Studying abroad provides students with a great chance to explore the world, and to learn more about the world that we live in. For students who choose to study Religious Studies in university, it is often for a similar reason as to why students study abroad in general: to learn more about world views and to gain a better understanding of nations. Planning to study religion abroad? You'll want to be aware of both the pros AND the cons!
Where will you end up for Religious Studies study abroad?
It won’t come as a surprise then that studying abroad as a student in the field of Religious Studies can be a remarkable opportunity and can fulfill a student's goal, in two overlapping ways.
However, along with the excitement of studying a subject you are really passionate about in a place that will allow you to unravel that subject’s ins and outs, there comes the question of whether or not your time abroad should be spent studying a single subject that can also be studied once you return home.
Read below for the pros and cons of studying Religious Studies abroad. Hopefully, through reading both sides, you will discover that you still want to study religion abroad, and that it’s definitely something to consider!
The pros and cons of Religious Studies study abroad
1. Pro: Visit sacred places and religious sites
At school you may have read about Christianity, Judaism, or a number of other religions, but imagine actually studying in the places where the world’s religions began. Leave behind the textbooks and classroom walls, and make your study abroad country your classroom instead.
Jerusalem is only one of many locations you could explore when you study religion abroad.
Beyond the religions you have already learned about, you will have the chance to learn about religions you may never have heard about before! For instance, if you study abroad in Japan you can study Shintoism and witness the rituals being practiced. Or, if Italy is your destination, you can learn about the religions of ancient Rome through visiting a renaissance palace owned by the Vatican.
2. Con: Takes away from your opportunity to learn subjects you don’t usually study
If you are someone who majors or minors in Religious Studies at your home university, studying Religious Studies during your time abroad means you might miss out on the opportunity to take classes you don’t have time to take back home. Often, students like to use their time abroad to take a language, history, or dance class native to the local culture. Since your schedule back home might be filled with Religious Studies classes, studying abroad can serve as a break in that schedule to try something new.
While it is great to try new subjects while you study abroad, your study abroad schedule does not have to be exclusive to new classes or Religious Studies classes. You can take some of each! The great thing about being abroad is that you often have more flexibility to design your schedule than you might when you are at home. Try signing up for one or two Religious Studies courses to continue with your passion and fulfill requirements for your major, but at the same time, also sign up for one or two subjects that are brand new to you.
3. Pro: Creates a strong sense of belonging
Studying abroad can be scary, especially when you don’t know anyone else on your program. Sometimes, being in a whole different country, and with no one familiar around you, you can feel lost. Studying Religious Studies abroad, and being surrounded by others who share your interest in the subject, can be quite helpful in alleviating this experience of feeling alone!
It can be comforting to know you instantly have something in common with other students and something to talk about. In college, you are often surrounded by people studying all sorts of subjects. But on a Religious Studies study abroad program, a strong sense of community will immediately be created since everyone on the program is studying the same thing.
4. Con: It could limit your options of where to study abroad
Not everywhere in the world will provide religious context for your studies—you’ll have to choose wisely.
It won’t come as a shock that Religious Studies study abroad programs are not offered in every country you might possibly think of going to study abroad. If you are set on studying abroad in one specific location, that might make studying Religious Studies abroad more difficult. Or, if you are really interested in one country, you might not be able to study religion abroad if the location is a priority to you over the subject matter.
However, there are many great study abroad locations that offer Religious Studies programs! While you may not have an endless amount of choices, you will definitely still have a choice of places to pick from. Search for Religious Studies study abroad programs, and see what locations come up. Plus, going somewhere you may not have thought of could turn out to be the adventure of a lifetime; you might discover a gem of a city that others have missed out on.
5. Pro: A great learning environment
With a subject matter as specific as Religious Studies, your classes are likely to be a smaller size than some other subjects. This means you can expect personal attention from professors and more interaction with your peers in class. This ensures you will get the most out of your time abroad, and will easily meet and spend time with other people while studying abroad!
6. Con: Language barriers
Being able to communicate is absolutely necessary in order to succeed during your time abroad and, of course, in order to learn from the classes you take while abroad. If you are taking Religious Studies classes to count for credit towards your major or minor, it is especially important that you are able to communicate with the professor and the other students, in order to do well enough for the credit to actually count.
It is one thing to take a class for fun, with the risk of a language barrier, but it is another thing to risk taking a class with a potential language barrier that you need in order to graduate. Some study abroad classes might be taught in the local language, or you might be required to write and speak fluently in a different language for your assignments.
While language barriers are real, there are many study abroad programs where the classes are taught in English, and not in the local language. Sometimes, professors from your own home school might even come on the program and teach your courses. Before going abroad, make sure to research the language of classes and know the level of fluency of a language that might be expected of you. If you want to take Religious Studies classes during your time abroad, don’t let a language concern stop you. It is likely that you will find classes to take that are in a language you understand.
7. Pro: Tangibly useful for when you return home
When you study religion abroad, you’ll have one-of-a-kind experiences to utilize when you return home.
Some students struggle with the dilemma of wanting to study abroad but also wanting to graduate on time and not fall behind on requirements for their major. If you are a Religious Studies major, taking Religious Studies classes abroad could be the solution for you! You will learn information while abroad that will help you fulfill graduation requirements and help your future career, all at the same time!
8. Con: It’s expensive
It’s no secret that studying abroad can be an expensive endeavor. Between travel costs, tuition, housing, local transportation, and school supplies, the costs can really add up. Why spend all of that money to study something you can study at home, without having to travel across the ocean and pay so much? Certainly Religious Studies courses are offered in the United States, and you can take many interesting classes without ever having to leave home.
While it is true that you can take Religious Studies courses without going abroad, the topics you learn about will come to life a whole lot more when you learn about them in the places the religions were created and when you field trip to places connected to a variety of religions. You can’t do that every day back home!
If you start planning early, you can apply for a study abroad scholarship which can greatly reduce your expenses. Additionally, you can talk to your program or school and see if you are eligible for financial aid. There are many ways around the huge expenses that study abroad can incur, so don’t rule study abroad out without speaking to an advisor and researching all the ways to help fund your time abroad.
9. Pro: Gain a greater understanding of the world
Studying Religious Studies during your time abroad will give you the chance to learn from different perspectives, engage first hand with religious history, and speak with people who come from a variety of religious backgrounds and practices. You will return home more knowledgeable, more open, and more prepared to engage with the world in the future.
Religious Studies study abroad is MORE than worth it!
Get out there and experience some of the world’s most influential history!
There are so many different ways you can study abroad, and so many choices, from location to type of program, to the classes you take. Yet, when you study religion abroad, you’ll have even more fun, because it means you have the chance to combine two of your interests together: exploring the world, and studying something you are passionate about, from a new angle!
If you are new to Religious Studies, taking a few classes in it during your time abroad is a great chance to see if it is something you might want to delve more into when you return to your home university.
Sure, there are some challenges to consider when deciding to study Religious Studies abroad, but challenges come with any subject you might decide to pursue overseas. As long as you make sure to plan ahead, and find the best Religious Studies program for you, Religious Studies study abroad pros will come out on top and outweigh any minor cons—every time!
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KAHAL Your Jewish Home Abroad is a non-profit organization which connects Jewish students studying abroad to Jewish opportunities, resources, and connections abroad. KAHAL aims to create meaningful Jewish experiences for study abroad students, allowing them to interact with local Jewish communities and deepen their Jewish identities. Wherever students travel, KAHAL arranges chances to attend Shabbat dinners, meet Jewish students, attend holiday meals, volunteer and advocate, and provides grant funding and travel assistance.
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