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Religion
Hood offers major programs in both philosophy and religion. These majors lie at the heart of the humanities and of the liberal arts. Both majors express the important theme that while all of us have our own stories, the purpose of a college education is to enable students to see their individual stories within a larger narrative that encompasses many stories. Acquiring that broadened perspective is, in large part, what it means to be an educated person.
At first glance, liberal arts programs—a major in philosophy or religion, for example—may not seem immediately "practical." But the words of Sister Kathleen Feeley, past president of the College of Notre Dame in Baltimore, are worth thinking about: "Your education," she said, "must in some sense be timeless—philosophy, history, art, music, religious studies, literature—in order to be truly timely."
The study of philosophy and religion can prepare you for graduate and professional
study in a surprisingly wide variety of fields. We believe that philosophy
and religious studies are essential parts of the practical training that each
student requires. This training is not in a narrow specialty, but rather
training for life: life as a thoughtful and skilled participant in the world
of work, life as a responsible citizen of the larger community, and life as
a steward of the manifold riches of the world's great civilizations. We
also believe that these majors are among the best programs for students considering
graduate or professional school.
The Religion Major
In order to understand the world in which we live and the worlds in which
our ancestors lived, we must understand religion. A prominent scholar of religion,
Jacob Neusner, believes that "when we study religion we study the subject
which unifies all the other subjects of the humanities. If we do not study religion,
we are not studying what is important about ourselves in the world."
The study of religion is not only for students intending to become clergy. While some Hood religion majors do go on to seminary or undertake graduate programs in religious studies, most do not. These students major in religion for the same reasons that other students major in history or literature: to cultivate a deeper grounding in a discipline of interest to them and to master a variety of useful skills.
The religion major requires a minimum of 27 credits (nine courses) in religion at the 200 level or above. At least six of the nine courses must include:
- Old Testament
- New Testament
- Indian Thought or Chinese Thought
- Myth, Symbol, and Ritual
- American Religious History
- Senior Seminar
Students receive a thorough grounding in the foundational texts of the Judeo-Christian tradition, an introduction to a major tradition of Asia, an acquaintance with the principal categories and themes of religion and the opportunity to participate in a capstone experience: a senior research seminar. Students are also required to take at least three courses from the following list:
- The Christian Heritage
- Indian Thought
- Chinese Thought
- Judaism
- Modern Religious Thought
- The Politics of the Black Church
- Black Theology
- History of Philosophy I
- History of Philosophy II
- Islam
Internship Opportunities
Students majoring in religion often complete internships during their undergraduate
studies to prepare for graduate work and future career paths. Hood religion majors
have carried out internships at such organizations as:
- bioethics publishers
- health research institutes
- legislative bodies and government agencies
- hospitals
- churches and synagogues
- religious coalitions for the homeless
- businesses
These internships enable our students to explore business ethics, medical ethics, the role of religion in society, the relation between belief and ritual and the goals and operations of the political sphere.
Alumnae and Alumni Success Stories
Our recent graduates are pursuing successful careers as lawyers, teachers,
clergy and in business. Departmental majors have gone on to graduate and
professional programs at such universities as Georgetown, The George Washington University,
Drew University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Maryland, Gettysburg Theological Seminary, Virginia Theological
Seminary, Duke University and the The Catholic University of America.
For complete information in our online catalog, click here.