You can be sure that the religionists are going to freak out over this one.  I personally think it is long overdue, though I am not sure I know what I would do with a degree in secularism.  A degree in theology is easy - just hang out a shingle and start passing the collection plate.  This one's a bit tougher.  And I can just see what most prospective students are going to hear from his/her parents: "You're gonna major in WHAT?"

====  From Huffington Post ====

Pitzer College is adding a major in secularism, the New York Times reports. The major was added as an alternative to a the more traditional academic path of religion and theology.

The Times talked to Phil Zuckerman, a religion sociologist who proposed the department, for more information:

Studying nonbelief is as valid as studying belief, Mr. Zuckerman said, and the new major will make that very clear.

“It’s not about arguing ‘Is there a God or not?’ ” Mr. Zuckerman said. “There are hundreds of millions of people who are nonreligious. I want to know who they are, what they believe, why they are nonreligious. You have some countries where huge percentages of people — Czechs, Scandinavians — now call themselves atheists. Canada is experiencing a huge wave of secularization. This is happening very rapidly.

“It has not been studied,” he added.

Classes in the major will include topics such as “Bible as Literature” and “God, Darwin and Design in America."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/pitzer-college-to-add-sec_...