If entering the ministry, attending seminary or increasing your religious and/or spiritual knowledge is your goal and you have an Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences (AAS) with a technical or vocational major from a Council for Higher Education (CHEA)-recognized organization, a Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences in Religion will help you reach your goals. We focus on the exegesis and practical application of foundational religious texts. Courses include the foundational texts and history; the interface of science and religion; and comparative studies of world religions. Our Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences (BAAS) will help you use your prior academic experience to complete your degree. The average time frame for completing a BAAS degree is two years.
We offer biblical Greek and Hebrew, both as courses or a Religion Minor. Our program has been recognized for with Zondervan Awards for Excellence in Theology, Excellence in Biblical Greek and Excellence in Biblical Hebrew. The time needed to achieve a degree in religion varies with the individual student, but you can generally complete this degree in four years. The degree can be completed three ways: entirely on-campus, online (through web-based or lecture-capture based courses) or through a combination of both.
Do I Qualify for This BAAS Program?
Our Bachelor of Applied Arts and Sciences Religion Concentration will help you use your prior academic experience to complete your bachelor's degree.
- You can enter our BAAS Program to earn your first bachelor's degree. To qualify you must have one of the following:
- Have an Associate of Applied Arts and Sciences (AAS) degree from an institution with accreditation recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA)
If you have questions about whether or not you can enter the BAAS program at ENMU, please contact our BAAS Coordinator Dr. Cindy Miller, 575.562.4124 or [email protected].
Scholarships and Financial Assistance
We are committed to helping you finance your education. In addition to grants, loans, and scholarships offered University-wide, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers 37 scholarships, several of which are available for ENMU students who have declared religion as their major. Additionally, many Eastern New Mexico University students work part-time jobs to help finance their education.
Online Learning Format For Religion
Our BAAS religion concentration can be completed online. In this program, however, you'll have the option to take all of your classes online or a combination of online and in-person. You'll be completing assignments, readings, papers, tests and projects throughout the semester. This concentration includes three different course formats:
- Course sections where recorded and live lectures via Panopto connect you with professors and other students on your own time are labeled "AW."
- Courses where participation with the professor, other online students and students attending the in-person class on campus are required in real-time are labeled, "SW."
- Courses that are completely online and offered through Canvas, with no recorded lecture or in-person students are labeled "WW."
Faculty and Advising for Religion Majors
The applied arts and sciences faculty are committed to responsible academic advising. This means we help you schedule the right courses at the right time to help you take the next step in your professional career. Faculty members are specialists in their areas of advising and are current with requirements for admission into the programs they advise so you get the academic advice you need, when you need it.
Academic Help and Resources for Religion
We want to make sure you get the support you need. We offer flexible tutoring services, including the ENMU Writing Center which is available to help you improve your writing and help you clearly communicate for written, school-related projects and assignments.
We also have online databases, journal articles and eBooks accessible through the Golden Library. ENMU librarians are available virtually, via phone and email to provide assistance, so you'll always have the help you need to take advantage of library resources.
See our distance learning library services
If you have questions or concerns about your homework assignments, projects or grades, you always have the option to email or call your professor.
Career Opportunities in Religion
If you are already working in ministry or a related field and want to gain more knowledge to couple with your real world experience, our degree will help you advance your career goals. And this degree, because of its focus on developing critical thinking and strong communication skills, is of value in a variety of fields from lay ministry to business. Additionally, ENMU offers free job placement assistance and resume help to all students, so if you are looking for another job, we can help you find it.
Find out more about ENMU Career Services >
BAAS Concentration: Religion
The BAAS program requires you to complete 120 hours to earn your bachelor's degree. Within those 120 hours, you must complete General Education Requirements, a primary concentration and a secondary concentration.
See what you will need for your BAAS
As a secondary concentration, Religion includes courses like:
- Hebrew Bible
- New Testament
- Principles of Textual Interpretation
- History of Christianity
- History of Religion in America
- World's Living Religions
