What to do with a Religion major?

Where do I go after TCU?

In the first instance, check out the website the American Academy of Religion has created about "Why Study Religion?" It includes many good links about the study of religion. Especially see the link "Where Can I Go With It?"

Second, if interested in furthering your education in the study of Religion or Theology, it is never too early to begin thinking of graduate school or seminary.

Click here to go to recommended programs offering M.A., M.Div. and Ph.D. degrees.

Finally, a short, helpful bibliography for thinking about graduate school, seminary,

religious service careers, and whatever else might intrigue you!

Getting What You Came For: The Smart Student's Guide to Earning an M.A. or a Ph.D, by Robert Peters

Asks questions such as: Is graduate school right for you? Should you get a master’s or a Ph.D.? How can you choose the best possible school? This guide helps students answer these vital questions and much more. It will also help graduate students finish in less time, for less money, and with less trouble. Based on interviews with career counselors, graduate students, and professors, Getting What You Came For is packed with real-life experiences. It has all the advice a student will need not only to survive but to thrive in graduate school, including: instructions on applying to school and for financial aid; how to excel on qualifying exams; how to manage academic politics—including hostile professors; and how to write and defend a top-notch thesis. Most important, it shows you how to land a job when you graduate.

Opportunities in Religious Service Careers, by John Oliver Nelson

Those seeking careers in fields of religious service will find explanations of the role of clergy in various settings, such as the military, hospitals, correctional institutions, overseas, and many others; current information on accredited schools and programs designed to prepare students for diverse religious roles; agencies and organization for educational and job-hunting help; and more. Includes:

Tips on determining if you have the skills, motivation, and temperament to dedicate yourself to a religious service career
Reliable resources for internships, academic degree programs, and vocational training
Detailed descriptions of job duties and responsibilities for a wide variety of positions, from chaplain to religious educator to congregational leader
An expansive overview of possible work settings, including a hospital, classroom, or military base; a neighborhood close to home or a village thousands of miles away
Inspirational advice on committing to meaningful work despite sometimes limited monetary compensation
Strategies for launching a career, including suggestions for women and those interested in international assignments

Careers for Good Samaritans & Other Humanitarian Types, by Marjorie Eberts and Margaret Gisler (McGraw Hill, 1998)

For altruistic individuals who would like to enrich people's lives, respond to their needs, and improve the welfare and happiness of others, CAREERS FOR GOOD SAMARITANS will show you dozens of exciting options. Careers in social services; local, state, and federal government; health care; religious institutions; voluntary organizations; and similar others offer rewards that go far beyond a paycheck.

The Harvard Business School Guide to Careers in the Nonprofit Sector by Stephanie Lowell (Harvard 2000)

Discusses the influence and the means of becoming involved with nonprofit organizations, covering careers in arts and culture, community economic development, social services, and social purpose business, to name a few.

What Color Is Your Parachute?, 2004: A Practical Manual for Job-Hunters & Career-Changers, by Richard Nelson Bolles

Good, general guide to finding a job or changing careers; including information on useful Internet sites, how to select a career counselor, and more.

Making A Living While Making A Difference by Melissa Everett

Focuses on personal, social, and environmental values as the driving force for career decisions. Expanded and updated self-assessments, exercises, and visualizations point the reader toward defining their personal area of commitment. Compelling stories such as the origins of the Endangered Species Chocolate Company or the success of Stonyfield Farm, the feisty little yogurt company, illustrate how ordinary people are doing good and doing well.

Fulfill Your Soul's Purpose- Ten Creative Paths to Your Life Mission, by Naomi Stephan

More personal/interior focused then the others. Shows you how to seek, identify, and express your individual life mission. As the deep, underlying theme that guides and directs all of your activities, your soul's purpose represents the very essence of who you are. It is your intention - the heartbeat, core, and overall theme that guides your life.

Let Your Life Speak: Listening for the Voice of Vocation, by Parker Palmer

With wisdom, compassion, and gentle humor, Parker J. Palmer invites us to listen to the inner teacher and follow its leadings toward a sense of meaning and purpose. Telling stories from his own life and the lives of others who have made a difference, he shares insights gained from darkness and depression as well as fulfillment and joy, illuminating a pathway toward vocation for all who seek the true calling of their lives.

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