Biblical Studies
Entry requirements
The standard entry requirement is a good upper second class honours degree or equivalent (for example GPA 3.7) in Theology, Religious Studies or a related discipline. The two principal exceptions to this rule are as follows: graduates of other disciplines who have studied at undergraduate or equivalent level in one or more of the areas in which they hope to work, through their first degrees, through training for the ministry of the churches, and so on; students from overseas universities who have successfully reached a point in their theological studies comparable with completion of a British BA at the standard noted above - for example, on the German model, passing the Zwischenprüfung or Kolloquium and two semesters at the Hauptseminar level. When applying, please ensure that your two chosen referees send their confidential academic references (using the reference form [Word]) to us in a timely manner. Please note that we are unable to accept ‘open’ references submitted by yourself. The referees may send the references by email directly from their institutional email addresses to theo.pgadmissions@durham.ac.uk provided they are signed, or by post to the address provided on the reference form. English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.
Months of entry
October
Course content
This course focuses on the context and interpretation of biblical and pseudepigraphal texts, along with the study of biblical languages. Durham has a long tradition of outstanding biblical scholarship, providing a wide range of distinctive approaches to biblical studies, including historical, critical and theological.
Course Structure
The Bible and Hermeneutics core module; three option modules; dissertation.
Core Modules- The Bible and Hermeneutics
- Dissertation.
Optional Modules in previous years have included:
2-3 choices from:
- Advanced Hebrew Texts
- Advanced Aramaic
- Middle Egyptian
- The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha and the New Testament
- Gospels and Canon
Plus up to 1 choice from:
- Paul and his Interpreters
- Patristic Exegesis
- Patristic Ecclesiology
- Christian Northumbria 600-750
- The Anglican Theological Vision
- Classic Texts in Christian Theology
- Liturgy and Sacramentality
- Conceiving Change in Contemporary Catholicism
- Twentieth-Century Catholic Theology
- Christian Gender
- Principles of Theological Ethics
- Theology, Ethics and Medicine
- Social Scientific Methods in the Study of Religion
- Ritual, Symbolism and Belief in the Anthropology of Religion
- Literature and Religion
- Catholic Social Thought
- Ecclesiology and Ethnography
- Doctrine of Creation
- Selected modules from the MA in Theology and Ministry programme
- Level 3 undergraduate module, or any Level 1 – 2 language module offered by the Department of Theology and Religion, taken in conjunction with the Extended Study in Theology & Religion module
- 30 credits from another Board of Studies (including appropriate credit-bearing language modules offered by the University’s Centre for Foreign Language Study).
Information for international students
English Language requirements Please check requirements for your subject and level of study.
Fees and funding
Scholarships and funding
Qualification and course duration
MA
Course contact details
- Name
- Department of Theology and Religion
- theo.pgadmissions@durham.ac.uk
- Phone
- +44 (0)191 334 3929