College of the Pacific
What to do with a Religious & Classical Studies degree?
Studying religion requires students to develop intellectual habits that can be applied to any area of life. Students learn to read texts carefully, to think independently, to engage in thoughtful analysis of data from a variety of perspectives, and to express their own ideas in written and oral form.
Students will also be challenged to reflect upon, appreciate, and be open to criticism, practices, beliefs and institutions of other cultures as well as their own. Through this exposure, students come to better understand the world, themselves, and their place in the world.
Religious & Classical Studies provides a foundation for citizen-leaders in a variety of careers, including teaching, religious vocations, journalism, publishing, film, law, government, business, non-profit organizations, social work, nursing, and medicine.
A Few of Our Graduates
Jessica Grimes: After receiving the bachelor's degree in English and Religious Studies in 2002 from the University of the Pacific, Jessica attended Yale Divinity School and received an M.A.R. (Master of Arts in Religion and Literature) in 2004. She now teaches at Bakersfield College and California State University–Bakersfield in the English Department. Jessica plans to apply to a doctoral program in the near future. A published article written by Jessica may be accessed at this link.
Aaron Leon: Aaron graduated in 2006 with a degree in Religious Studies and Philosophy. He says, "Pacific, and in particular the Religious Studies department, provided me with a solid foundation in the academic study of religion by not only drawing from a vast array of pertinent thinkers, but also by focusing on the pragmatic elements of religion. This approach enabled me to gain a holistic understanding of religion and its relation to the society and world in which we live." Aaron is currently enrolled in a master's program in religion at Yale Divinity School.
Joy Remy (pen name: Joy Marchand): Joy writes fiction and poetry, but also works as a medical writing associate for Dyax Corporation, a biotech company in Cambridge, MA. About the latter she says, "My interviewers were very impressed with my degree and felt that a background in Greek and Latin was perfectly appropriate for an apprentice medical writer." Joy names several faculty members who "gave me a lot of extra support during my studies."
