University of Houston ends religious studies major amid falling enrollment in liberal arts in US

The University of Houston System has decided to discontinue its undergraduate degree in religious studies, marking another setback for liberal arts education in the United States as universities increasingly respond to declining student demand and workforce-driven academic priorities.

According to reporting by the Houston Chronicle, the university system’s board of regents approved the closure on Thursday after officials concluded that the programme no longer attracted enough students to remain viable. While currently enrolled students will still be allowed to complete their degrees, the programme will formally shut down in 2032. The university will, however, continue offering a minor in religious studies.

University cites weak enrollment numbers

University leaders said the decision was primarily driven by sustained low enrollment and state performance requirements.

“This is another one of those cases where the courses are popular, but the degree programme in itself is not popular,” said Renu Khator, chancellor of the University of Houston System, as quoted by the Houston Chronicle. Khator added that the university intends to preserve student access to the subject through a minor programme, allowing courses and academic interest in the discipline to continue.

Officials said the programme currently has only 15 students enrolled, but noted that five of them are either not actively pursuing the degree or are not making progress toward completion.

The university also pointed to regulations set by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which require academic majors to graduate at least 25 students over a five-year period. University officials acknowledged that the religious studies programme was unlikely to meet that benchmark.

Humanities programmes facing growing pressure

The closure reflects a wider shift unfolding across American higher education, where liberal arts and humanities disciplines are increasingly struggling to attract students concerned about career outcomes, tuition costs and job security after graduation.

Regent Lynden B. Rose said the decline in interest in religious studies is not unique to Houston and mirrors a broader national trend.

Over the past decade, the University of Houston has already phased out several foreign language programmes, including German, Italian and French, after experiencing similar enrollment declines.

Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Diane Chase said the university had made repeated efforts to revive the programme before deciding to discontinue it.

“College and the department chair have worked hard to try and build enrollment,” Chase said, according to the Houston Chronicle. She noted that the university had expanded faculty, revised courses and introduced other changes in an attempt to attract students. However, she said interest in pursuing a bachelor’s degree in religious studies remained limited.

Chase also clarified that no faculty members associated with religious studies would lose their jobs. Courses related to religion and culture will continue to be taught even after the degree programme is phased out.

A wider debate over the future of liberal arts

The decision is likely to intensify the ongoing debate over the future of humanities education in American universities. While supporters of liberal arts argue that disciplines such as philosophy, history, languages and religious studies build critical thinking and cultural understanding, universities are increasingly under pressure to justify programmes through enrollment figures and employability outcomes.

As institutions face tighter budgets and students seek degrees with clearer economic returns, smaller humanities departments across the country are finding themselves under growing scrutiny. The University of Houston’s move now adds religious studies to the expanding list of academic programmes being reshaped by those realities.

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