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Religious Studies Course Details - Fees, Subjects, Syllabus, Duration, Eligibility, Career Scope
Degrees offered: B.A., M.A., Ph.D, B.A.(Hons), BS
What is Religious Studies
Religious Studies is the academic discipline focusing on religious beliefs, institutions and behaviour.
This field of Religious Studies comprises the description, comparison, explanation and interpretation of religion- all gathered from historical evidence, facts, events and cross-culture perspective.
The Religious Studies subject tries to approach the study of religious behaviour from a different, unbiased viewpoint and examine the information at hand under various specialisations such as Anthropology of Religion, Economics of Religion, History of Religion, Psychology of Religion, and Geography of Religion.
The study of religion originated in the 19th century, at a time when historians and scholars attempted to analyse various religious texts such as the Bible, along with Buddhist and Hindu texts.
Eligibility Criteria (UG & PG) of Religious Studies
For a BA in Religious Studies, aspirants must fulfil the following eligibility criteria:
Candidates must have completed their Higher Secondary Examination (Class 12) from any recognised state or central board.
They must have secured a minimum of 45% in class 12. However, since admissions to the course are primarily merit-based, higher percentages should be aimed for.
The eligibility criteria for MA or M.Phil. aspirants include:
Candidates must have secured a minimum aggregate of 50% in class 12 from a recognised board.
They must have acquired a Bachelor’s degree in any stream under a recognised institute or university.
Candidates must have secured at least 50% in their graduation course.
Where applicable, they must qualify the entrance exam conducted by the institute.
Entrance Exams for Studying Religious Studies
Religious Studies can be pursued at the Bachelor level under the BA (Bachelor of Arts) degree.
Students can pursue their BA Religious Studies in certain specialisations of their choice such as BA in Buddhist Studies, BA in Christian Studies, BA in Theology and Religious Studies, and many others.
Admissions to these courses are conducted based on the merit of the student.
At the postgraduate level, students can pursue either a Master’s degree in Religious Studies or a Master of Philosophy in the same. These courses, once again, can be undertaken with certain specialisations such as MA Christian Studies, M.Phil. in Guru Granth Sahib Studies, MA in Comparative Studies, and MA in Religious Studies. Certain institutes conduct entrance exams for admissions to these courses, whereas most simply grant admission based on merit.
Some of the top PG entrance examinations conducted for Religious Studies are:
Guru Nanak Dev University: The Department of Guru Nanak Studies in the Guru Nanak Dev University conducts its entrance exams for aspirants who wish to pursue either an MA or an MPhil in Religious Studies. All students who have graduated in a relevant discipline are eligible to sit for this entrance exam, after which the department shortlists candidates for admission.
Jamia Millia Islamia Entrance Exam MA: JMI (Jamia Millia Islamia) conducts entrance exams for students who wish to pursue a Master of Arts in Comparative Religion. The exam is conducted yearly in a written format for all aspirants who have completed their graduation in a relevant discipline.
Scope of Religious Studies in India and Abroad
Candidates who wish to pursue a career in Religious Studies have various options to choose from. After graduation, while some apply for jobs, the popular choice among candidates is generally to pursue higher studies or research opportunities.
There are several higher education options available to these candidates:
Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)- Aspirants who wish to teach in schools can enrol in a B.Ed. course to acquire the necessary insights for teaching in private and public schools, at different levels.
Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.)- After graduation, students can pursue an M.Phil. in Religious Studies. This is a more research-oriented course which will equip them with a more in-depth, thorough knowledge of the subject. Several opportunities for academic research are available to M.Phil. graduates.
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)- Aspirants who wish to gain a deeper insight into the subject while simultaneously hoping for massive employment scope in the same can choose to pursue a PhD in the subject. Candidates holding a PhD degree are awarded the “Doctor” prefix and receive plenty of employment opportunities with higher pay.
Competitive Exams- Upon completing their graduation, students can also sit for career-specific competitive exams such as UPSC, IFS for government jobs.
Course Fees Religious Studies
| Minimum Fees | Maximum Fees | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private | Government | Private | Government | |
| UG |
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Data not available
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Data not available
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6.00 Lakhs
B.A.(Hons) in Religious Studies at Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan
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Data not available
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| PG |
16.00 K
M.A. in Religious Studies at Nirwan University, Jaipur
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Data not available
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2.32 Lakhs
M.A. in Religious Studies at Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar
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42.41 K
M.A. in Religious Studies at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar
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| DOCTORAL |
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Data not available
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30.00 K
Ph.D in Religious Studies at Sanchi University of Buddhist Indic Studies, Bhopal
|
4.00 Lakhs
Ph.D in Religious Studies at North East Christian University, Dimapur
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30.00 K
Ph.D in Religious Studies at Sanchi University of Buddhist Indic Studies, Bhopal
|
| DIPLOMA |
8.00 K
Diploma in Religious Studies at Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib
|
9.06 K
Diploma in Religious Studies at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
|
15.00 K
Diploma in Religious Studies at KJ Somaiya Institute of Dharma Studies, Mumbai
|
9.06 K
Diploma in Religious Studies at Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune
|
Course Subjects
Some of the major course subjects which are covered in any Religious Studies programme (with variations according to the university) include:
Hinduism
Buddhism and Jainism
Nature and Scope of Religion & Methodologies to Study
Primitive Religions
Judaism and Christianity
Origin and Development of Sikh religion
Bhakti Tradition and Medieval India
Islam and Sufism
Vedic Religion
Six Schools of Indian Philosophy
Zoroastrianism
Philosophy of Religions
Religion and Violence
Secular Society and Religious Pluralism
Modern Atheism
Careers in Religious Studies
Candidates who harbour a fascination for all the different religions across the world, their conception, beliefs, and ideologies as well as their histories; can build highly rewarding careers after pursuing a degree in Religious Studies.
Those whose interests lie in research can find employment in research or teaching positions, while more career-oriented candidates can launch into the job sector immediately after completing their graduation.
Whether in India or abroad, a career in Religious Studies can be very rewarding. Candidates can make use of the knowledge they gain throughout their degrees in many different job roles, primarily to educate others in the preaching of religions.
Upcoming trends
The advent of a new decade in 2020 has brought with it some truly formidable challenges related to religion. In the coming decade; anti-immigrant sentiment, rising nationalism, racism, conflicts between scientific knowledge and religious beliefs, and many other troubling symptoms of a great crisis are expected to only amplify. Some of the other trends developing in Religious Studies include:
1. Religion and Politics will be dominated by charisma and spectacle-
Believers have been observed to flock to spectacles offering a distraction, led by charismatic leaders who feed seemingly easy answers to complex questions. While institutional religion will continue to decline, what remains to be seen is how much stock believers place in depth over spectacle in the coming years.
2. Young people are showing an inclination towards atheism-
Whether because it has become a trend of sorts among the youth or because of a genuine lack of understanding of religion, a majority of today’s youth is showing an inclination towards atheism (the belief that God does not exist) or its less severe form, agnosticism (neither believing nor disbelieving the existence of God). As a result, religion, too, is suffering from a decline in interest. Whether this trend will continue throughout the decade is uncertain at this point.
3. Religion has become a strong driving force in Politics: Although religion and politics are two completely different areas with no overlap whatsoever, today, religion is a strong motivating factor behind political activity and preferences.
Political leaders are criticised for discriminating against certain religions, and other political parties seek to gain an advantage by showing support to the discriminated religion.
When voting for political leaders, several citizens show hesitation to place votes in favour of a contender belonging to a different religion.
Job Profiles and Top Recruiters
Job Profiles
After completing their degree in Religious Studies, students have several prospective job opportunities available to them in numerous sectors such as colleges and schools, charity organisations, churches, museums, NGOs, and so on. Some job profiles in Religious Studies which many aspirants receive employment opportunities include:
JOB PROFILE | RESPONSIBILITIES |
Religious Teacher | Teaching young people about God and all the different aspects of religion, such as their rituals, beliefs, customs, doctrines. |
Lecturer | Developing course-related material, delivering meaningful lectures and discussions on the topics, properly assessing students’ coursework and motivating them |
Bible Translator | Translating the Bible language to simpler, easy to understand language; producing the script in a readable version to facilitate a better understanding of its meaning not just by Christians, but also by others who harbour an interest in the text |
Assistant Professor | Conducting seminars; delivering classes to undergraduate or postgraduate students based on the course curriculum |
Children Pastor | Overseeing and developing the discipleship, ministry, pastoral care, and mission among children within the church life; encouraging everyone to recognise and respond to God’s work within their lives and to embrace the Christian Gospel; developing, training, and encouraging teams to work with young children |
Top Recruiters
A qualification in Religious Studies can take aspirants anywhere. Commonly recruiting organisations are:
- Companies or institutes are from the education sector
- Social workers
- NGOs
- Churches
Candidates may even take their careers abroad, with plenty of opportunity for employment in churches, and schools.
Average Salary
The average salary that a candidate can expect to earn in any job after studying Religious Studies depends on a variety of factors: location of the job, job profile, level of seniority, experience, place of employment, and so on. However, a gross estimation of some top job profiles can be assumed as given:
JOB PROFILE | AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY |
Religious Teacher | Rs. 3.75 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
Lecturer | Rs. 6.00 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
Bible Translator | Rs. 4.00 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
Assistant Professor | Rs. 4.55 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
Children Pastor | Rs. 6.50 lakhs p.a. (Approx.) |
Required Skillset for Religious Studies
Religious studies is a discipline that grants students a broad and deep understanding of the major religions across the world, their history and their influence in today’s world. In this subject of study, various other disciplines also come into play such as History, Literature, Philosophy, Economics, Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, and Psychology.
After completing their studies, when aspirants wish to begin their career in Religious Studies, a few extra skills can play to their advantage enormously in the eyes of employers. Some of these are:
Analytical Skills: A large part of a career in Religious Studies entails the collection and examination of information in detail to derive a solution or arrive at a conclusion. With analytical skills, professionals can make more concrete, informed decisions.
Excellent reading and writing skills: For a subject of study that has so much literature, one must possess really good reading and writing skills to better absorb, process, understand, and communicate information.
Interpersonal Skills: Good listening and speaking skills, as well as the ability to build friendly relations and show empathy, ensure credibility and trust in the workplace.
Discipline: This is true of any career in any field; one should be able to understand and deliver what is expected of them. This includes organisation, punctuality, and responsibility. Certain jobs also require more particular discipline-related skills like strict adherence to procedure, or perseverance with certain tasks until they are completed.
Attention to Detail: Often, crucial information lies hidden among the smaller details, easily overlooked. In Religious Studies, one must have the ability to pay attention to these minor details, making sure to be thorough with one’s research and understanding of a topic.
Course Curriculum for Religious Studies
Students who pursue a degree in Religious Studies are introduced to a variety of disciplines like Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Philosophy, History, Economics, and Geography- all integrated into the course to further their understanding of the major religions across the world. In addition to these subjects, throughout the course, students are trained to:
Explain the meaning of religion and its importance in today’s society,
Interpret and becoming familiar with various religious texts,
Search for their religious roots more reasonably,
Speak, write, and read critically about faith, religion, belief, and theology,
Discuss the major themes in Religious Studies,
Describe the morals, ways of worship, beliefs, and history of major world religions.
Popular Religious Studies Entrance Exams in India
Popular Religious Studies Colleges in India VIEW ALL
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Question: Who should opt for Religious Studies?
Answer :
Religious Studies is a highly enlightening and fascinating subject for those who harbour an interest in religion and its effects on the world today.
Those who have the patience as well as interest to explore such a vast subject should opt for Religious Studies because it is an intellectually exciting, interdisciplinary field.
Question: How much can a fresh graduate of Religious Studies expect to earn?
Answer :
Typically, fresh graduates can expect an average salary of Rs. 2- 3 lakhs p.a. (Approx.).
Question: Which stream should I choose in 10+2 so that I can pursue Religious Studies later?
Answer :
Most colleges have no criteria regarding which stream of study you should study in Class 12 to be eligible for their course. However, it would be convenient for candidates to opt for the Humanities stream.
Question: Which are the top colleges offering MA Religious Studies?
Answer :
Some of the top colleges offering the course are Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh; Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
Question: What is the duration of the MA Religious Studies program?
Answer :
The MA Religious Studies program is a two-year course divided into 4 semesters.
