Philosophy & Religious Studies Student Opportunities

Interdisciplinary Opportunities

Religious studies is by its very nature interdisciplinary, making use of insights from philosophy, theology, anthropology, sociology, history, and psychology just to name a few. Our faculty embodies this quality, and work alongside all of our diverse programs, from the Health Sciences to Business to Environmental Engineering to Education.

Our minors are popular in complementing degrees in the Health Sciences, Business, Education, Social Work, Foreign Languages, etc.

Courses like Compassionate Caregiving, Religion and Science, and Sports Ethics compliment some of the University’s most popular majors.

We support global service. We have traveled Physician Assistant majors to Africa, Honduras, and Mexico, and Environmental Engineering majors to Bolivia. If you want to serve in a global context, we will prepare and help you to make this dream a reality!

Senior Capstones. Our capstones are known for being creative and fun. Currently, one Physician Assistant student has begun a project designed to demonstrate that love impacts service, not only for giver, but the receiver; service with love protects and secures the dignity of the recipient. The student will travel to Nicaragua and create a photo journal and scrapbook for future students participating in the HUGS United service trip.

Service opportunities

Service is at the heart of our university’s Franciscan identity, and at the heart of this department. Students are encouraged to make service central to their education, bringing together classroom learning and community service. We actively support the Dorothy Day Center, located on our campus, giving students the chance to become part of a “family” of people who serve local people. At the DDC, students engage with clients by offering food, clothing, heating, child-care, and all-around fun.

Undergraduate Research & Presentations

Once students become grounded in the fundamentals of the discipline, we encourage them to pursue their own research interests. We also encourage them to present their work at professional conferences and publish in undergraduate journals.

Internships

Students interested in entering the workforce are encouraged to do at least one internship. Doing this helps students gain real world experience, while broadening their professional network.

Clubs and Organizations

Theta Alpha Kappa (Alpha Gamma chapter), ACHS member - National Honor Society for Theology/Religious Studies

Delta Epsilon Sigma - National Catholic Honors Society

SFU Philosophy Club - Opportunities to become an active member and hold an office

The North American Undergraduate Conference in Religion and Philosophy

Now in its sixth year, NAUCRP brings together the finest undergraduates in the region and nation to share their research. Our majors are encouraged to attend and present.

The Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies

The Consortium for Educational Resources on Islamic Studies is a collaboration of academic, nonprofit, and religious organizations in the tri-state area serving students like you with conferences, classes, events, trips, grants, and scholarships. Saint Francis is a founding member of CERIS and all of our students are welcome to participate in CERIS activities.

The Examined Life: An Undergraduate Conference in the Liberal Arts

This conference is a celebration of the Liberal Arts. It brings together traditional research presentations, creative works, and an art show and open mic to celebrate student work in the Liberal Arts. Participants may engage with the conference in a variety of ways: presenting their work within panel presentations (usually comprising 3 presenters whose work shares meaningful connection, whether by theme or genre), participating in a poster session showcasing their research, and/or performing during the conference’s art show and open mic night.

The Examined Life Conference is hosted by Saint Francis University and Lebanon Valley College. 

The Saint Francis University Wolf-Kuhn Ethics Institute exists to raise consciousness about ethical concerns within our local communities and to work with policy makers of various organizations who are concerned about corporate responsibility and ethics.

Organizations play an increasingly important role in shaping the context of people's lives throughout the country and the world. Those concerned about the quality of human life must take seriously the impact of these organizations; both the contributions they make and the problems they present.

Schools, churches, businesses, hospitals, and a wide variety of other organizations have all recognized the growing demand for moral accountability. Recognizing the Judeo-Christian culture in which we live, realizing that work in corporate ethics must operate ecumenically, and convinced of the contemporary relevance of Franciscan values, the Saint Francis University Institute for Ethics is prepared to take a leadership role in this effort.

Access Ethics Institute Resources

Our department offers religious studies courses in study abroad programs in France, Mexico, and Bolivia, along with the opportunity to take theology courses in Austria.

• In France, our students study the religious architecture and pilgrimage sites surrounding Ambialet.
• In the Yucatan Peninsula, at Playa Del Carmen Mexico, they delve into the countries’ rich, Franciscan, religious history while learning Spanish and serving at a local orphanage.
• The Bolivia site offers students the chance to learn about environmental issues associated with mining, while actively engaging in service with the locals in La Paz and around Lake Titicaca.

Additionally, our department has supported student-designed projects in Nicaragua, Africa, Honduras, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. If you have a project in mind, we will do everything in our power to make it happen. We are open to studying and serving with you. If you want to travel while you learn, SFU is the place to do it!

Increasingly, business and industry are seeking thoughtful employees who can analyze, reason, and think and act ethically. Incorporating Philosophy and Religious Studies into your education enhances your work in all disciplines, notably healthcare, business and public policy.

Philosophy students have accepted the following positions:

• Arts Consultant
• Author
• College Counselor
• Criminal Defense Attorney
• Director of University Gift Planning
• Director Information Systems
• Education
• Foreign Service Officer
• High School English Teacher
• Marketing Analyst
• Ministry
• Law
• Producer/Director
• Psychologist
• Publisher
• Real Estate Attorney

With coursework in Religious Studies, you may pursue one of the following career paths

• Clergy member
• Scholar
• Author/Speaker
• Parochial/CCD Teacher
• Spiritual mentor
• Social work
• Non-profit
• Religious administrative

SFU Career Services >