Student Support

Academic advising

The first level of advising is your academic advisor. Your advisor is there to help you make the most of your experience at Iowa State from the beginning. Academic advisors help prospective students and their families learn about the philosophy and religious studies programs, help new students become oriented to the department and university, and support current students throughout their time in the program if they have questions, concerns, or seek help planning for the future. Your advisor can support you by connecting you with resources on campus and in the community and by helping you to develop decision-making, problem-solving, and self-advocacy skills.

Your undergraduate advisor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies is Mason Babcock.

Career planning

Career information can be found on the Career Information page. Be sure to check out LAS Career Services to help develop your career skills. Whether you need help with a resume, writing a cover letter, work on your job interview skills, or negotiate a job offer, LAS Career Services has the resources to help you land that job and succeed.

Scholarships

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers a variety of scholarships and grants to undergraduate and graduate students. The deadlines for each scholarship varies with the award. In addition, we also offer the Rottler Scholarship for students majoring in religious studies, and the Socrates scholarship for students majoring in philosophy.

Rottler Scholarship

Joan (JoDee) Rottler was an instructor of religious studies at Iowa State University from 1987 to 1998. This scholarship has been established in her honor as a tribute to her love of learning and passion for teaching. Two tuition scholarships of $1,000 each have been awarded annually to ISU Religious Studies majors since 1999. The application deadline is early March. Recipients will be notified by the end of March. There are several criteria for eligibility:

Currently enrolled as an undergraduate religious studies major.
Sophomore or higher standing, as of fall of application year.
Minimum 3.0 grade point average.
A completed FAFSA (financial aid statement) on file with Iowa State University Financial Aid Office. (Students do not have to be eligible for financial aid to be awarded a scholarship, but applicants must nonetheless have a FAFSA on file.)

You must submit the General and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences portions of the OneApp to be considered for scholarships. If eligible, you will automatically be considered for the scholarship award.

Socrates Scholarship

This award is an annual prize for the best philosophical paper written by a Philosophy major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. There is no restriction on paper topic or length. The paper may have been previously submitted in a philosophy course. Deadline for applications is the beginning of March. The winner will be notified by the end of March. To apply, submit the General and Liberal Arts and Sciences application in OneApp then look for the Socrates Scholarship in the list of additional opportunities.

Iowa State is home to many other different clubs and organizations, many of which are available to students in any major. Visit the ISU Student Organizations website to find something that interests you!

LAS Study Abroad provides international study, work, and service opportunities for all Iowa State students. Through their partnerships, they provide short-term, semester-length, and academic year programs abroad.

Have the next big idea? The Start Something LAS Academy, part of the ISU Start Something network, provides hands-on learning experiences for students interested in innovation and entrepreneurship. As an academy member you’ll build community with other innovators as you become a changemaker for the world around you.