Our Mission

The Department for the Study of Religion (DSR) at San Diego State University is committed to the multi-disciplinary, critical study of religion and nurturing student curiosity about their own traditions and those of others. We approach the study of religion as an exploration of both the idea of religion/s and its role in society, history, and culture through diverse methodologies. Applying these methodologies, our faculty engage students and the community through teaching, research, and public commitment on the local and global stage. We equip students with intercultural expertise and developed religious literacy on the intersections of religion and the public sphere in the United States and around the world.

We seek to:

• Introduce the methodologies of religious studies as an academic discipline.
• Advance the profession of religious studies through a commitment to scholarly research, publication, interpretation, and discussion.
• Support and accompany student explorations in expanding understanding of their own faith traditions and/or those of others.
• Cultivate an understanding of religious pluralism, including the complexly non-religious and so-called secular realms, to create critically aware and compassionate citizens in a religiously diverse world, and,
• Promote informed public dialogue about religion and its influence on society and culture, especially as it pertains to anti-racist and non-violent movements.

Why major in religious studies?

The academic study of religion is central to the creation of a community of world citizens. Our program is designed for students who live in a pluralistic society and who wish to investigate the role religions play in human life and society. Because religion has contributed to the human story of almost every culture, it is difficult to understand human behavior or to interpret world events without grasping how religion has helped to shape them. Read more about the major.