Religion is a major source of inspiration, meaning, and controversy in human societies. Fast-moving forces of globalization, migration, and technology continue to bring diverse communities into closer proximity, and understanding a community's religion offers critical insight into understanding the community as a whole. The Religious Studies program at Washington University gives students the opportunity to learn about diverse religions as well as to study past and current events with a critical but open mind.

The program offers undergraduates a major and a minor. The diversity of topics that can be covered in religious studies is huge and must be studied in all their interdisciplinary complexity. Many of the courses are taught by faculty in different disciplines and areas, including history, English, classics, anthropology, American religion and politics, and East Asian studies. Students will explore religion and religious traditions in all their interdisciplinary complexity — often comparatively, sometimes thematically, and almost always in specific historical and cultural contexts.

In addition to the courses, every year the program hosts events designed to foster a lively intellectual community of students and faculty, including public lectures as well as more informal gatherings of people interested in the study of religion.