Our students are academic achievers

• At Drew they have won notable academic awards, including the Critical Language Scholarship and the Fulbright

• A recent graduate received full funding to pursue an MPhil at Oxford University. She had written a Capstone essay on historical memory of the Reconquista in Spain.

• A recent graduate achieved a Master’s at Harvard Divinity School, a Ph.D. at Fordham, and now teaches about religion, ecology and social justice at a liberal arts college.

• A recent graduate achieved a Ph.D. at Rice University and now teaches about religion and the environment at a liberal arts college; he also serves as co-chair of a Program Unit of the American Academy of Religion.

• A recent graduate is now a pediatrician. She had written a Capstone paper comparing religion and medicine in Ghana and the U.S.

History of Religions teaches students how to ask analytical and critical questions about religion and to understand its connections to other ways of social thought and practice. The skills developed are ones that employers say they want in national surveys, including: civic knowledge, global knowledge, awareness of ethical issues, ethical decision-making, problem solving in diverse settings, excellent written and oral communication, critical thinking and analytic reasoning, and information literacy. After Drew, History of Religions majors and minors enter a number of careers as evidenced by our graduates, including law, education, development, communications, journalism, public relations, cultural institutions, and social service organizations. Majors also go on to graduate or professional study in many related fields.

In order to develop connections between theory and practice, the major requires an internship or other immersive experience in an area of each student’s choice. Our students have pursued diverse opportunities. Some ideas appear below on this page.