Theology and Religious Studies BA (Hons)
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Foundation Year
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Course Summary
How do ancient texts help shape people’s choices in the modern world? Is mindfulness a Buddhist practice or a Western therapeutic technique? Where does evil come from, and what should we do about it? What’s the connection between believing, belonging, and behaving? Do new religious movements present a danger to society? What tools does Christian doctrine provide for addressing the climate crisis? What does the Bible really say? Is religion a force for good in the world, or a source of conflict?
Questions about religion, faith, and spirituality are vital in modern, global society. A degree in Theology and Religious Studies equips you to understand the ongoing significance and meaning of religious perspectives in the contemporary world, as well as inviting you to think critically and constructively about beliefs, practices, and ethical concerns in traditions such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Asian religions. Our programme welcomes and supports students from a variety of faith, belief, and non-belief backgrounds.
What you'll Study
Module content:
- Reading and writing critically.
- Constructing and evaluating an argument.
- Note-taking techniques for reading and listening.
- Understanding plagiarism and academic integrity.
- Introduction to reflective practice.
- Preparing for, and delivering, powerpoint presentations.
- Referencing and citation.
- Summarising and paraphrasing written sources.
- Literature searching.
- Report writing.
- The culture and expectations of higher education.
- The assessment process including the role of assessment criteria and feedback.
- The nature of research journal publishing.
Whilst much of the content above is generic, students will be encouraged to situate skills within the context of the undergraduate discipline they are entering, which leads to some variation in emphasis for certain skills.
Module aims:
1.To raise awareness of the range of study skills required for successful higher education studies, including the process of academic writing, reading strategies, seminar skills, organisation of time and materials, planning for and meeting deadlines, understanding and responding to feedback.
2. To introduce students to concepts such as plagiarism, academic integrity and appropriate use of artificial intelligence tools.
3. To facilitate an effective transition into higher education by exploring, and providing guidance in, the key elements of successful undergraduate studentship including students' understanding of taking responsibility for their own learning.
4. To teach students how to undertake a literature, visual or data review for their discipline and be able to differentiate between a valid, reliable source and an unsubstantiated or irrelevant source.
Module content:
- Research and planning skills.
- Becoming familiar with topics that comprise their undergraduate degree subject.
- Developing a knowledge base for a discipline of study.
- Identifying areas of interest.
- Application and development of critical analytical skills.
- Development of self-directed study.
- Use of learning resources.
Module aims:
1. To develop students' skills in planning and writing an essay.
2. To familiarise students with the process of tutor supervision for a written piece of work.
3. To give students an opportunity to focus on a topic within their undergraduate degree subject.
4. To write a piece of work that allows the student to broaden and deepen knowledge on a topic of their choice.
5. To prepare and deliver an academic poster presentation outlining the student's research topic.
Module content:
- The 'global student' and the ‘global graduate’
- Introduction to theories of globalization
- Perspectives on economic, political and cultural globalization
- Globalized media, the internet & digital tech.
- Global economy & transnational corporations
- International organisations & social movements
- Migration, multiculturalism and interculturalism
- Introduction to decolonisation & education
- International security and security issues
- Introduction to international relations theory
Module aims:
1. To explore issues of global significance.
2. To develop and apply skills in critical thinking, research and communication and apply these to debates within the module's topics.
3. To deconstruct and reconstruct arguments by researching global issues.
4. To develop an awareness of global justice debates.
Module content:
- An introduction to creative and critical thinking concepts
- Considering credibility; belief and truth
- Identifying how language is used for persuasion
- Identifying how image is used for persuasion
- Recognising how media is used for manipulation
- An introduction to advertising and marketing techniques
- Representation and misrepresentation of data
- Applying critical thinking skills to contemporary media and technology
Module aims:
1. To introduce approaches to analytical and critical thinking.
2. To develop an understanding of critical thinking when applied to language, image, traditional and online media.
Module content:
- Introduction to semiotics and visual language
- Emerging trends: environment and interiors
- The birth and evolution of cinema
- The human commodity: advertising, celebrity and reality television
- Introduction to postmodernism and popular art
- Photography as social commentary
- The internet and digital spaces
Module aims:
1. To develop students' understanding of western civilization through an understanding of that civilization's visual texts.
2. To develop students' abilities to communicate orally, visually and through academic writing.
3. To develop students' interpretative abilities through the promotion of skills of visual interpretation.
Module content:
- Introduction to the ways that narrative and stories are important in different cultures and contexts
- Introduction to methods of interpreting narratives and stories
- Introduction to key stories and narratives that have shaped cultures
- Introduction to how stories and narratives can change or influence cultures
- Introduction to how stories and narratives are constructed and reconstructed in the twenty-first century
- Introduction to skills in reading texts
Module aims:
- To develop an awareness of a number of key narratives and stories that have influenced cultures
- To understand the various roles that narrative and story-telling have in different cultures and contexts
- To understand the ways that cultures construct meaning through narrative and story-telling
- To develop skills in reading and interpreting narratives and stories
- To develop skills in the close reading of texts
You’ll gain a range of skills and knowledge that will equip you for advanced study no matter where your interests take you. You will take classes introducing you to the core questions and methods for studying religion, Christian theology, the Bible, and ethics, as well as major traditions such as Islam, Judaism, and Dharmic religions.
Module content:
This module introduces students to some of the central themes and methods in Christian theology. It will consider key questions such as ‘what is theology?’ and ‘how do we do theology?’ as well as introducing students to important theological themes such as creation, the person of Jesus, sin and salvation. Students will engage with these themes from multiple perspectives and explore the ways in which prominent thinkers – both historic and contemporary – have shaped theological debate. To probe the significance of these theological ideas, students will consider how diverse Christian responses to contemporary issues such as climate change, food banks, violence and abuse, the refugee crisis, and the debate about women bishops are underpinned by particular theological positions and interpretations of creation, the person of Jesus, atonement, salvation, ecclesiology and eschatology.
Module aims:
- To consider a range of different themes in Christian theology from multiple perspectives, contemporary and historical.
- To investigate the theological positions underlying behind diverse contemporary Christian attitudes and actions.
- To evaluate the adequacy of Christian thought in light of the way it informs the attitudes and behaviours of varying Christian communities today.
- To develop in students skills in textual study, critical comparison, and evaluation.
- To introduce students to diverse theological perspectives and methodologies.
- To provide a firm basis for the study of further Christian Theology modules at levels 5 and 6.
Module content:
The module will provide students with a survey and overview of the biblical literature of both testaments and will equip them with a range of exegetical skills. Students will be introduced to the literary and theological contours of the Hebrew Bible (including historiographical, prophetic and wisdom literatures) and the literature, theology and socio-historical background of the New Testament (including Gospels, Epistles, and Revelation).
Module aims:
- To enhance students’ knowledge of the basic contents and contours of the Bible.
- To encourage students to develop a deeper understanding of the different types of biblical literature.
- To help students to develop a range of exegetical skills for understanding and interpreting it.
Module content:
This module provides students with the necessary foundational knowledge, skills and understanding for the more specialised study of religions. It provides basic global history and geography essential for a grasp of the history of religions. The module explores key concepts within the study of religions including: ritual, deities, belief, texts, cosmology, community, religious experience, religious imagination and material culture. It questions assumptions about the nature and definition of religion, and its relationship with culture and the secular/postsecular. It explores religion through the body, gender, sexuality, art, media and politics. It examines different theories, disciplines and methods that have shaped, and continue to shape, the academic study of religion, including phenomenology, sociology, psychology, anthropology, ethnography, feminism, history and hermeneutics. It raises important controversies and debates in Religious Studies around essentialism, insider/outsider perspectives, critical distance/critical empathy, positionality, (post)colonialism, orientalism and lived religion. Students are enabled to engage with and assess the significance of the various ‘critical turns’ in the development of the academic study of religions, and to develop their own preferred styles of engagement with the subject matter.
Module aims:
This module introduces foundational basic knowledge necessary for an informed study of religions.
Students are introduced to various key concepts, approaches and ‘critical turns’ in the history of the academic study of religions, and critically engage with them.
Module content:
This module prepares students to engage with some big questions in ethics. It will introduce students to critical thinking about ethics (relativism, hedonism, metaethics), and to the main theories of normative ethics (consequentialist, deontological and virtue-based). Students will learn alternative approaches to ethics (such as feminist, religious and ecological approaches), and hone their reasoning in issues from applied ethics (such as gender, race and animal welfare).
Module aims:
- to train students in methods and issues for ethical thinking
- to introduce students to the main theories of normative ethics
- to challenge students with problems in applied ethics
Module content:
This module introduces students to Rabbinic Judaism as a living religious tradition, exploring the historical development of key features of modern Jewish communities and practices. While the module will address the historical origins and geographic diversity of Rabbinic Judaism, the majority of its focus will be on religious change in the modern era, in response to the question of Jewish Emancipation in Europe (and its colonies).
Particular attention will be given to the development of skills in methods such as textual study, material culture, and popular culture analysis.
Module aims:
- To introduce Judaism as a distinct religious system, in preparation for advanced study in modern Jewish philosophy and ethics.
- To provide insight into the influence of history and culture on the development of religious practice and belief.
- To develop students’ facility with methods of text study common in Jewish Studies.
Module content:
This module introduces students to the historical origins of Islam and the core theological and institutional dimensions of the Islamic tradition, drawing on exemplars from Muslim communities around the world. It assumes no prior experience in the study of Islam. Topics covered include, for example:
- The Prophet Muhammad
- The Qur’an as revelation and text
- The Shari’a (Islamic law)
- Muslim politics
- Shi’i Islam
- Sufism (Islamic mysticism)
Module aims:
- To prepare students for more advanced study of contemporary Islam at levels 5 and 6
- To equip students with a core understanding of the historical and structural dimensions of the Islamic tradition.
Module content:
This module explores the diverse identities, practices, beliefs, teachings, and institutions that are part of Christianity. It traces the major influences on the emergence of Roman Catholicism, Anglicanism, Protestantism, and Orthodoxy and considers their main characteristics, in a range of contexts. The course also explores how Christianity has been challenged and transformed by modernity, and how it responds to contemporary questions relating to fundamentalism, gender, sexuality, and race, for example. There is the opportunity to undertake a small fieldwork project to introduce students to the principles of fieldwork, which examine how the lived experiences of a Christian community relate to the tradition.
Module aims:
- To provide students with knowledge, understanding and literacy of the diversity of Christianity in various contexts.
- To consider the range of identities, practices, beliefs, and its institutions, in a range of geographical contexts.
- To develop skills of evaluation and reflection in relation to fieldwork
Module content:
This module explores a range of religious traditions usually including (but not limited to) Buddhism, Hindu Dharma and Sikhi. These dharmic worldviews are explored in terms of their i) their shared but differing conceptions of dharma, ii) their historical development in Asia, iii) teachings associated with central texts and traditions, iv) practices, attitudes and orientations.
Content may include: Hindu deities, festivals and rites of passage; ideas about the divine and the self in the Upaniṣads and Epics, varnashramadharma (traditional structuring of society and the life-course), the idea of buddhahood, buddhas and the ‘historical’ Buddha, central teachings of dukkha, no-self, nirvāṇa and dependent arising, the life of the saṅgha, bodhisattvas, wisdom and compassion, Zen and the Pure Land; the Sikh Gurus, the Guru Granth Sahib, the Khalsa, gurdwara, world-affirming Sikh theology and associated practices (sewa, langar, gender equality).
Module aims:
Students will
- Explore the diversity of dharmic teachings and practices and analyse them in relation to orientations of renunciation or world-affirmation.
- Engage in critical comparisons of key dharmic teachings.
- Consider the impact of the standpoint (historical, geographical, postcolonial) from which these traditions are explored.
You will be able to choose from a range of options to develop your own academic interests. You may want to focus on theology and Biblical Studies, take additional classes on ethics, progress your study of particular religious traditions, contemporary spirituality, and non-religious beliefs and worldviews—or some combination of all of these. You’ll also have the chance to enhance your employability skills with hands-on experiences.
Module content:
This module is designed for Level 5 Modern Language or English Language students intending to spend a year abroad and/or considering teaching English as Foreign Language. It is also suitable for students of all disciplines interested in a career in TEFL. Students will develop their knowledge of English grammar and structure and acquire a basic understanding of the communicative approach to teaching English as a Foreign Language. Students will also be introduced to a range of methods of teaching, learning and assessment. This knowledge will be applied practically in the planning of motivating learning activities and lesson structures, utilising the loop input approach. Students will also be acquainted with a variety of language learning resources. To complement their theoretical knowledge students will also be provided with practical teaching experience, ideally with authentic foreign learners of English, where they will have to opportunity to experiment with various learning and assessment techniques. Some teaching practice will also be in the form of micro-teaching sessions with peers on the module.
Module aims:
- To develop students' awareness of English language grammar and structure.
- To raise students’ awareness of phonology and the appropriate methods and materials to teach English pronunciation successfully.
- To introduce students to some basic contemporary pedagogical theory related to the teaching of English as a Foreign Language.
- To introduce students to a range of teaching and learning materials
- To provide students with practical skills for the English language classroom.
- To establish sound approaches to critical reflection with regard to observation, practice and professional development.
- To enable students to enhance their transferable and interpersonal skills such as self-presentation, time management, communication and problem solving.
Module content:
The focus of the module will be to examine the interface between spirituality and popular culture. The module will examine key ideas and approaches to studying spirituality and popular culture, and introduce students to important theoretical frameworks that will equip them to assess discourses related to the wider understanding of contemporary studies in popular culture and spirituality. The module will include, for example,
- Introduction to what we mean by 'popular culture' and 'spirituality' along with associated ideas;
- Analysis of some key methodological approaches related to spirituality and popular culture studies;
- Examination of expressions of spirituality manifest in popular culture;
- An introduction to religious/spiritual motifs in popular music;
- Examination of examples of spirituality in film and TV;
- An introduction to spirituality and cyberspace;
- Introduction to apocalyptic themes in contemporary culture;
- An introduction to 'new' spiritualities emerging in contemporary popular culture.
Module aims:
- To introduce students to key methodological approaches in the study of spirituality and popular culture;
- To understand examples of key religious/theological and philosophical ideas related to popular culture;
- To analyse a variety of manifestations of popular spirituality.
Module content:
This module explores the legal background and historical development of Religious Education as a curriculum subject in state maintained schools. It probes the complex relationship between education and society, questioning the relevance of the subject in an increasingly secular society, and exploring some of the debates surrounding faith schools. It analyses some of the issues surrounding the legal place of ‘spiritual development’ on the curriculum, and it examines some of the aims of teaching methodologies currently in use in Britain’s classrooms. This module involves a placement in a school, in line with Handbook H, Professional Programmes and Placement Learning, of the Quality and Standards Manual. It requires attendance at a placement discussion prior to acceptance.
Module aims:
This module aims to provide:
- A thorough and critical knowledge and understanding of the history of the development of Religious Education in England and Wales 1870—the present day
- Reflection on the effectiveness of a range of teaching methodologies and approaches to RE
- Reflection on some of the key debates in RE
- First-hand experience of the pressure on classroom delivery of RE
- An awareness of the interrelationship between education, society and culture and arguments for and against the preservation/proliferation of faith schools.
- An understanding of the relationship between research in religious education and classroom practice.
Module content:
This module focuses on the religion of ancient Israel, tracing its origins and development from earliest times through to the return from the Babylonian Exile in the 6th century BCE. Drawing upon the Hebrew Bible and other textual and archaeological evidence, the beliefs and practices of Israelite religion will be examined alongside the ancient Near Eastern context to which they belong. The module will accordingly consider such topics as: the emergence of monotheism; covenant and election; prophecy and divination; temple and priesthood; sacrifice, ritual and cult; purity and impurity; mythology and philosophy; and the impact of these for our understanding of the background, composition, and literary development of the Hebrew Bible.
Module aims:
- To encourage critical analysis of the historical, textual and archaeological evidence for Israelite religion of the pre-exilic period;
- To engender an appreciation of the ways in which reconstructions of the religion of ancient Israel have affected scholarly understandings of the origins and development of the Hebrew Bible;
- To enable understanding of the ways in which ancient Israelite beliefs and practices ultimately led to the emergence of Second Temple Judaism;
- To set the religion of ancient Israel, the formation of the Hebrew Bible, and the emergence of Second Temple Judaism within their wider ancient Near Eastern context.
Module content:
This module will examine the diverse ways in which Jesus is imaged in contemporary contextual theologies and in theologies of liberation. Students will be introduced to the key methodological principles at work in contextual theologies and will debate important questions surrounding the place of experience, culture, and practice in the doing of theology. Methodological and thematic issues in contextual theology will be considered through a detailed engagement with various contextual/liberation Christologies, such as Black, African and Asian Christologies, Latin American Liberation Christologies, Feminist Christologies, Christologies from Women of Colour, Queer Christologies, Disability Christologies, and Post-Colonial Christologies. The module will consider the ongoing significance of these Christologies and analyse the relationship between theological discourse and politics, economics, and contemporary social existence.
Module aims:
- To introduce students to a range of contextual Christologies, and to facilitate knowledge and understanding of key controversies and debates in this area;
- To explore the central methodological principles and questions of contextual theology, specifically how context shapes communities of faith and beliefs and understandings regarding Jesus;
- To analyse and evaluate Christological models, being attentive to nuance;
- To develop in students oral skills, the ability to perform a close reading of theological texts and to critically assess their content and significance;
- To provide students with skills to identify and assess the relationship between theological ideas and wider political, economic, social and ecclesial ideas and practices.
Module content:
This module examines early Christian gospels, focussing primarily on their presentation of Jesus. Students will explore the context, message, Christology, and interpretation of each Gospel, as well as particular exegetical focus on key synoptic sections of the Gospel narrative. The module will also cover key issues in historical Jesus research, the early reception of Jesus, as well as more recent presentations of the figure of Jesus.
Module aims:
- To develop critical knowledge and understanding of key theological concepts and expressions especially as they relate to Gospels scholarship;
- To develop detailed exegetical and hermeneutical skills and facility in critical approaches to Gospels study;
- To develop students' understanding of and skills in applying appropriate scholarly methodologies.
Module content:
This module explores core issues in the study of contemporary Islam, focusing on the late 20th and 21st centuries. It introduces students to some central academic debates surrounding how to approach the study of Muslim lives, mindful of the complexity and multiplicity of religious expressions and experiences within the Islamic world. It covers a range of themes including, but not limited to: Islam, colonialism and modernity; Islam and the state; Muslim revivalism; minorities within Islam; women and gender; Islam and everyday life. The module is global in scope, covering examples from Muslim majority as well as minority contexts, and it draws on empirical case studies to facilitate the exploration of its central themes. Students will learn how to engage with theoretical debates in the field through the prism of embedded local examples.
Module aims:
- To achieve an understanding of the multifarious nature of the social, cultural, political, and religious dimensions of contemporary Muslim lives.
- To engage key theoretical debates in the study of contemporary Islam.
- To explore examples from fieldwork-based studies of Muslim lives in order to attain a detailed understanding of particular local experiences.
Module content:
Tracing the shifting meanings of religion, the sacred, secular, and spiritual is central to understanding contemporary British life. From patterns of religious behaviour to how a community practices belief, or the ways a person makes meaning in an everyday mundane activity, this module focuses on the theories and tools for researching religious transformation in the UK. In the course, you will study topics such as secularization, religious diversity, religious inequalities and equalities, religious revival, gender and religion, contemporary spiritualities, non-religion, and examine examples and case-studies to explore the role of religion in the private and public spheres.
Module aims:
- To develop knowledge of key theories, issues, and approaches in the study of contemporary religion in Britain
- To develop skills of analysis and evaluation in relation to questions about the significance of religion in the UK.
- To examine and evaluate theories that explain the decline and marginalisation of religion and debate the future of religion in Britain.
Module content:
Pre-placement:
- Structured approaches to researching, selecting and securing a suitable work placement relevant to the student’s interests and career aspirations*.
- Writing an effective CV. Constructing a letter of application.*
- Interview skills.*
*Note: Students are required to undertake these pre-placement tasks during term 1 level 5, as part of the placement acquisition process and will be supported by the Work Based Learning team and the Careers and Employability department.
Induction Programme and Placement:
- The organisational context: research-informed analysis of the placement organisation’s aims, structure, culture.
- Self- assessment of needs: identification of the range of transferable skills, competencies and attitudes employees need and employers expect graduates to possess. (Employability Skills: e.g. verbal and written communication, analytical / problem solving capabilities; self-management; team working behaviours; negotiation skills; influencing people; positive attitude, resilience, building rapport).
- Devising a strategy for integrating into the workplace and work based teams
- Completion of online assignment tasks covering sourcing and obtaining placement; health and safety procedures in general; general workplace integrity; placement requirements.
During and post-placement: Learning effectively in and from the workplace:-
- Devising and implementing strategies to improve own approach and performance
- Critical analysis/evaluation of approach to skill development and performance in the workplace;
- Influencing the Placement Provider’s appraisal;
- Devising an action plan to develop gaps in transferable skills based on the placement experiences;
Module aims:
This module aims to enhance students’ prospects of gaining graduate level employment through engagement with a University approved work placement**, which will enable them to:
- Develop their understanding of workplace practice and lifelong learning;
- Enhance their work readiness and employability prospects through development of transferable skills;
- Take responsibility for their own learning and acquisition of workplace employability skills;
- Articulate, in writing, their employability skills.
In your final year, you will undertake a research dissertation that reflects the interests you have developed over the previous two years. You will also be able to select advanced classes on Biblical Studies, modern theology, religion and violence, religion and gender, new religious movements, theological and philosophical responses to evil, post-Holocaust thought and philosophy and the imagination.
Module content:
This module examines the beliefs and practices of Jews, Christians, and ‘Pagans’ between the Maccabean and Bar Kochba revolts. Beginning with the religion, culture, and politics of the Roman Empire, students will have opportunities to explore how communities of Jews and Christians organised themselves, examining issues where they demonstrate conformity and confrontation with wider cultural, political, social, and religion norms. The third section of the module looks specifically at the birth and development of Christianity, covering topics such as: the mission of Jesus; the ‘parting of the ways’ from Judaism; Paul’s Gentile mission; sexual ethics; Church and State; ecclesiology; suffering, persecution, and martyrdom.
Module aims:
To develop understanding of key theological terms and concepts;
To develop understanding of the influences and events which shaped Judaism and Christianity at the turn of the eras;
To develop understanding of attitudes in Judaism and Christianity to important key themes, including: Land and Temple; Gentile inclusion; relation to the Roman Empire; relationship between 'Church' and 'Synagogue'.
Module content:
This module provides students with an opportunity to engage in independent study around a topic of interest to them. Students may decide to build on and develop an area already addressed in their programme of study or may choose to focus on something they have not yet had the opportunity to study. The dissertation also offers the opportunity for interdisciplinary study.
Tutor-led sessions provide guidance various aspects of dissertation writing, such as refining a topic, enhancing research skills, forming an argument, empirical research/fieldwork and improving grammar.
Module aims:
- To encourage students to work independently in pursuing a defined topic of personal interest appropriate to their programme of study
- To give students an opportunity to select, define and focus on an area of special interest in such an area
- With supervisory support, to enable students to develop in critical and evaluative skills appropriate to a dissertation
Module content:
This module focuses on a number of the shorter ‘novelistic’ works (or ‘short stories’) to be found in the Hebrew Bible and cognate literature. Accordingly, it will consider books such as Ruth, Esther, Tobit, and Judith. As well as a close detailed reading of the texts themselves (in English translation), the module will examine such topics as: the history of interpretation; historical-critical questions of authorship and date; genre; thematic issues; intertextual links with the rest of the Hebrew Bible; and theological, literary and cultural impact.
Module aims:
- To encourage close reading and critical analysis of a number of select biblical books, thus providing students with the tools and transferable skills necessary to engage in close textual analysis of other biblical works;
- To engender a nuanced appreciation of the diverse ways in which biblical texts can (and have) been read;
- To enable a detailed familiarity with both the novelistic texts themselves and the methodologies and reading strategies employed in their interpretation;
- To set the novelistic texts of the Hebrew Bible and cognate literature within their historical, literary and cultural contexts.
Module content:
What role does imagination play in philosophical reasoning? Is our ability to imagine constrained by reality, or is our concept of reality shaped by our imagination? Do stories help to create empathy? Is empathy necessary, or desirable, in political thought?
What exactly is imagination? How does it work? How can we study it?
These questions have a long history in philosophy, but have been of particular interest to philosophers working in Europe during and after the Second World War. This module will draw on this body of philosophy in order to explore the relationship between imagination, fiction, and the search for truth. It will include case studies drawn from works of literature and film that address relevant questions of truth and moral responsibility.
Module aims:
- To explore the relationship between philosophy and imagination
- To advance awareness of the philosophy of imagination
- To increase familiarity with the works of key 20th Century philosophers
- To develop facility in the use of fiction and literary texts in philosophical argument
Module content:
The interaction between ‘religion’ and ‘gender’ often results in tensions, resistances, and connections, and in diverse ways religious teachings, practices, and identities shape, and are shaped, by gendered norms and expectations. Focusing on the historical and theoretical development of the study of religion and gender, this interdisciplinary module examines methodological issues such as the production of religious knowledge; postmodern, postcolonial, and postsecular engagements; and the construction and representation of authority, agency, and power. Drawing on examples that include Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and new spiritualities, the course studies topics such as the complex relationship between religion and feminism; the disconnections between secular and religious disciplines; radical feminist critiques of religion, like Mary Daly or Pussy Riot; queer identities; engagements with sacred texts; masculinity; reproductive agency; digital technologies and practices; and modest dress and fashion.
Module aims:
- To examine the historical and theoretical development of the study of religion and gender
- To asses the methodological issues, key thinkers, topics, and themes emerging from the intersections, resistances, and interactions between religion and gender.
Module content:
This module will explore the relationship between religion and politics in both historical and contemporary perspective. It will address both the role of religion in constructing national identities, and the ways in which political pressures can shape religious practice and belief. Particular attention will be given to instances in which the confluence of religious and national identities is implicated in political violence.
The module may include, for example:
- State Shinto in Japan
- Buddhism and protest against/collusion with the state in Asia
- Islam, nationalism and the secular state in Turkey
- Sikh ethnonationalism in Panjab pre- and post-Partition
- The Islamic Revolution in Iran and the legacy of political Islam
- The Israel-Palestine conflict
- Hindu nationalism
- Islamism, democracy and authoritarianism
Module aims:
- To develop critical religious and political literacy with regard to historical and contemporary examples of religious violence, as well as the intersection between religion and nationalism.
- To understand and assess the way religious traditions contribute to, and are shaped by, violence and nationalism.
- To explore the complex relationship between religious and nationalist constructions of identity and community, with particular attention to the manner in which historical, social, and economic circumstances contribute to the construction of religious orthodoxies.
Module content:
‘Evil’ names a wide range of events and processes and their effects on us as individuals, communities and societies. It is a perennial cause for religious, theological and philosophical reflection. How should we understand what is evil about those particular phenomena and their impacts? How does evil happen? How far can evil events and experiences be reconciled with belief in God or basic trust in the goodness of the cosmos? How can we find ways to go on in the wake of evil? How do we best mitigate the threats it poses to character, health, relationships and meaning? How might we wisely address the damage and divisions it causes?
In this module we will explore such questions in conversation with a range of philosophers and theologians either located in the Christian tradition, or with whom Christian thinkers have dialogued on these questions, such as Augustine of Hippo, Julian of Norwich, Immanuel Kant, Friedrich Nietszche, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Karl Barth, Simone Weil, Jürgen Moltmann, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Eboussi Boulaga, Ivone Gebara and Emilie Townes. Where possible, we will examine them in the context of the particular cases or events which provoked their reflections, such as natural disasters, pandemics, events of war and genocide, intersecting systemic evils of racialised slavery and colonial subjugation, patriarchy and poverty, as well as quotidian evils like illness, poverty and abuse. Possible themes may include the nature of evil, theodicy and anti-theodicy; tragedy; anger, hope, despair and grief; trauma; practices of memory; love; empowerment; forms of resistance; and problems of reconciliation.
Module aims:
- To explore issues relating to the nature and origins of evil, its cosmological and theological significance, and appropriate modes of response to instances of evil and their effects.
- To critically examine and compare diverse philosophical and theological reflections on these themes, in relation to their historical, social and practical contexts.
- To enhance skills of the interpretation of philosophical and theological texts of different genres, drawing on historical, philosophical and theological forms of analysis.
- To develop skills of mature, constructive critical reflection and clear, persuasive oral and written communication
Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Chester
Our delivery is vibrant, dynamic, and customised to meet the needs of our students and specific nature of our subject. While the exact details of delivery will vary depending on the content of a particular module (or even a particular session), most of your class sessions will be a mix of lecture, discussion, group work, and practical demonstration. Some modules may have specifically designated seminars, to facilitate discussion among a smaller group of peers. You will also have one-to-one tutorials in every module to help you prepare for your assessment.
The assessment on this course is designed to help you consolidate your learning and develop key skills; the emphasis is on coursework rather than exams. In addition to essays, you are likely to write book reviews, text analysis, blog posts, dictionary entries, oral presentations, video presentations, research journals, workbooks, or critical reflections on your own learning. All assessments involve some element of independent choice, and are supported by formative activities, one-to-one tutorials, and feedback which highlights the next steps to enhance your achievement.
Beyond the Classroom
On this course, you have the opportunity to spend five weeks working for a host organisation via our innovative Work Based Learning module. You’ll have the chance to test-drive a future career, boost your CV and gain real work experience.
On this course, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake an Experiential Learning module, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned on the course to real-life scenarios and projects.
Our Experiential Overseas Learning module offers a unique opportunity to participate in a short-term placement around the world.
This course offers the exciting opportunity to study abroad for a full academic year at one of our bilateral exchange partners or through ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs), a network of over 300 additional higher education institutions worldwide.
If you choose a degree with a Placement Year, you’ll have the opportunity to undertake a year’s paid professional placement at the end of your second year, where you’ll experience the workplace, apply your learning and build connections for your future.
This course offers the opportunity to complete a year in industry, where you’ll experience the workplace, apply your learning and build connections for your future.
On this course, you’ll spend time out on placement where you’ll apply what you have learned to real scenarios in the workplace, giving you genuine experience and insight that will prepare you for your future career.
Entry Requirements
112 UCAS points
UCAS Tariff | 112 points |
GCE A Level | Typical offer – BCC-BBC |
BTEC | BTEC Extended Diploma: DMM |
International Baccalaureate | 26 points |
Irish / Scottish Highers | Irish Highers: H3 H3 H3 H3 H4 |
Scottish Highers: BBBB | |
Access requirements | Access to HE Diploma, to include 45 credits at level 3, of which 30 must be at Merit or above |
T Level | T Level - Merit |
OCR Cambridge Technicals | OCR Extended Diploma: DMM |
Extra Information | Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. |
Students from countries outside the UK are expected to have entry qualifications roughly equivalent to UK A Level for undergraduate study and British Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) for postgraduate study. To help you to interpret these equivalents, please click on your country of residence to see the corresponding entry qualifications, along with information about your local representatives, events, information and contacts.
We accept a wide range of qualifications and consider all applications individually on merit. We may also consider appropriate work experience.
English Language Requirements
- IELTS Academic: Undergraduate: 6.0 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
- Postgraduate: 6.5 (minimum 5.5 in each band)
For more information on our English Language requirements, please visit International Entry Requirements.
72 UCAS points
UCAS Tariff | 72 points |
GCE A level | 72 points overall, including grade D at A level |
BTEC | BTEC Extended Diploma: MMP |
International Baccalaureate | 24 points |
Irish / Scottish Highers | Irish Highers: H4 H4 H4 H4 H4 |
Scottish Highers: CCDD | |
Access requirements | Access to HE Diploma – Pass overall |
T Level | T Level: Pass (D or E on the core) |
OCR Cambridge Technicals | OCR Extended Diploma: MMP |
Extra Information | Welsh Baccalaureate Advanced and A level General Studies will be recognised in our offer. We will also consider a combination of A Levels and BTECs/OCRs. If you are a mature student (21 or over) and have been out of education for a while or do not have experience or qualifications at Level 3 (equivalent to A Levels), then our Foundation Year courses will help you to develop the skills and knowledge you will need to succeed in your chosen degree. |
Fees and Funding
£9,250 per year (2024/25)
Our full-time undergraduate tuition fees for Home students entering University in 2024/25 are £9,250 a year, or £1,540 per 20-credit module for part-time study.
The University may increase these fees at the start of each subsequent year of your course in line with inflation at that time, as measured by the Retail Price Index. These fee levels and increases are subject to any necessary government, and other regulatory, approvals.
Students from the UK, Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey and the Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for tuition fee purposes.
Students from countries in the European Economic Area and the EU starting in or after the 2021/22 academic year will pay International Tuition Fees.
Students who have been granted Settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans and Maintenance Loans.
Students who have been granted Pre-settled Status may be eligible for Home Fee Status and if eligible will be able to apply for Tuition Fee Loans.
Irish Nationals living in the UK or Republic of Ireland are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.
£13,950 per year (2024/25)
The tuition fees for international students studying Undergraduate programmes in 2024/25 are £13,950.
This fee is set for each year of study. All undergraduate students are eligible for international and merit-based scholarships which are applicable to each year of study.
For more information, go to our International Fees, Scholarship and Finance section.
Irish Nationals living in the UK or ROI are treated as Home students for Tuition Fee Purposes.
Your course will involve additional costs not covered by your tuition fees. This may include books, printing, photocopying, educational stationery and related materials, specialist clothing, travel to placements, optional field trips and software. Compulsory field trips are covered by your tuition fees.
If you are living away from home during your time at university, you will need to cover costs such as accommodation, food, travel and bills.
Course specific additional costs
Some modules include trips to regional places of worship. Entry fees for compulsory fieldtrips are covered by your tuition fees but there may be additional travel costs. As a guide, in 2016/17, a train fare to Liverpool cost £11.90 and a train fare to Manchester cost £14.30.
The University of Chester supports fair access for students who may need additional support through a range of bursaries and scholarships.
Full details, as well as terms and conditions for all bursaries and scholarships can be found on the Fees & Finance section of our website.
Your Future Career
Job Prospects
Taught by staff who are active at the cutting edge of their disciplines, advising religious communities and shaping policy, you will be well equipped to enter into any professional role which requires religious literacy and cultural sensitivity. Our students go on to work in a variety of different professions including charity work, law, education, government, health and social care, youthwork, publishing, ministry, finance and other forms of business and industry.
A degree in Theology and Religious Studies builds skills that are in high demand with employers across all sectors. Alongside critical thinking, argumentation, independent decision making, and the ability to present complex information clearly, our programme develops cultural and religious literacy, empathy and understanding of diverse perspectives, media literacy and technological skills, and helps you gain project management experience that is crucial for career advancement.
Careers service
The University has an award-winning Careers and Employability service which provides a variety of employability-enhancing experiences; through the curriculum, through employer contact, tailored group sessions, individual information, advice and guidance.
Careers and Employability aims to deliver a service which is inclusive, impartial, welcoming, informed and tailored to your personal goals and aspirations, to enable you to develop as an individual and contribute to the business and community in which you will live and work.
We are here to help you plan your future, make the most of your time at University and to enhance your employability. We provide access to part-time jobs, extra-curricular employability-enhancing workshops and offer practical one-to-one help with career planning, including help with CVs, applications and mock interviews. We also deliver group sessions on career planning within each course and we have a wide range of extensive information covering graduate jobs and postgraduate study.