A religion degree from Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, helps students better understand themselves within an increasingly complex and diverse world, better understand the role and contribution of religions within cultures and better understand and exemplify the skills and sensibilities of a holistically educated person.
The study of religion can help us ask questions about what it means to be human and part of a community. It is crucial for understanding history, politics and daily life. In religion courses, we can explode disciplinary boundaries and challenge our own preconceived notions — all while having fun!
Leslie Ribovich, assistant professor of religion
Religion has been a force of liberation and domination; practice and belief; text and ritual. Religion shapes our everyday lives, in ways we know and ways we do not. The study of religion offers us the opportunity to ask central questions of a liberal arts education. How do humans create meaning in the day-to-day — individually and communally? How does power operate in social relations? How has human understanding of the world changed over time — and to what ends and why? Through Transy’s religion major, we learn to interpret human life by closely analyzing moral assumptions and categories of social difference. We collaborate to understand the complexity and diversity of human experience.
We study texts such as the Tanakh, Ramayana, Quran and New Testament. We examine regions across the globe. Importantly, we investigate the intersections of traditions, texts and regions with different schools of thought, such as gender studies and critical race theory. As an inherently interdisciplinary field, we learn methodologies from across the university, including history, comparative religions, ethnography, philosophy and data analysis. In this way, the religion program prepares us to be thoughtful participants in the Transylvania community and the world.
Where Our Graduates Have Worked
College professor
Executive director, Kentucky Council of Churches
Journalist
Minister in local congregation
President, Council of Christian Unity
President and General Minister, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the U.S. and Canada
Regional minister, Christian Church in Kentucky
Lawyer
Business manager
Opportunities in the Major
Internships with a local church
Internships with social service agencies
Study abroad during May term
Possible Career Options
Congregational pastor
International relations
Institutional chaplaincy
Social justice services
Teacher
Lawyer
Professor
Where Our Graduates Have Studied
Asbury Theological Seminary
Brite Divinity School, Texas Christian University
Candler School of Theology, Emory University
Christian Theological Seminary
Duke University
Harvard Divinity School
Lexington Theological Seminary
Patterson School of Diplomacy, University of Kentucky
University of California-Davis
University of Louisville Medical School
Vanderbilt Divinity School
Wake Forest University
Yale Divinity School
Semester Study Abroad Opportunities
Australia I
England I
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Morocco
Scotland
These GlobalTransy programs have at least two courses related to the major.
Interested in studying abroad for a summer? Take a look at our summer study abroad opportunities.
Contacts
Leslie Ribovich,
Assistant Professor of Religion; Program Director
(859) 233-8235
Transylvania University
300 North Broadway
Lexington, KY 40508 USA