Bachelor in Religion/Religious Studies (Bachelor's)

Tuition is Tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is $52,500 per year..

The Religion programme at Cornell College is structured around the One Course At A Time format, where students focus on one course at a time for three weeks. This allows in-depth exploration of religious traditions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism through discussion-based learning and close engagement with religious texts.

Focus areas include Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Art and religion.

The programme requires a total of 36 credits, with coursework distributed across religious studies, interdisciplinary courses, and a senior capstone project. Students complete a capstone project under faculty supervision, focusing on individual research in the study of religion.

Graduates pursue careers in graduate study in the humanities, law, medicine, and theatre, as well as roles in chaplaincy, religious organizations, and social service agencies.

Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent. Cornell College does not require standardized test scores for admission. Required documents include a completed application, high school transcript, and one letter of recommendation.

The programme totals about 36 credit hours. On-campus, full-time, three-week courses in a block schedule, typically completed in four years. For international students, tuition is well above the median for US programmes. The institution admits about 81% of applicants.

For nearly 50 years, Cornell College has organized its campus around One Course At A Time. Students take one class for 18 days before beginning the next, creating extended periods for engagement with a subject, hands-on learning, and relationships with professors and classmates. The approach is designed to support deeper study and the confidence that comes from concentrating fully on one course.

Cornell offers students room to shape an individual academic path. Students may pursue majors such as Biochemistry and Molecular Biology or Spanish, and many double major. Academic and professional interests extend into areas including engineering, art, and infectious disease research, with students gaining experience through internships and other practical opportunities. The block plan can also make it easier to connect intensive coursework with projects, classes, and campus activities.

The college occupies a hilltop campus in Mount Vernon, Iowa, known within Cornell as the Hilltop. Campus visits can include student-guided tours, class attendance, meetings with professors or coaches, and time at the Hilltop Café. International students are welcomed each year and can receive help through the application process. They should also consider how the 18-day course format fits their preferred pace of study and plan for Iowa's changing weather, which moves through all four seasons.