The University offers bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in Religious Studies. The program emphasizes historical and textual studies of Judaism, Christianity (primarily Western and Syriac Christianity), Islam, and Asian religions, with work on the philosophy of religion and religion in America forming important parts of the program. Growing areas of interest are the material culture of religion, affect studies, and ethnological approaches to religion. The areas of religion in literature and the sociology of religion are also taught within and outside the department.
The Religious Studies Department coordinates the Religious Studies Graduate Group. While the department is relatively small, the number of researchers making use of religious studies materials is not and crosses many departments; faculty in ancient and Middle East studies, history, the various literature departments, and sociology, as well art and music historians and anthropologists all study and teach materials dealing with religion.