Why study religion at Butler University?
The reasons why people choose to study religion at university
are incredibly diverse -as diverse, perhaps, as the phenomenon of
religion itself. For some, the study of religion is a way of
exploring their own commitment to a particular religious tradition,
whether or not it is a central focus of their desired career path.
For others, it is a way of trying to understand the religious
traditions and perspectives of others.
Institutions grounded in the liberal arts, like Butler,
expose students to a broad spectrum of subjects - literature,
history, philosophy, ethics, the creative arts, and much more -
with the aim of producing broadly-educated, sophisticated, and
flexible leaders. And it is in part because religion
intersects with and informs so many of these other topics that a
degree in religion can lead naturally to any number of career
paths. Moreover, because it is a field
rather than a discipline, studying
Religion exposes students to diverse methodological approaches and
tools, including those from linguistics, literature, history,
archaeology, anthropology, psychology, and sociology.
There are countless good reasons to study religion - but
why study religion at Butler
University? Here too there are many
reasons. Butler University is located on an urban campus in
Indianapolis in the heart of the American Midwest, in a city that
is not only closely linked to the American mainstream, but that is
also delightfully diverse. Within a few blocks of the campus are
the churches of various Christian denominations, several Jewish
synagogues, two Muslim mosques, a Baha'i meeting place, and a
Buddhist meditation center. Two Hindu temples and the
headquarters of the Islamic Society of North America are located
just a bit farther away. Our location therefore allows us to
explore both traditional and emerging American religious phenomena,
and the ways in which these are increasingly intertwined with and
inseparable from global religious trends. At Butler you get the
benefit of small class sizes and individual attention, combined
with an urban setting providing easy access to a range of useful
cultural experiences.
Besides working closely with students in the classroom, the
religion faculty offer close mentoring to help students envision,
plan and prepare for the work they wish to do after Butler.
Faculty in the department work closely with Butler
University's Center for Faith and
Vocation, a university resource designed to help
students plan for a life of purpose and contribution to society, to
help students get practical experience relevant to their career
goals by arranging internships, service opportunities and other
ways of acquiring the skills they will need in the world of work or
study after Butler.
The religion program's faculty are not merely educators and
mentors, but are also active in research - publishing books,
winning prizes, and securing grants. As a religion major at Butler
University, you will receive the opportunity to work closely with
faculty through independent studies and research assistantships.
Butler also offers opportunities to present the results of
student research to a wider audience, such as through the
Undergraduate Research Conference which Butler University hosts
each year, and which is attended by students from many different
schools. The religion courses Butler offers will also take you
outside of the classroom - not only to visit religious communities
around the city, but also to explore the web, cultivating skills in
identifying reliable sources of information online. You will
even learn to contribute to the
information available online, making your own mark through a blog
or by improving or revising already-existing sources such as
Wikipedia.
The religion program at Butler University grounds its
students in the classically broad tradition of the Liberal Arts,
while at the same time providing them with the skills that are most
crucial in the digital age. The program offers you the best
of both worlds, so to speak, and it is this combination of the
sound and the savvy that prepares Butler's graduating religion
majors to discover, enter, and succeed in their careers. What
you can do with a degree in religion from Butler University is
limited only by your imagination. Recent graduates of the
program have used their training to study religion, law, public
policy, medicine, creative writing, and other subjects at the
graduate level. Others have entered the non-profit sector or
religious ministries; still others have found employment in a range
of professions - teaching, acting, politics, and many
others.