An ideal foundation for any field, the liberal arts teaches students to address issues clearly, using various perspectives, and to solve problems. As a religion major, you’ll find Augustana the perfect setting to focus on the diverse religious, theological and ethical issues of life.
Augustana offers a religion major/minor, a pre-seminary advising program and an experiential minor in interreligious leadership. Related minors include ethics, Greek for New Testament studies and Biblical studies.
Courses connect to fields throughout the liberal arts, and graduates pursue careers in medicine, law and public policy, social work, education, business, international relations, politics and public relations, non-profits and non-governmental organizations. Augustana also has a long and rich history of preparing students for entrance into seminaries and divinity schools to become ordained ministers and other church leaders.
Augustana’s diverse and welcoming campus community reflects spiritual traditions and religious thought of all kinds.
Ethical citizenship
Examine and embrace your strengths, passions and values. Develop ethical convictions and act on them.
Collaborative leadership
Make decisions and act for the good of the community as a group.
Intercultural competence
Understand real and imaginary similarities and differences. Use more than one perspective to view issues.
Critical thinking and information literacy
Judge and construct arguments, raise questions and define problems. Make a conclusion based on evidence.
Communication competence
Read and listen carefully. Express ideas (writing or speaking) suited to the audience.
• Augustana was founded in 1860 by Swedish Lutheran settlers, and is affiliated with the ELCA. Today, members of all faith groups comprise the campus community.
• Augustana’s many student groups reflect the community’s broad range of religious thought, including the Catholic Organization for Religious Experience, Hillel (Jewish student group), the Muslim Student Organization, and Interfaith Understanding.
• The Quad Cities (pop. 450,000) is a metro community offering access to all of the world’s primary faith traditions. Students find many opportunities for internships and service learning such as tutoring, leading youth groups or activities, and working with social organizations.
• Augustana’s international programs range from yearlong exchange programs to 3.5-week J-term. Opportunities of special interest to religion majors include the Faiths in Dialogue course, which spends two weeks in Rome and Vatican City, and a program in Holden Village, where students study religion, ecology and U.S. history in this remote religious community in the Cascade Mountains of Washington. A $2,000 Augie Choice grant can help pay travel expenses.
• Many religion majors do a service-oriented gap year after graduating (such as Young Adults in Global Mission, Lutheran Volunteer Corps, Peace Corps, etc.) to further pursue their vocations and develop their skills.
Christine Vincent ’19 is an ELCA candidate seminarian at Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Lenoir-Rhyne University, in Columbia, S.C.
Eileen Ruppel-Doan ’18 is pursuing a Master of Divinity at United Lutheran Seminary, Philadelphia.
Riley Ferguson '18 is a financial specialist at UW Credit Union, Madison, Wis.
Adiba Hasan ’18 is an event specialist at Institute for Canadian Citizenship, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Kelsey West ’17 is a primary therapist at Center for Discovery in the Washington, D.C., area.
Kaitlyn Lindgren '16 is a Ph.D. student in religion/religious studies and a graduate teaching assistant at the University of Iowa.
Leah Berger ’16 is an IPS employment specialist supervisor at Behavioral Health Group in Aurora, Colo.
“My peak experience was presenting my senior religion project at the Midwest American Academy of Religion conference.”Read More
“Every faculty member in the CSD and religion departments has influenced, mentored and pushed me to become not only the best student, but holistically the best version of myself.”Read More
“Dr. Mahn and Pastor Kristen helped me tremendously to think about my calling in the world, and they challenged me to grow. I had no idea I'd end up as a religion major.”Read More
Augustana College celebrates the season with several events and performances open to the public.
Around the country, about 25% of college students double major. At Augustana, it’s much higher — 53.4% of the Class of 2020 had double or triple majors. What are the advantages?
From art and anthropology to philosophy and physics, nearly 100 students shared their research and creative projects during the first virtual Celebration of Learning.
Enjoy a beautiful, spiritual presentation of lessons and carols within the intimate setting of Ascension Chapel. The Augustana Chamber Singers, and Campus Ministries and the Ascension Ringers will present the story of Christ's birth in readings and song.
Enjoy a beautiful, spiritual presentation of lessons and carols within the intimate setting of Ascension Chapel. The Augustana Chamber Singers, and Campus Ministries and the Ascension Ringers will present the story of Christ's birth in readings and song.
