The Department of Religious Studies at George Mason is a vibrant community of scholars and students exploring questions about human life through the lens of religion. The Department offers a comprehensive study of religion that spans geographies, traditions, and methods, including historical, ethnographic, philological, sociological, and text critical approaches. Religious Studies as an inherently inter-disciplinary field brings together the scientific and historical study of religion, which may include an intense focus on a specific religion, the comparative study of multiple religions, or even the very definition of religion. The Religious Studies BA is offered as an on-campus in person degree program. Limited coursework may be offered as an online course offering.

Students interested in Mason are encouraged to focus on completing courses that meet general education requirements. BA degree programs in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences have additional requirements in: philosophy or religion, social and behavioral science, foreign language through the intermediate level, and non-western culture. Students are encouraged to use the "Contact an Institution" section of the portal and connect with our staff for questions related to specific course equivalencies and requirements.

For the BA Reiligious Studies, introductory courses for the major (such as RELI 211 and 212) may be completed prior to transfer to Mason.

• Create a schedule for all required courses, pay attention to prerequisites and when courses are offered, complete your first math and English courses in your first year
• Connect with an advisor at your community college and George Mason University within your first year

The BA in Religious Studies can provide students with upwards of 40 credit hours in general elective credits that can be used to complete a second major or minor to enhance your academic depth and interests. Our proximity to Washington D.C. offers students a wealth of opportunities to pursue their passions. Religious Studies can also help bring students to the world. Many of Mason's Global Education study-abroad opportunities to England, Italy, Israel, or South Korea fit perfectly into the Religious Studies curriculum.

Looking for the experience of a liberal arts college at a major public research university? Religious Studies majors and Judaic and Islamic Studies minors at Mason benefit from small upper-level classes, ready access to instructors, and opportunities to participate in research projects and activities beyond the classroom. The Religious Studies BA offers competency in the diversity of religions (religious literacy) an increasingly recognized value among employers in both private and public sectors in fields as diverse as health care, diplomacy and security, environmentalism and development, trade, and entertainment. Recent Religious Studies majors have secured internships in the Greater Washington area, have pursued careers in higher education, the non-profit sector, and various agencies in the federal government, and have attended top-tier graduate programs such as Georgetown Law School and Yale Divinity School.

• Completing your Associate transfer degree post-high school satisfies all lower division general education requirements and increases the chance of completing your bachelor's degree?
• Exceeding 3 years or 90 credits at your community college means you may have exhausted your financial aid at that college and have limited your future financial aid at: George Mason University

• Our students enroll from all over the Commonwealth, all 50 states, and more than 130 countries.
• Transfer students are encouraged, but not required to join our residential campus community of 6,300 students.
• Mason transfers thrive in any number of the 400+ academic, cultural, or social student organizations.