Why Study Religion?
International and Interdisciplinary Scholarship
Religion shapes, and is shaped by, every other dimension of human society. It is impossible to fully understand politics, law, history, or science without understanding religion. We invite you to learn more about the most interdisciplinary field in the university: Religious Studies.
QUICK LINKS:
Our Curriculum
See Details
Graduate Program
Featured Story
Religious Studies Major Stella Zhu's Study Abroad in Vienna!
We're excited to share the reflections and photos from Religious Studies Major Stella's Zhu Fall quarter abroad in Vienna, Austria!
"I studied abroad in Vienna in Fall 2025 and took five courses. Two courses that stood out most to me were “Jewish Life in Vienna: Past and Present” and “Religion and Multiculturalism.” Both were far more transformative and immersive than I initially expected.
I visited synagogues in Hungary and Slovenia, as well as Jewish museums, concentration camps, and former ghettos across Germany, Austria, Poland, and beyond."
Click the link below to read more of her story!
Find Your Direction
Alumna Adina Goldman had a path that led her from pre-med to English literature and biological anthropology and then to religious studies and music.
News and Events
Faculty in the News
Professor Kevin Buckelew's new book Discerning Buddhas was recently published! Congratulations!
Click below to read more about Professor Buckelew's book Discerning Buddhas, which explores themes of authority, agency and masculinity in Chan Buddhism.
Upcoming Events
Apr
3
2026
KFBSLS Year 6, Lecture 7: Lei Ying
10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, Online
The seventh lecture in the sixth year of the Khyentse Foundation Buddhist Studies Lecture Series at Northwestern.
Apr
8
2026
"The Religious Vocabulary of Turkic-Speaking Christians and the P...
12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, Evanston
Join the Keyman Modern Turkish Studies Program for "The Religious Vocabulary of Turkic-Speaking Christians and the Problem of the Origi...
Apr
10
2026
(NARW) North American Religions April Workshop
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM, Evanston
NARW is an interdisciplinary workshop for Chicago-area students and faculty working in and alongside the field of North American Religi...