Religion, B.A.

The Chowan University Religion program embraces the university’s history as a university founded by Baptists before the American Civil War. Thus, we are proud of our graduates who enter divinity school or seminary to prepare for Christian ministry. While we embrace our denominational heritage, we also seek to expand upon that heritage with a modern-day academic approach to the study of religion. This means that, because people of all backgrounds find religion a fascinating area of inquiry, any or no personal religious preference is welcome in our department. As such, some religion graduates may pursue careers in journalism, law, medicine, military service, and social work after graduation.

With a major or minor in religious studies, you will learn to read texts closely, think critically, and write clearly. These skills, hallmarks of a liberal arts education, prepare students for diverse areas of future graduate study and/or professional careers. Whatever your motivation for the study of religion, we invite you to pull up a chair and join us at the table for lively discussions centered upon some of the religious traditions found throughout the world such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

Whether you are interested in the academic study of Religion, pursuing additional graduate study in the future, looking to add ethical value to your professional career, or pursuing vocational ministry, the Religion program will equip you with a classic liberal arts education to meet your goals.

B.A. Degree Requirements

Minor Requirements

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The program also offers opportunities to study abroad. Through our extensive travel and study abroad programs, students can have first-hand knowledge of the Holy Lands, the paths of Paul, and other destinations of religious significance. Special scholarships are even available for these opportunities!

Students who are interested in continuing their studies outside of the classroom often participate in the Chowan University Religion Club, which offers students additional educational, service, and fellowship opportunities.

Most recently the Religion Department took a group to the Islamic Association of Raleigh. Click here to learn more about the experience.

Religion Club at Islamic Center in Raleigh

People with a degree in religion go on to do pretty much anything and everything!

I chose the religion department simply to enjoy my studies and the opportunity to take classes that compelled me, made the work less daunting, the lectures more enthralling, and the rewards more life changing. Professors challenged me to explore topics free from the restraints of preconceived opinions, which lit a fire in me to pursue learning for the rest of my life. Passion filled discussions with classmates taught me how to be tactful and effective with my words. I was shown the beauty and validity in cultures, beliefs, and values different from my own, which cultivated respect and compassion that underlies my work as a health coach. Ultimately, a college major is much more than a degree. For me, it was the culmination of the people and experiences I let affect my life, instilling values and developing the perspective that has brought me to a life more fulfilling than I could have imagined.

Jordan Burland Card | Mathematics and Religion

Jordan Burland Card graduated from Chowan University in 2015 with a double major in Mathematics and Religion. She was a catcher on the softball team. Today, Jordan lives in Imperial Beach, California, with her husband Blakeslee, and son Josh. A second child is on the way. She works as a Master Coach at 24 Hour Fitness.

When I matriculated into Chowan I started as an Adult Degree student but quickly found that I wanted more after taking one biblical studies class. The Religion Department classes not only intrigued me but challenged me as well. The instructors created brave and safe spaces for my fellow classmates and I to ask questions that burned deep within. Our classroom discussions, assignments, coupled with other lectures gave way for fresh perspectives of the world behind the text found in the sacred scriptures. In classes such as Intro to Islam, we learned to appreciate diversity in cultures and to honor our brother and sisters who may not share the same beliefs as we do. My tenure at Chowan truly taught me how to have “Faith in my Future.” Since graduation I have gone on to complete three Master’s degree programs (MDiv, MACE, M. Ed). I currently enjoy my position as a Transportation Area Manager (TAM) for Amazon while serving as second in leadership on the Outreach team at my local assembly, and voluntarily teach an interview preparation skills class at an urban ministry program in Richmond, VA. I wholeheartedly believe that Chowan’s Religion Department prepared me for not just a life of ministry work but life altogether. I will always be grateful for the instructors, friends turned family, mission trips, and memories overall that made up my Chowan experience. I like to think that CU is the place that makes way for the birthing of the best of YOU. No matter where I go my heart will always beat for the white and blue.

LaTisha Flood-Anderson MDiv, MACE, M.Ed | Religion

LaTisha Flood Anderson graduated from Chowan University in 2015 with a major in Religion. Today, LaTisha lives in Richmond, Va., with her husband, Deleon Anderson. After Chowan, LaTisha went on to earn master’s degrees from the Virginia Union University Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology. Currently, Latisha works for Amazon as Transportation Area Manager (TAM). LaTisha is a good example of the flexibility provided by a major or minor in Religion. You can go on to graduate school (in whatever field), and you can work for Amazon.

As someone who felt called to ministry since early high school, I began attending Chowan in 2015 in search of a program that could prepare me for student ministry. What I found in Chowan’s Religion Department was so much more! I quickly found myself in classes that aided my abilities to think critically, read Scripture, and appreciate the rich theologies and traditions found throughout history. Though such classes were expected, my professors ensured that each subject was brought to life in ways that made me want to know more and explore beyond what was required. And Chowan was prepared for this expansion! I fondly recall my growth in classes such as “Jesus at the Movies,” “Religion and Science,” “Cross Culture Ministry,” and “Intro to Islam” – among many others! I was even provided opportunities to visit the very places I studied, traveling with teams to Israel and then South Africa in 2016 and 2017 respectively. The religion professors at Chowan care about what they teach and about their students – and that changed my life! The Religion Department at Chowan University opened doors I would not have dreamed possible for myself ten years ago. Directly after graduating from Chowan in 2019, I became a Master of Divinity candidate at Duke University, where I graduated just this past May (2022). Today, I live in New York City, where I work as a counselor for the Renaissance Youth Center, a Bronx-based nonprofit organization! I love the work I do, and with each new day and challenge I am reminded of the holistic education Chowan provided me!

Sean Timmons ’19 | Religion

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Religion, B.A.

Learn by doing

People with a degree in religion go on to do pretty much anything and everything!

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