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Major

About this major

Analyse the concepts that people and communities prioritise in their lives to explain their existence, including religions, philosophies, life-justifications, and popular mythologies. You will be introduced to a range of methodologies including sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, philosophy, textual studies and history. You will study the essence of what it means to be human and will examine how dramatic narratives and powerful inner experiences propel both the individual and social constructions of reality.

The Studies in Religion major allows you to investigate the ways in which humans have ascribed value to their lives, societies, and other important ideals from family to nation, individuality, and the afterlife. You will get to examine how these values and aspirations have been formalised into communal structures and powerful institutions throughout all of human history.

Equipped with the necessary skills in critical thinking, you will be able to understand and interrogate the central role of religion—overtly and covertly—in broader socio-cultural practices. You will also develop a critical awareness of the skills used in the academy to assess the narrative, ethical, legal, and institutional aspects of religion we use to keep our societies functioning and which we call sacred.

For more information on the program structure and content including unit of study information, please refer to the Arts and Social Sciences Handbook.

Graduate opportunities

Our graduates enter a wide range of careers. Examples include:

  • Archivist 
  • Business and government consultant 
  • Charity officer 
  • Journalist 
  • Librarian 
  • Museum and gallery curator 
  • Public service positions 
  • Publisher 
  • Researcher 
  • Writer
Courses that offer this major

To commence study in the year

Units of study in this major

To commence study in the year

The course information on this website applies only to future students. Current students should refer to faculty handbooks for current or past course information.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.