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Religious Studies degree worth it?

Hey I'm at a crossroads right now as I really want to apply to religious studies courses next year as I find the topic interesting yet I'm a little worried about the job prospects. Is it that bad or can I work around it?
Original post by MorganMason
Hey I'm at a crossroads right now as I really want to apply to religious studies courses next year as I find the topic interesting yet I'm a little worried about the job prospects. Is it that bad or can I work around it?


It really depends what your 'life plan' is. If you really feel passionate about a subject it can be a difficult decision to make.

It's worth researching the sort of careers linked to your subject to see whether any of those appeal to you, or might appeal to you. You will, at some point, need to get a job of some description, so it's worth thinking about the things you want in terms of your career, even if it's just the basics of the role such as wanting to work with people, wanting to avoid shift work, wanting to travel.

Completing a degree just out of academic interest is fine as long as you understand the financial burden associated with it, and also have some sort of plan regarding employment or further education after it, and are able to sustain yourself in terms of housing and food etc.
Original post by MorganMason
Hey I'm at a crossroads right now as I really want to apply to religious studies courses next year as I find the topic interesting yet I'm a little worried about the job prospects. Is it that bad or can I work around it?


A lot of people who do this type of degree end up doing social/welfare type work either through a local authority or a charity. Is this the sort of thing that might appeal to you?

There are a lot of "grad jobs" out there that don't require a particular degree- you can get a good job having done almost any type of degree, as some employers are more interested in your soft skills.

If you think it's something you'd really enjoy, then go for it. If you're just picking your favourite subject but still feel unsure, then I would consider looking at some other options before making a decision.
As with many humanities courses, students don't usually do Religious Studies to get a certain career (unless you are looking to go into academia or the ministry), but because they are interested in the subject and because of the transferrable skills you obtain. A lot of people who I knew who did this course went on to apply for graduate schemes, did a conversion course and went on to pursue law, went into teaching or did a second degree. I would say it depends on what career ideas you have. Religious Studies can lead you to many different career paths, you just need to identify which ones you like and get some work experience at the same time to boost your prospects.

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