“As the job market changes, the leaders of tomorrow will be expected to deliver on broader and more complex measures of success—trends that play to humanists’ strengths. Research is revealing that the most effective leaders are those who activate workers’ intrinsic motivation by persuading them of the inherent meaningfulness of the work they do. Future leaders will also need to embrace ambiguity and complexity, navigate complex ethical challenges, and effectively communicate across cultures—all skills taught in humanities classrooms.” Study the Humanities Toolkit, by the National Humanities Alliance Religion is a humanities subject, which means that graduates seek employment in a wide variety of occupations. Respondents to the 2018 American Community Survey indicated that humanities graduates have similar employment rates as graduates from other areas, such as the sciences, math, and engineering. The reported unemployment rate for all degree holders was 2.17%, compared to 2.13% for humanities degree holders (Explore the Humanities Toolkit, by the National Humanities Alliance). Religion graduates may be interested in applying for jobs in nonprofit organizations, the education field, the healthcare field, community services or international humanitarian work. Some use their skills in business or public relations, and others go into arts and design, media, or journalism. A Religion Major also provides a strong foundation for applying to graduate study in a humanities discipline (or in related fields such as law or international affairs). To discuss different career paths available to a student with a Religion major, schedule a meeting with Christine Lasek-White, who is the Internship and Career Coordinator for the Humanities in the Franklin College of Arts & Sciences. You can contact her by email at cmlwhite@uga.edu. Also, you can reach out to MK Miller in the Career Center at mary.miller4@uga.edu and keep up with the Career Center (https://career.uga.edu/) to stay aware of events, upcoming opportunities, and resources. Skills The study of religion facilitates the development of a core set of skills sought after by employers in a wide range of occupational settings. A sample of these skills and abilities follows. Critical Thinking Taking a reasoned approach to problem solving Critical evaluation of religious questions Integration of cross-cultural theological thought Analyzing new ideas Human Relations Awareness of individual and cultural differences Appreciating diversity Helping others organize and express unique points of view Communication Objective listening Effective writing Conveying complex information Speaking to groups Reading critically Tips Religious studies equips students with an understanding of global issues and trends in both historical and contemporary contexts. This understanding of multiculturalism and interculturalism is valued by a wide variety of employers in many industries including education, government, and business. Student who seek international careers may find that religious studies provides a good background in global issues. Many transferable skills such as analyzing and synthesizing data, research, communication skills, and critical thinking are associated with the religious studies degree. People who major in religious studies may or may not consider themselves “religious.” Expertise in religious ideas can be a plus for secular work environments as well as more traditional religious ones. An undergraduate degree prepares students for professional and graduate study in business, law, medicine, counseling, higher education, and other fields. Check for prerequisite classes needed to enter various graduate programs. Obtaining relevant experience through internships or volunteer experiences is critical to finding employment opportunities. Dual majors or minors can also help open the door in some fields. Join relevant organizations and seek leadership roles. Join LinkedIn groups that are related to your career interest. To search, select “groups” under the “interests” tab. Also, review the groups that professionals in your field of interest have joined and consider joining them as well. Information taken from UGA Career Center
