What is religious studies? Religious studies is a multidisciplinary discipline which make secular study of religious beliefs, institutions and behaviors. It tries to describe, compare, interpret and explain all the religious idiosyncrasies, systematic emphasizing of their beliefs, historical approach of religion and the cultural perspectives and influences.

The students pursuing religious studies are helped to understand the subject matter of each and every religion and how particular traditions, beliefs, behaviors and circumstances have shaped them over the time. This is a multicultural and multi disciplinary branch of study which also studies methodologies like sociology, anthropology, philosophy, psychology and the history of religion.

This is a very good branch of study which enables the students to inculcate in them the power of tolerance, understanding, cultural beliefs, respect for each other, and it helps the students to build more affordable relationships between communities, religious groups and others. The schools, colleges and universities in US render opportunities for religious studies in various traditions. You can pursue undergraduate level of religious studies, graduate level of religious studies and masters as well as doctoral level of religious studies. There are programs like Masters in Divinity (Mdiv) and Masters of Arts in Religion (MAR).

So what do a student in religious studies learn. They are taught about the American Religious History, Asian Religions, Judaism, Islam, Ancient Christianity, Hebrew Bible, New and Old Testaments, philosophies of religion, theology, religious ethics and other subjects related to it. They also have to learn history, American History, Language and alike to get their degrees. They have the greatest opportunity to read some prominent texts in Roman, Arabic, Latin and Sanskrit translated in English and get to know the values of old traditions and customs.

Most of the Religious Schools combine the religious studies with other branches of study to prepare the students to relate religion to contemporary world and the present context of ethics and values. Let us find out some of the best schools of universities which provide degrees in religious studies. They are-

Stanford's Department of Religious Studies, Standford University offers religious studies and specialization in various topics. Marquette University offers Religious Studies and Theology programs, University of Michigan offers programs in Buddhist Studies, Crown College provides programs in Intercultural Studies, Madonna University has program in Pastoral Ministry, Wartburg Theological Seminary, Nashotah House, and others.