Religion, Ethics & Meaning

Degree Type:

Bachelor’s Degree

Mode of Study:

On Campus

College:

The Religion, Ethics, and Meaning program prepares students for a career—a life—of big questions, ethical reasoning, and careful analysis of the human condition. Students will study what philosophers, authors, and various religions have had to say about the meaning of life, death, and love.

This major offers students three things: transferable skills useful in any career, problem solving experience to improve the world, and an enriched inner life.

Students completing this program will (a) become familiar with how key religious and philosophical traditions have addressed the nature, meaning, and purpose of human life; (b) be able to perform ethical reasoning in complex situations; (c) be able to articulate the relationship between an idea and its socio-historical context; (d) be able to argumentatively handle more than one side of an issue charitably; and (e) learn basic research techniques.

Common Career Paths

Basic knowledge about other cultures and religious perspectives is indispensable. Religion, Ethics & Meaning majors have successfully gone on to professional jobs in:

non-profit organizations
law
ministry
counseling
social services
business
politics
teaching
journalism
publishing
writing

Common Salary Ranges for Graduates

As mentioned above, there’s a long list of career opportunities for those with Religion, Ethics & Meaning degrees. But, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average annual salary for the following positions (which may require additional education) in North Carolina in 2021:

Philosophy and religion teacher: $88,260
Social worker: $57,880
Religious workers: $54,340
Clergy: $57,230
Directors of religious activities and education: $52,880

Average Tuition Cost

The average cost for an incoming residential freshman to attend MU is less than $18,000 – similar to the cost of attending one of the big-box public schools, but with the enhanced value of a highly-regarded private school with a 12:1 student-to-faculty ratio.

While tuition varies, depending on a student’s financial aid package, it’s important to know that the average financial award for an incoming residential freshman at MU is more than $34,000.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

More than 97% of MU students receive some form of financial aid, with the University offering more than $24 million annually to students for scholarships. If a student is active military, family of active military, or a veteran, they may also qualify for MU’s military education benefits.