The Religious Studies Department at Cleveland State University provides students the opportunity to gain a broad and comprehensive understanding of the origin and historical development of the world's major religious traditions and a perceptive insight into the roles those traditions play in the world today.

Religious ideas and values fundamentally shape the ways every culture views itself and organizes its society. Courses in religious studies help students to develop both a sympathetic and a critical understanding of the religious dimensions of human societies in order to gain the most direct insight possible into the political, social, and economic issues of our day. To this end, the department's courses aim to equip students with the historical knowledge, methodological tools, and scholarly resources necessary to understand and appreciate religious beliefs and religious behaviors in all the ways they affect human life and culture.

In addition to granting the B.A. in Religious Studies, the department offers a broad spread of courses on important issues, topics, and areas of interest in religion for students all across the university. The Minor in Religious Studies and specially arranged double majors also provide lively opportunities to explore personal and professional interests in very creative ways.