Religion Major and Minor
The religion major at Seaver College offers students core courses fundamental to understanding the Christian faith. Students also may choose to specialize in one of the following areas: scripture, Church history, Christian thought, and practical theology. Students studying religion are invited contribute to the Leaven Journal and participate in a ministry internship.
Data analyzed from the Census Bureau found that in the 2016 and 2017 American Community survey the major with the lowest unemployment rate was theology and religion at one percent.
Joyce , Kathleen. "These Are the College Majors with the Highest and Lowest Unemployment Rates." Fox Business, 22 June 2019, www.foxbusiness.com/features/these-are-the-college-majors-with-the-highest-and-lowest-unemployment-rates.
Religion Degree
Our religion major prepares students for ministries in religious bodies, service, voluntary organizations, and graduate studies in religion. The religion degree program also pairs nicely with other Seaver undergraduate degrees in preparation for graduate work in the social sciences, business, law, public affairs, and ethics.
Religion Minors
Religion
Our religion minor provides students with a broad understanding of how religion is
integrated into every culture—particularly American culture—including how it relates
to their chosen career. Twenty-five units are required.
Faith and Vocation
Our Faith and Vocation minor is designed to help students explore their chosen career through the lens of vocation (calling), enabling students to apply spiritual and theological discernment to various facets of their professional and personal lives. Students learn to think from a faith-based, theological perspective and to apply spiritual discernment to various facets of their professional and personal lives. Twenty units are required
What Religion Grads Are Doing
Data collected from the 2023 class within six months of graduation.
Employed Full-Time or Part-Time
Admitted to Graduate School
Total Settled Graduates
Why Pepperdine
Pepperdine Seaver College is consistently recognized among the top-ranked universities in California and the United States. We are a Christian university where students grow in knowledge and character. As a liberal arts institution, we focus on providing rich opportunities for intellectual and spiritual exploration for students with a diverse community.
Located in Malibu, CA
13:1 Student-to-Faculty Ratio
80% of Students Participate in an International Program
120,000 + Alumni Network
Student Opportunities
Summer GE Program
Students study at Pepperdine University's 56 Prince's Gate facility, a Victorian Grade
II house in the South Kensington district of London. An educational field trip takes
students to Turkey, a country that has for centuries marked the geographic, political,
religious, and cultural border between Europe and Asia.
Scholarships
The Seaver College religion division offers three departmental scholarships. Current
students are invited to explore these opportunities.
Career Options
Through our undergraduate major, the Religion and Philosophy Division prepares students for a variety of undertakings, as religion courses challenge students to develop their critical and analytical thinking, as well as written and oral communication skills.
A 2010 alumni survey of recent graduates showed that after graduation, approximately two-thirds of the University's religion majors had entered into local ministry jobs (full-time or part-time) and/or were pursuing advanced degrees in some area of religion (M.A., M.Div., Ph.D.). The former serve in a wide variety of church and para-church settings, located all over the world. Some of the latter are pursuing careers in university teaching or private secondary education.
Other graduates regarded their religion degree as central to obtaining a broad, liberal
arts background that produces the kind of well-rounded, educated person desirable
in so many professions today. These graduates can now be found pursuing advanced degrees
and careers in a variety of fields, including law, psychology, business, public education,
personal counseling, and social work.
Religion Keck First-Year Seminar
At the beginning of their first semester of college, students in the Keck First-Year
Seminar: "Money, Power, and the Holy Land" are handed ancient coins from the John
Wilson Coin Collection. Dr. Wilson graciously made his coins, dating from the 5th
century BCE to the 15th century CE, available for student research. When handed these
coins, the first-year students knew next to nothing about the coins they were handed;
they could not read Greek, Latin, or ancient Hebrew (the languages of the coins),
nor did they know much about the culture, religion, cities, or historical circumstances
surrounding the coins.
Religion Student Testimonials
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Contact Us
Religion and Philosophy Division
Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Highway
Malibu, CA 90263
Office: APC 201
Daniel A. Rodriguez
Divisional Dean & Professor of Religion and Hispanic Studies
Tiffany Ferguson
Office Manager
Priscilla Wesely
Administrative Assistant