora Hobbs - Religion and Society J. E. Llewellyn - Hinduism Victor H. Matthews - Hebrew Bible James C. Moyer - Hebrew Bible Kathy J. Pulley - Religion & Society Micki Pulleyking - Philosophy of Religion Vadim Putzu – Judaism Austra Reinis - History of Christianity John Schmalzbauer - American Religions John T. Strong - Hebrew Bible

Comparison Shopping for Religion Departments Ten Professors Nine Professors Program but no department Program but no department Thirteen Professors Fourteen Professors Two Senior Instructors

Student Scholarships Each spring the Department of Religious Studies at Missouri State University offers several scholarships for the following academic year. Currently, the total amount awarded each year is over $8,000. All scholarship application materials must be submitted by March 1 for the following academic year. 1)Rose Marie and Martin H. Boone, Jr. Religious Studies Scholarship 2)DeVries Family Religious Studies Scholarship 3)F.W.A. Bosch Scholarship 4)Kathy J. Pulley Religious Studies Scholarship (requires a focus on community service) 5)James P. Robinson Ecumenical Center Scholarship 6) William R. (Bill) Smith Baptist Student Union Memorial Scholarship 7)Schyler Elizabeth Strong Biblical Archaeology Award 8)*Moyer Family Scholarship 9)*Gerrit J. tenZythoff Religious Studies Scholarship 10)*Women in Religious Studies Scholarship

Humanities Majors are Marketable

Employers want colleges to focus on critical thinking, oral communication, writing, and evaluating information

Employers want students to know about ethics & cultural diversity

Employers want employees to know about global cultures and religious diversity

In the long run, humanities majors make more money than professional majors

Religious Studies$57,900 Dietetics$56,600 Public Health (PH)$56,500 Physical Education Teaching$56,300 Graphic Design$56,000 Sports Management$55,400 Animal Science$55,200 Education$55,200 Social Science$54,800 Recreation & Leisure Studies$51,900 Culinary Arts$51,100 Exercise Science$51,000 Horticulture$50,900 Special Education$49,600 Athletic Training$46,900 Social Work (SW)$46,600 Elementary Education$45,300 Average Mid-career Salaries for Selected College Majors

Religious Studies Computer Engineering (CE) 58% 48% Hotel Management48% Industrial Design (ID)47% Computer Information Systems (CIS)47% Global & International Studies47% Public Relations (PR)47% Sports Management46% Computer Science (CS)45% Hospitality & Tourism45% Accounting45% International Business44% Software Engineering43% Finance42% Marketing & Communications41% Graphic Design39% Advertising33% Fashion Design32% Fashion Merchandising32% Percentage of graduates in selected majors who say their jobs “make the world a better place”

Globalization means that many occupations demand religious literacy

Career Preparation in Religious Studies The study of religion provides many occasions for personal and intellectual growth, but it also transmits a set of very practical skills to students: Gain a fundamental cultural literacy Training in skills associated with data gathering and direct observation Development of analytical skills and creative thought An ability to empathize with other people and understand different perspectives Religious Studies provides a useful academic foundation for many different careers. Professional training in:Positions in: Business (esp. international business)* Hospitality & Event Planning Counseling and Social Work* Government & Foreign Service Education* Management & Human Resources Journalism* Museums & the Arts Law* Non-Profits & NGOs Medicine* Publishing

Alumni in the professoriate Rachel McBride LindseyLeslie Dorrough Smith Brian Doak (MA alum)

Recent Alumni Books Oxford University Press, 2013 Harvard University Press, 2013

Alumni in the Professions Nena Kircher (MA alum) Clinical Psychologist Linda Leicht BA Alum & MA Student Former Editorial Page Editor, Springfield News-Leader

Alumni in the Professions Phil Dieke Student Discipleship Coordinator Quinn Garcia Recruiting Officer

Consider a Double Major or Minor in Religious Studies Image, above, from sites.allegheny.edu/unusualcombinations/profiles (Allegheny College)

Fields that go well with Religious Studies:

Religious Studies Internship Program Samantha Nichols KSMU/Ozarks Public Radio Spring 2014 Stacy Street Race and Faith Collaborative Project Fall

Nationally, Religious Studies has experienced a revival “The number of bachelors degrees conferred upon graduates in philosophy or religious studies has doubled since the 1970s to nearly 12,000 a year, and has been rising steadily since 9/11.”

“If I went back to college today, I think I would probably major in comparative religion, because that’s how integrated it is in everything that we are working on and deciding and thinking about today” -United States Secretary of State John Kerry, August 7, 2013

For more information on why you should consider a Religious Studies Major, Minor or Masters, visit Image, above, from studyreligion.org (American Academy of Religion)