Religion enriches the lives of people.
It is a major source of people's values and ideals, and determines much of how they live their lives. Therefore understanding religion is key to understanding human existence. The discipline of religious studies examines religion from outside the framework of any particular belief system. Based on a commitment to the highest standards of intellectual freedom and integrity, religious studies is a major in which all questions are asked and none are disallowed. In religious studies, students acquire skills in reading and analyzing a variety of texts and cultural situations.