Religion, Culture and Society
In this program, you’ll look at the place and function of religions in society—today and in the past. You’ll study the traditional and spiritual dimensions of religion.
Potential careers
What can you do with a religion, culture and society degree? Here are a few jobs that relate to the program:
- librarian
- archivist
- religious minister
- spiritual or religious care professional
- curator
- workshop facilitator
- communications coordinator
- program manager
- human rights specialist
- immigration officer
- intelligence officer
- volunteer coordinator
- youth outreach worker
- student services
- community relations coordinator
- teacher or instructor
- entrepreneur
Some of these roles may require post-graduate studies or training.
Find a career that fits you
- Explore your career options at an appointment with a career educator.
- Attend career development workshops as you search for work.
- Take part in the Career Clarity program to generate career ideas and plan your next steps.
Experience & connections
Opportunities in the religion, culture and society program
- With the Co-op Program you can alternate study with paid work.
Opportunities outside your program
- With a work study position you can develop skills during your study term.
- Volunteering is a great way to give back to your community while you build skills.
Networks you can connect to
Here are a few professional associations related to religion, culture and society:
Hands-on learning opportunities
These courses in the religion, culture and society program offer extensive hands-on learning.
Co-op
Co-op work terms
Alternate academic study with paid work terms to gain workplace experience
Field experience
RCS 200A - Introduction to Judaism, Christianity and Islam
Visit and research local sites of significance in Western religious traditions
RCS 200B - Introduction to Asian Religions
Visit and research local sites of significance in Asian religious traditions
RCS 306 - Critics of Religion
Visit and research local sites of significance in various religious traditions
Research project
RCS 450 - Capstone Seminar
Complete a mock conference panel presentation
Work experience
Work experience work terms
Take part in a modified co-op program requiring one or two work experiences
These courses are not always offered as described.
What you'll learn
Every student at UVic builds skills all employers look for. At UVic Co-op & Career we call these "competencies". This is what you’ll learn in the religion, culture and society program.
Critical thinking
- think critically about a wide variety of textual, visual, cultural, material and archeological sources
- understand the importance of historical, political and cultural context in the interpretation of texts
- identify the critical questions to be asked of a religious event, figure, phenomenon, theory, text and debate
Contemporary significance
- understand the historical and cultural origins of the ideas, texts, art forms, architectural expressions, rituals and ideas associated with the world’s religious, spiritual, national and ethnic traditions
- understand the link between the contemporary and ancient worlds
Methods of inquiry
- use a variety of intellectual approaches to understand religious phenomena
- use anthropological or ethnographic approaches to study contemporary religious communities
- focus on the history, politics and literary conventions associated with sacred texts or commentaries upon those texts
- address how religious traditions and institutions have shaped ideas of what it means to be a woman or a man
- consider the role of religion in history
- take part in political debates around the real-world challenges faced by orthodox religious adherents
- analyze the relationship between ideas, arguments and debates
- understand the role of economic and political forces in the development of religions
- understand the role of religious forces in economic and political development
Social and cultural perspective
- understand texts, visual culture and material culture in their social and cultural contexts
- understand how religious cultures generated and transmitted knowledge
- assess the importance of classical scholarship on the intellectual and artistic traditions of the religious world
- assess the role of religious belief in the formation of societies
- consider the cultural interactions between different ethnic, religious, political and socioeconomic communities.
- assess spiritual discourses and practices