Getting Religion By LAURA RANDALL Published: January 18, 2004 Spirituality and religion are thriving on campus, says a new study by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. Of 3,680 juniors surveyed at 46 colleges and universities, 73 percent said their religious or spiritual beliefs helped develop their identity, while 58 percent found that integrating spirituality into their lives was very important, up from 51 percent in 2000. The interest in religion and spirituality doesn't necessarily extend to the classroom, though. Only 39 percent of students said their beliefs had been strengthened by new ideas encountered in class, and 62 percent reported that their professors never encouraged discussion of spiritual issues. The survey also found that: 78 percent of students discuss their religious beliefs with friends. 65 percent question their beliefs at least occasionally. 9 percent have developed a stronger ''religiousness'' since entering college. 52 percent attended religious services the year before entering college. 29 percent attended religious services their junior year. 77 percent pray.