What Can I Do with My Theology Major?

The study of theology enhances one’s awareness of, and sensitivity to, religious questions and values. Students consider both historical and contemporary questions related to theological and religious thought. Students who decide to major in theology will have the opportunity to concentrate on areas such as Religious Studies, Christian Theology, Religious Ethics, Biblical Studies, or Religion, Politics, and the Common Good. 

The theology major develops an appreciation for the similarities and differences of religious beliefs and practices among cultures and acquires skills that are relevant to a variety of careers. In addition to acquiring these skills, students who major in theology will develop habits of mind that reflect historical consciousness, exhibit critical thinking, demonstrate an awareness of the students own experience of religious traditions, and engage in awareness of differences in perspectives and opinions.

The study of theology facilitates the development of a core set of skills sought after by employers in a wide range of occupational settings. Throughout your experience in the program, you will obtain the following skills:

Critical Thinking Skills

  • Taking a reasoned approach to problem solving
  • Critical evaluation of religious questions
  • Integration of cross-cultural theological thought
  • Analyzing new ideas

Effective Communication Skills

  • Objective listening
  • Effective writing
  • Conveying complex information
  • Speaking to groups
  • Reading critically

Human Relations Skills

  • Awareness of individual and cultural differences
  • Appreciating diversity
  • Helping others organize and express unique points of view

You can use the examples above, and experiences from classes or research projects to enhance your resume. Try plugging in some of your experiences or skills gained into this formula: Accomplished (X) as measured by (Y) by doing (Z).

Sample Resume Class 1, Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Member of Class, taught by Prof. _____

  • Examined and reflected on complex issues of the relationship between religion and morality, faith and reason, the problem of evil, the existence of God, and the challenge of religious diversity through weekly readings and class discussions in THEO 001 The Problem of God course.
  • Engaged in close reading and critical study of theological literature and ancient texts including (insert texts) to understand their meanings in THEO 011 Introduction to Biblical Literature course.
  • Produced a detailed analytical and reflective report by visiting a local Buddhist center/temple, attending a meditation session, and observing cultural practices and artwork in THEO 167 Introduction to Buddhism course.

Georgetown Alumni have taken their theology degree across multiple different industries and have applied the skills they learned in theology across multiple disciplines. 

Additional information about these outcomes can be found in Cawley’s Post Graduation Outcome Report

“The best part about studying Theology at Georgetown was the community among the theology students in my class, many of whom are in academia now and we are still in touch.” – 2003 Georgetown College Graduate, Theology and French

Helpful Keywords to Improve Searches
There are lots of ways to find good keywords to help your job or internship search process, or even just to learn more about the types of jobs you can do within a specific major. One way to explore this is by checking out the job search tool on Google. 

Once you are in, type in something generic like your major and the world internship afterward. Once you hit enter, it will give you lots of options to explore, but if you want to explore titles, possible career paths, or keywords, hover your mouse over the ‘Title’ tab on the top of the page. This will give you a ton of ideas and options to explore possible keywords. 

Sample Internship Opportunities

  • Advocacy Agencies (e.g., The Children’s Defense Fund, International Women’s Democracy Center)
  • Communications (e.g., CNN, APCO Worldwide, Institute for Women’s Policy Research)
  • Education/Training (e.g., universities, Points of Light Foundation)
  • Service Ministries (e.g., General Board of Global Ministries, Catholic Network of Volunteer Service)
  • Social Service Agencies (e.g., Starlight Children’s Foundation, Shelter House, Inc., Green Door, Catholic Charities, DC Rape Crisis Center, So Others Might Eat)

The Georgetown Theology and Religious Studies Department Website is rich with additional information on studying Theology.

GU Theology and Religious Studies Department

Professional Associations are a great place to go to dive deeper into the field of theology and learn more about what post grad life might look like. 

Vault is a fantastic resource to learn more about specific career fields in Theology. Vault has information such as salary information, work environment, education and training requirements, outlooks, and specific tips for entering into the field. 

Professors & Academic Deans
Georgetown professors and faculty members can be a wonderful resource for Georgetown students. If you are still curious to learn more about the disciplines of a specific major, we’d encourage you to connect with your professors! Outside of office hours, Georgetown has an online interface called GU360 where students can explore and connect with faculty members that are eager to mentor and support students. You can use this interface to learn more about specific department research, specialties, and areas of study within a major.  

You can also connect with your academic dean or counselor to further discuss opportunities within a given major. 

Lastly, each department has a dedicated Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS). This is the individual in charge of coordinating the major program or department as a whole. You can find the Director of Undergraduate Studies by exploring the faculty and staff pages of individual departments websites.

Alumni 
Connecting with alumni is a fantastic way to explore a day in the life of any given major student. There are several different ways to connect with Georgetown Alums. Hoya Gateway is Georgetown’s premier networking platform which connects alumni and students to have meaningful conversations and build a strong network of support. This is a platform alumni opt into with the sole purpose of supporting current students, which means there is an extremely high response rate. 

You can also utilize LinkedIn to connect with Georgetown Alum. A simple alumni search on Georgetown’s LinkedIn profile will help you get connected to approximately 130 thousand alumni, which you can then filter to meet the location, major, industry, or skills that you are interested in exploring.

You can also check out our Post Graduation Outcomes to learn more about what Georgetown alumni in specific majors are up to after graduation. We survey our seniors at the end of each year and into the following year to learn about jobs they secured, service opportunities they committed to, or graduate schools they decided to attend. You can filter by first major to get an idea of what life after Georgetown looks like. You’ll see in many cases that alums are using majors in a wide variety of ways, and your major doesn’t always equal your career path. 

Career Center Staff
You can also connect with career center staff to talk through the possible outcomes of one major over another. In short, there are endless opportunities no matter what major you choose. However, connecting with someone might help you navigate your decision making process a little bit easier. 

At the career center, you have the opportunity to meet with either a Career Exploration Counselor or an Industry Advisor. Career Exploration Counselors can help you talk through concerns, goals, the big picture, and strategies to move forward. You can think of them as generalists and a great place to get started. Industry Advisors can help you think through specific questions about a given career path and provide specific industry information and trends. You can think of them as specialists for once you start to narrow down your possible path. If you think an appointment with one of these individuals would benefit you, you can make an appointment on Handshake.

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