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Alma CollegeDepartment Name: Religious Studies Approximate Enrollment (entire institution): 1,400 Number of Religion Majors: 10 Number of Full-Time Departmental Faculty: 2 Public Institution?: Private Related to a religious denomination or body?: Yes Which best describes the institution?: Grants bachelor degrees only Department offers undergraduate coursework in ministerial preparation (either a track, a minor, or a major)?: No Department or institution offers masters programs in religious studies or theological studies?: No Department or institution offers doctoral programs in religious studies or theological studies?: No Description of Undergraduate Major: The department of Religious Studies encourages an inquisitive, analytical, and open approach to multiple religious perspectives; it also encourages students’ awareness of their own value frameworks through the exploration of the value frameworks in various religious perspectives. The Religious Studies department at Alma is relatively small and allows for plenty of personal contact between students and faculty members. The relatively low number of core courses in the department also allows for a highly individualized course of study; this means that with guidance from faculty members, students have freedom largely to create their own major or minor with an eye toward their own goals. Alma students who go on to seminaries report that their Religious Studies courses have prepared them well and even given them a head start toward their next degree. Because of this, as well as because of their personalized recommendations from faculty members, Religious Studies majors and minors from Alma have a high acceptance rate into their first choice schools. |