Undergraduate
Introduction
Welcome Undergraduates!
The study of religion is an academic discipline that borrows social scientific and humanistic methods in order to interpret religious phenomena worldwide. Scholars of religion use a range of tools—historical methods to think about how religions change over time; comparative methods to analyze rituals or texts in different religions; anthropological methods to study how religion shapes human cultures and societies. Still others use literary-critical methods to understand religious texts and how they are used. It is a diverse, creative field in which scholars talk across disciplinary boundaries. Because of this, the study of religion attracts creative, versatile students willing to learn different ways of thinking about and interpreting human life and culture.
The religion concentration at Harvard allows students to explore some of the most profound issues that face human beings. In our program students have access to a range of human experiences that have produced much of the greatest literature of the world, inspired its art and philosophy, and shaped its moral consciousness. Religion concentrators consider issues like the meaning of community, the nature of human nature, the problem of God and the meaning of life, suffering and death. Our program is unique in allowing students to ponder these “big” questions in rigorous, critical ways.
Students do this work within the context of a well-organized tutorial program that is one of the best on campus. We have semester-long tutorials for sophomores and juniors, and a year-long tutorial for senior thesis-writers, all of which are taught by faculty members and advanced graduate students. All tutorials are small-group or one-on-one. Sophomore tutorials introduce students to religious phenomena and the tools scholars use to interpret them. Junior tutorials allow students to pursue topics of interest in small groups focused on close reading and writing skills. Senior tutorials prepare students to complete an honors thesis by early April. All seniors have three advisors—a faculty advisor, a graduate-student advisor and the Assistant Director of Undergraduate Studies.
As a small concentration at Harvard, the study of religion is an intimate community within a much larger university. Religion students regularly interact with faculty members and graduate students who share their interests. Tutorials are small (sometimes one-on-one) and are often tailored to student interests. Student satisfaction with tutorials and with academic advising in general is consistently high in our program. Our small concentration gives students unique opportunities to know other students and faculty.
Concentrators pursue many careers after graduation—business, law, medicine, public service, teaching, scholarship. Most of our students do not go on to graduate study in religion. Religion students find that their studies give them important skills. They learn to read texts closely and critically, think about deep, philosophical questions, analyze arguments and appreciate the diversity of human experience. These are important skills to bring to any field or profession.
Download the Undergraduate Handbook! 