Mount Saint Mary’s University

    Religious Studies | Bachelor of Arts
    (M)POWER Major Map

    A clear pathway for academic success, career formation, leadership development, and graduate or professional school preparation.

    Program Overview

    Core program information and early student priorities.

    Program Details

    Program
    Degree
    Map Type
    Religious Studies
    Bachelor of Arts
    (M)POWER Major Map

    Cultivate Learning

    Milestones across the first year, middle years, and final year.

    Summer Pathways / FYS / FYE

    Stage
    Key Actions
    First Year Experience
    • Take introductory Religious Studies course.
    • Choose your pathway in traditional, Weekend/Evening, or online formats.
    • Review program with faculty advisor.
    • Meet Alpha Lambda Delta Honors Society criteria and make Dean’s List.
    Middle Years
    • Develop your voice via class discussions and respectful interfaith dialogue.
    • Review your degree plan with your advisor, especially if double majoring, and explore minors or majors that complement Religious Studies.
    • Engage in justice-focused learning with CSJ-connected sites like Alexandria House or Border Compassion.
    • Begin reflecting on your spiritual and professional journey through assignments or journaling.
    Last Year
    • Work with a faculty mentor to plan and complete your thesis.
    • Present your thesis to faculty and invite supportive family or friends.
    • Review degree requirements with your advisor to stay on track for graduation.

    Academic Success

    Checklist items and recommended course sequencing.

    Academic Success Checklist

    Year
    Fall
    Spring
    First Year
    • RST 11 (3)
    • RST 21 (3)
    • ENG 1A (3)
    • GS (3)
    • FYS 1 (2)
    • RST 41 (3)
    • RST 61 (3)
    • ENG 1B (3)
    • GS (3)
    • FYS 2 (2)
    Second Year
    • RST 115 (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • GS (3)
    • GS (3)
    • Language (4)
    • RST 131 (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • GS (3)
    • GS (3)
    • Language (4)
    Third Year
    • RST Cat II ELE (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • RST Cat III ELE (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    Last Year
    • RST 199 (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • RST Cat IV ELE (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)
    • UD Elective (3)

    Career Formation and Experience

    Career readiness milestones and experience-building opportunities.

    Career Formation

    Stage
    Activities
    First Year
    Attend (M)POWER First-Year Discernment & Life Design Summit.
    Second Year
    Attend (M)POWER Sophomore Summit.
    Third Year
    Attend (M)POWER Junior Summit and unlock micro-credential access.
    Last Year
    Attend (M)POWER Junior Summit and maintain micro-credential access.

    Gain Experience

    • Explore how Religious Studies links to people-centered careers.
    • Visit Career and Professional Development.
    • Notice what energizes you in class to discuss pathways with advisor.
    • Continue career conversations with faculty mentors about graduate programs and paths that match your gifts and commitments.
    • Use Career and Internship Fairs to find organizations that value ethics, justice, communication, and community engagement.
    • Stay involved with service opportunities like Alexandria House or Border Compassion and reflect on how these shape vocation.
    • Meet with Career and Professional Development to translate skills in writing, compassionate listening, problem solving, and interfaith dialogue into strong resumes and applications.
    • Draw on your thesis and long-term projects when practicing interviews and telling your story.

    Leadership Development

    Leadership principles and opportunities connected to MOUNTLeads.
    The Four Core Principles of Mount Leads
    Awareness of Self and Personal WellnessEthical Decision Making & IntegrityCommunication Skills and Critical ThinkingActive Citizenship
    Area
    Opportunities
    Personal Leadership
    • Participate in MOUNTLeads Leadership Summit.
    • Apply to be a MOUNTLeads Leadership Scholar.
    • Sign up for community service with Women’s Leadership & Community Engagement or student clubs and organizations.
    Group Dynamics
    • Preparing Women to Lead (PLEN) (Y2+).
    • Community Student Ambassador Program (Y2+).
    • Become a peer mentor through Summer Pathways, Orientation Assistants/Leader, (M)POWER Peer Mentor, or others.
    • Pursue leadership in clubs/organizations, Student Activities Council, Student Government Association, Community Assistants, Peer Wellness, and more.
    Self-Reflection
    • MOUNTLeads Overnight Leadership Retreat (Y2+).
    • Explore service-oriented or community- and social-impact career pathways.
    • Attend “I Lead, We Lead” Workshop Series.
    Engage Locally for Post-Grad Success
    • Pursue on-campus student employment to develop career-aligned skills, a sense of belonging, and contribute to academic success.
    • Advocate for causes and/or organizations that you care about and make an impact.
    Engage Globally for Post-Graduate Success
    • Enroll in a Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) class.
    • Enroll in an international summer class.
    • Consider Study Away programs, either nationally or internationally.
    • Advocate for international causes and/or organizations that you care about and make an impact.
    • Enroll in a COIL class.
    • Enroll in an international summer class.

    Athenian Advisory Team

    Advising and support resources across each year.
    Role
    First Year
    Second Year
    Third Year
    Last Year
    Faculty Advisor
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Graduate school/career preparation
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring advisement
    • Major and minor exploration
    • Research and interdisciplinary opportunities
    • Graduate school/career preparation
    (M)POWER Academic Advisor & Success Coach
    • Mandatory Fall/Spring academic advisement and success coaching.
    • Learn how to navigate myMSMU-Student Planning, Athenian Advisory Team, university processes, and Mount resources to support your success and well-being.
    • Clarify curriculum, catalog policies, LACE general education requirements, and how AP, CLEP, IB, and transfer work can be applied towards your degree.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, major/minor exploration, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Learn how to bolster your academic interests and pursuits in alignment with LACE general education requirements.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Support you in building and bolstering your academic interests and pursuits in alignment with LACE general education requirements.
    • Collaborate to explore Mount experiences, such as Study Away, in alignment with academic and career goals.
    • Guidance on navigating academic preparation with your Athenian Advisory Team for post graduate planning.
    • Support with clearance to ensure registration readiness each semester.
    • Optional Fall/Spring academic advisement and coaching.
    • Attend individualized unique coaching sessions to strengthen time management, goal setting, and optimizing academic opportunities.
    • Guidance on navigating your Athenian Advisory Team for post graduate planning.
    Career Specialist
    • Learn how to transform experiences into career, calling, vocation.
    • Discern your values, talents, strengths, and goals; shape your early career story.
    • Explore career pathways and make a plan.
    • Reflect on career conversations with alumni and industry professionals.
    • Develop an early résumé and interviewing practice.
    • Strengthen your growth mindset.
    • Learn how to transform experiences into career, calling, vocation.
    • Discern your values, talents, strengths, and goals; shape your early career story.
    • Explore career pathways and make a plan.
    • Reflect on career conversations with alumni and industry professionals.
    • Develop an early résumé and interviewing practice.
    • Strengthen your growth mindset.
    • Clarify career goals and take next steps.
    • Build and strengthen networking relationships with intention.
    • Prepare tailored versions of your résumé and cover letter for specific opportunities or job types.
    • Sharpen effective delivery of your personal career narrative and interviewing skills.
    • Explore, consider, and prepare for graduate school.
    • Clarify career goals and take next steps.
    • Build and strengthen networking relationships with intention.
    • Prepare tailored versions of your résumé and cover letter for specific opportunities or job types.
    • Sharpen effective delivery of your personal career narrative and interviewing skills.
    • Explore, consider, and prepare for graduate school.
    Financial Aid Counselor
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    • Review annual financial aid award.
    Peer Mentor
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.
    • Tips and tricks for success.
    • Life at the Mount.
    • How to meet people and get involved.

    Wellness & Well-being

    Students are encouraged to build sustainable habits that support academic success, personal wellness, resilience, and balance throughout each year of the Religious Studies pathway.
    • Explore a Wellness Fair.
    • Build self-awareness around the dimension of wellness.
    • Try a new sport or continue your choice of movement.
    • Attend a GroupX fitness class.
    • Consult with a Peer Wellness Advocate to determine CalFresh eligibility and apply.
    • Consider applying to be a Facilities Attendant at the Wellness Pavilion or Doheny Wellness Center.
    • Develop healthy habits, understand and strive for self-improvement.
    • Learn positive coping and relationship skills through workshops by Peer Wellness Advocates, Counseling and Psychological Services, Residence Life, and others.
    • Take advantage of outdoor pursuit trips designed to nurture appreciation of the outdoors, environmental stewardship, social and cultural inclusivity, and risk management.
    • Consider applying to be a Peer Wellness Advocate (Y1+).
    • Utilize Produce Pick-Up for access to fresh fruit and vegetables (Y1+).
    • Commit to and prioritize your ritual for movement, healthy habits, positive self-concept, and mental resilience; model and encourage others to do the same.
    • Lead a GroupX fitness class.
    • Consider applying to be a Student Manager at the Wellness Pavilion or Doheny Wellness Center.

    Post-Graduate Outcomes

    Career pathways, transferable strengths, and outcomes supported by the Religious Studies major.
    Area
    Details
    What skills do employers want?
    • Clear communication, listening, and writing.
    • Analyze texts and compare viewpoints with respect.
    • Ethical reasoning and sound judgment.
    • Reliability, professionalism, and compassion.
    • Adaptability across service-oriented fields.
    • Leadership through mentoring and facilitation.
    This major equips me to
    • Think critically about religious, ethical, and cultural issues.
    • Write and present ideas clearly.
    • Engage diverse communities with empathy.
    • Reflect on personal and professional growth.
    • Lead, mentor, and support learning.
    • Apply ethical reasoning to new situations.
    What careers can I pursue?
    • Counseling, social work, or community advocacy.
    • Education, campus ministry, or spiritual care.
    • Nonprofit, justice, or community development roles.
    • Public service, civic leadership, or policy work.
    • Graduate study in theology, education, social work, psychology, etc.
    • Healthcare chaplaincy or patient support roles.
    • Roles in culturally responsive service and community work.