Religious Studies | Liberal & Professional Studies Department

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Bachelor’s Degree |

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The Religious Studies program is a 100% online Bachelor of Arts designed for flexibility, with seven-week modules that fit your schedule. Led by expert faculty, the program prepares students to think critically about the intersections of religion, media, and culture in a rapidly changing world.

Earn Your Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies
with a Concentration in Religious Studies

Religious Studies at UNCG offers students the opportunity to explore how religion and spirituality are evolving in digital spaces. As more conversations about faith, belief, and spirituality take place online, platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and podcasts have become key sites for shaping and sharing religious ideas. From video essays on witchcraft and Christian subcultures to wellness influencers, true crime podcasts, and video games with religious themes, digital media is influencing contemporary spiritual practices.

Students will work with scholars in digital religion to examine topics such as celebrity, fandoms, new religious movements, gurus, wellness culture, and videogaming. The program combines research and critical analysis with practical skills in content production and digital engagement, providing students with insights into how religion and spirituality are being reshaped in online spaces.

Learn More About the BA Degree

Professional Tracks

Digital Spirituality

We train future entrepreneurs in the growing sector of Digital Spirituality. Increasingly, religion and spirituality are being discussed and produced in the digital world. In spaces such as video essays about witchcraft and Christian culture on Youtube, wellness influencers, true crime podcasts, and videogames about religion, digital content is reshaping spirituality.

Come train with some of the preeminent scholars of digital spirituality and gain expertise in topics such as celebrity, fandoms, new religious movements, gurus, wellness, and videogaming. Learn about how the digital world has reshaped religion and spirituality and gain technical skills (research, producing, and marketing) that will allow you to stand out in this growing space.

Classes you will take in the Digital Spirituality Track:

REL 108 Religion and Food
REL 105 Islam and Popular Culture: Ms. Marvel, Movies, and Hip Hop Hijabis
REL 224 Yoga: Theory and Practice
REL 233 Witches, Spirits, and Metaphysicalism in America
REL245 Video Games and the Problem of Evil
REL 246 Science Fiction and Spirituality
REL 247 Fandom and Religion
REL 270 Digital Religion
REL 334 American Cults
REL 360 Joy and Suffering

As well as technical courses that will prepare you for the professional world, including:

IPS 303 Understanding Data
ENG 327 Writing for Professionals and Entrepreneurs
HHS 275 Entrepreneurial Personal Branding
ENG 227 Storylab: Multimodal Narrative

See REL Courses in Catalog

Pre-Divinity Track

Religious Studies is designed for all, regardless of faith or belief, but also offers a Pre-Divinity Track for anyone interested in pursuing academic studies and vocational careers in religion, including those with an interest in pursuing advanced degrees in divinity school, and nonprofit work with religious organizations. Many of our graduates have gone on to further studies at prestigious institutions such as Princeton, Yale, Columbia, Harvard, and many more. To learn more, contact David McDuffie.

Classes you will take in the Pre-Divinity Track:

with examples of courses given for each category

Comparative Religions (1 course)

REL 100 Introduction to World Religions
REL 101 Introduction to Religious Traditions

Exploration of Religious Vocations (1 course)

Exploration of Religious Vocations
Public Speaking in a Religious Context

Sacred Texts (2 courses)

REL 201 The Bible in Western Culture
REL 202 Hebrew Bible
REL 204 New Testament and the Origins of Christianity
REL 226 Approaches to the Qur’an

Religious History and Tradition (3 courses)

REL 212 Christianity from the Reformation to the Present
REL 215 Judaism
REL 221 Buddhism
REL 223 Hinduism
REL 225 Islam

Religion and Culture (3 courses)

REL 115 Religion and Science
REL 249 Religion and Public Health
REL 250 Religious Traditions and Care of the Earth
REL 255 Spirituality and the 12 Steps

See REL Courses in Catalog

Graduates of this program work in roles and fields like:

Behavioral health
Podcast Production
Gaming Research
Banking
Spiritual and Religious Content Creation
Nonprofit management
Education
Ministry and Chaplaincy
End of life care

For companies such as:

Keeping it 101: A Killjoy’s Introduction to Religion Podcast
The US Army
Bank of America
Carillion Health Systems
ResourceNet International
The Center for Conflict Resolution

Islamic Studies
Undergraduate Minor

the Islamic Studies minor at UNCG offers students the opportunity to learn about the principles and practices of one of the world’s most rapidly growing religions and to explore how Islam has shaped history, language, and politics on a global scale.

See Minor Requirements

Visit Islamic Studies