University of Houston (Image source: X/@UHouston)
The University of Houston system has decided to discontinue its undergraduate course 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.As the Houston Chronicle reports, the university system’s Board of Trustees approved the closure Thursday after officials concluded that the program no longer attracted enough students to remain viable. While currently enrolled students will still be allowed to complete their degrees, the program will officially close in 2032. However, the university will continue to offer a minor in religious studies.
The university points to weak enrollment numbers
University leaders said the decision was primarily driven by continued declines in enrollment and state performance requirements.“This is another one of those cases where the coursework is popular, but the degree program itself is not,” said Renu Khator, chancellor of the University of Houston System, according to the Houston Chronicle. Khater added that the university intends to maintain students’ access to the subject through a minor program, allowing for continued courses and academic interest in the major.
Officials said the program currently has only 15 students enrolled, but noted that five of them are either not actively pursuing their studies or 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 program was unlikely to meet that standard.
Humanities programs face increasing pressure
The closure reflects a broader shift unfolding across American higher education, as liberal arts and humanities majors increasingly struggle to attract students concerned about career outcomes, educational costs and job security after graduation.Trustee Linden B. said: Rose The decline in interest in religious studies is not limited to Houston and reflects a broader national trend.Over the past decade, the University of Houston has already phased out several foreign language programs, including German, Italian and French, after experiencing similar declines in enrollment.Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Provost Diane Chase said the university made repeated efforts to revive the program before deciding to discontinue it.“The college and the department chair have worked hard to try to increase enrollment,” Chase said, according to the Houston Chronicle. She noted that the university has expanded its faculty, reviewed courses, and made other changes in an attempt to attract students.
However, she said interest in earning a bachelor’s degree in religious studies remains limited.Chase also made clear that no faculty members associated with religious studies will lose their jobs. Courses related to religion and culture will continue to be taught even after the degree program is phased out.
A broader debate about the future of the liberal arts
The decision is likely to intensify the debate about the future of humanities education at American universities.
While liberal arts advocates claim that majors such as philosophy, history, languages, and religious studies build critical thinking and cultural understanding, universities are under increasing pressure to justify programs through enrollment numbers and employment outcomes.As institutions face tighter budgets and students seek degrees with clearer economic returns, smaller humanities departments across the country are finding themselves under increasing scrutiny. The University of Houston’s move now adds religious studies to the growing list of academic programs reshaped by those realities.